Page 88 of Cole

“Don’t give me that.” Coach’s interruption was firm but not unkind. “I’ve coached you for years. I know when something’s off.”

Cole exhaled slowly. “Personal stuff. I’m working through it.”

“Work through it faster,” he said. “It’s affecting your play.”

“I won’t let it tonight,” Cole promised.

Coach watched him for a long moment. “I need you at a hundred percent, Halverson. This team relies on your leadership, your consistency.”

“I know.”

“Whatever it is—fix it, compartmentalize it, or let it go. We need a win tonight.”

“Yes, sir.”

Mindful that he needed fuel for his body, Cole went to grab lunch with his teammates. After loading up his plate, he found a seat at Marcus’s table, then texted Annie that he could talk in an hour’s time.

He knew that, depending on how their conversation went, he might not be in any better shape emotionally. If that were the case, he was going to just have to try his best to put it all aside to deal with later.

When he got back to his room, he sat down on the edge of the bed, his phone gripped in his hands. He bowed his head and prayed that he’d have the wisdom to know what to say and what to do.

Torn between wanting to start the conversation and wanting to put it off, Cole made himself tap on the screen. They needed to figure out what to do. Putting it off wouldn’t help their situation at all.

Annie’s face appeared on his screen, her expression a mix of anxiety and determination. Behind her, he could see her cabin’s living room with the fireplace crackling softly.

“Hey,” Cole said, his voice sounding strained even to his own ears.

“Hi,” she replied, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “Thanks for making time to chat.”

An awkward silence stretched between them, so different from their usual easy conversations. Cole studied her face, searching for any sign that she knew about his meeting with her father.

“So,” they both said simultaneously, then shared a brief, tense laugh.

“You first,” Annie said, her blue-green eyes watching him carefully.

Cole swallowed hard. How could he navigate this conversation without breaking the NDA? “I’ve been thinking a lot about us,” he began cautiously. “About our different lives, and whether… whether they’re compatible long-term.”

Annie’s face fell slightly. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk about, too. Cole, I know my dad has talked to you. Told you about our family.”

Cole wasn’t sure if acknowledging that would somehow violate the NDA. At his hesitation, she said, “I’m sure he had you sign an NDA, but it’s fine to talk to me about this. It’s anyone outside our family that you need to keep the information from.”

“Are NDAs a popular thing for your dad?”

“Yes. He has a lawyer that travels with him to write them up and make sure they’re iron clad.”

“I’ve met him too, I think.”

“Most likely.”

“So, how many people know who you really are?”

“Not many. My dad has been very cautious about revealing my and Benji’s connection to him. It’s why we have a different last name from him, and why we live here instead of New York.”

“Your dad also mentioned the kidnapping,” Cole said. “He said that was why he was so protective of you.”

Annie’s gaze slipped away for a moment, then she nodded. “Yes. The kidnappers didn’t release my sister when they let me go, so he became focused on finding her and protecting me.”

“I see,” Cole said carefully. “Your dad was concerned about us dating because I have such a high profile.”

---