Page 96 of Cole

God, what should I do? I want to respect my dad, but I also want to be able to live my life without being filled with fear. All he does is fill me with fear these days, and I don’t know how to deal with it.

In the past, the threats her dad had worried about had been abstract. He had been pro-active by keeping her and Benji off the radar of people who might potentially harm them.

Now, however, there was what appeared to be a credible threat. Brought about because she’d ignored his warnings and stepped into the spotlight.

But Benji was right. She’d been living within the boundaries her father had set for so long that she’d stopped questioning them. At least for herself. The kidnapping and fear had shapedher entire existence—or more accurately, her father’s response to it had.

But what if there was another way? What if she could be cautious without being isolated? What if she could have both safety and love?

She didn’t want to be foolish about how she lived her life, but she also didn’t feel like a life lived in fear was God-honoring. Her dad wouldn’t understand that mindset, being that he wasn’t a Christian.

But she was, so she felt like her life needed to reflect that.

Her phone felt heavy in her pocket. She pulled it out, staring at the blank screen. One call could change everything—or nothing at all. Cole might not even want to hear from her. He might have already decided their relationship wasn’t worth the complications.

Annie’s thumb hovered over his contact, but then the door cracked opened, and Benji stuck his head out. “They’re doing the post-game interviews. Cole’s up.”

Annie turned and followed her brother back inside. On the large screen, Cole sat at the press table, his expression carefully neutral despite the defeat.

Of course, the first question a reporter asked was about his recent slump.

“Sometimes the game just doesn’t flow the way you want it to,” Cole answered, his voice flat. “I need to do better for my team.”

“There’s been speculation about off-court distractions,” another reporter pressed. “Any comment on that?”

Something flickered across Cole’s face—pain, Annie thought, before his professional mask returned.

“My job is to play basketball at the highest level,” he said. “Everything else is secondary.”

The words stung, even though Annie knew they weren’t directed at her.

“He doesn’t mean it,” Benji said, reading her expression. “Look at his eyes.”

Annie studied Cole’s face as he fielded more questions. Behind the composed exterior, she could see the strain, the weariness. This wasn’t the confident, vibrant man she’d fallen in love with.

Was this what being with her had reduced him to? Had their relationship robbed him of that vibrancy? That confidence?

Maybe he would have been better off if they’d never met. Then he’d be able to continue to shine the way he always had.

But there was no going back now. And she was determined to find a way to make this work with Cole.

Provided that was what he wanted as well.

When the interview ended, Annie made her decision. She picked up her phone and walked to her bedroom for privacy.

Though she wanted to hear his voice, Annie didn’t call—that felt too intrusive after everything. Instead, she typed a message, deleting and rewriting it several times before settling on:

I miss you. I think we need to talk about finding another way forward—one that doesn’t involve giving up on us. If you’re willing.

It didn’t say even half of what was in her heart right then. However, she couldn’t put everything she wanted to say in a text message, especially if he didn’t want to hear it.

Her finger trembled as it hovered over the send button. Was she being selfish? Would reaching out only make things harder for him?

“Courage, Annie,” she whispered to herself, then tapped to send the text. “Live free of fear.”

The message showed as delivered, then read almost immediately. Annie’s heart pounded as she waited for a response. When none came after several minutes, she set the phone down, trying to quell her disappointment.

Benji appeared in the doorway. “Did you message him?”

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