Page 98 of Cole

As he sat down on the bench in front of it, his phone buzzed in his bag. He ignored it at first, assuming it was another text from a family member asking what was wrong with his game.

But his curiosity wouldn’t let him ignore it for long. When he finally checked, his heart nearly stopped.

Annie.

Her message glowed on the screen, the words cracking through the numbness he’d been trying to cultivate.

Annie: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.

Cole read it three times, his pulse quickening with each reading. They hadn’t communicated since that last conversation, and he’d hoped that cutting things off completely would help them each heal and move forward.

It hadn’t worked for him yet, and he thought perhaps it wasn’t working for her either.

“You okay, man?” Marcus appeared beside him, already dressed to leave. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Cole locked his phone screen. “I’m fine.”

“Coach bench you?”

“Yeah.”

Marcus nodded, unsurprised. “Maybe it’s for the best. Give you time to get your head straight.”

Cole stared at his phone, Annie’s message burning in his mind. An opportunity he hadn’t expected. A lifeline when he’d been drowning. But was it a lifeline when there were no guarantees? No real options?

“Maybe,” he said, his voice distant.

Marcus sat down next to him, lowering his voice. “Look, whatever’s going on with you and your girl—fix it. This isn’t just about basketball anymore. I’ve never seen you like this.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Life’s complicated. Relationships are complicated.” Marcus shrugged. “Doesn’t mean you give up when it gets hard.”

Cole looked at his teammate, surprised by the insight. But then, Marcus had been married for several years, so he definitely had a leg up when it came to dealing with relationships.

“Her father doesn’t want us together. He’s… powerful. Connected. He could end my career with a phone call.”

Marcus whistled low. “That’s some serious opposition. But the question is—is she worth fighting for?”

The answer came immediately, without hesitation. “Yes.”

“Then maybe stop letting her father dictate your life.” Marcus stood, clapping Cole on the shoulder. “You’re Cole Halverson, man. You’ve never backed down from a challenge on the court. Why start now?”

As Marcus walked away, Cole stared at Annie’s message again. His thumb hovered over the reply button.

What could he possibly say? That he missed her, too? That he thought about her constantly? That walking away from her had been the hardest thing he’d ever done?

He began typing, then deleted it. Started again. The words wouldn’t come.

Finally, he settled on something simple:I miss you too. More than I can say. But I don’t see how we can make this work without putting you at risk.

He hit send before he could second-guess himself.

Her reply came quickly:There has to be a way. Can we at least talk about it?

Cole closed his eyes, Coach’s words echoing in his mind. Sometimes the hardest choices aren’t really choices at all.

When he opened his eyes, he typed:When I get home tomorrow.

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