CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Annie cupped her hands around the mug of hot chocolate she’d made for herself. Snow had been falling steadily throughout the day, adding to the light layer they’d had earlier in the month.
Staring out the kitchen window, Annie took a sip. She was glad she didn’t have to go anywhere because the roads were undoubtedly a mess.
The roads around the estate would be clear, however, as the grounds crew would have been working on them throughout the day.
A large clump of snow slid off a branch of the towering evergreen outside her window, its weight becoming more than the branch could handle. As the snow had fallen throughout the day, a quiet had settled over the forest surrounding her cabin.
It was the perfect day for staying inside with the fire going, so she’d done just that. She’d spent the morning working on more inventory for her website. Then, in the afternoon, she’d done some baking.
She didn’t bake a lot, but after watching some videos on social media she’d been inspired to try her hand at Christmas cookies. She’d ended up with a bunch of un-iced sugar cookies and some chocolate cookies, the recipe of which had sounded delicious.
The chocolate cookies were cooled and put away, so now she was going to tackle decorating the sugar cookies. She’d thought about asking Benji if he wanted to do some with her, but decided she’d rather be on her own.
There was a chance that Cole would call, and she wanted to be able to chat with him.
She missed him terribly. The team’s road trip had kept him busy, and their phone conversations had been shorter than usual.
During the times that they’d been able to connect, something had felt off. There’d been a tension in his voice she couldn’t quite place. When she’d asked if everything was okay, he’d assured her it was just the pressure of the games.
Annie sighed, watching her breath fog the window. She traced a small heart in the condensation, then quickly wiped it away. Such a childish gesture, but her feelings for Cole had awakened something in her—a part of herself she’d kept carefully guarded.
The phone rang, startling her from her thoughts. Her heart leapt, hoping it might be Cole, but the screen displayed Benji’s name instead.
“Hey,” she answered, trying to hide her disappointment.
“You sound thrilled to hear from me,” Benji teased.
“Sorry, I was just… thinking.”
“About a certain basketball player, I assume?”
Annie smiled despite herself. “Maybe.”
“Well, I was calling to see if you wanted company. I’ve got some homework to finish up, then I thought I’d come over. We could decorate those cookies you mentioned making.”
She hesitated. Part of her still wanted solitude in case Cole called, but the rational side of her knew having Benji around would be a welcome distraction.
“Sure, that sounds nice.”
“Great. I’ll head over around seven. Dad called earlier, by the way. Said he might be here tomorrow.”
Annie’s grip tightened on her mug. “Did he say why?”
“Just to check in, I think. You know how he gets around the holidays.”
Yes, she did know. Their father’s holiday visits often came with subtle reminders about family obligations, security concerns, and the importance of maintaining their privacy. Since she’d started seeing Cole, those reminders had become more frequent.
“Right,” she said finally. “See you at seven.”
After hanging up, Annie walked to the fireplace and added another log. The flames crackled and danced, casting warm shadows across the room. She settled onto the couch with her hot chocolate and stared into the fire.
Her mind drifted to Cole—to his warm laugh, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, how safe she’d felt in his arms. And yet, no matter how close they became, if she failed to reveal everything about herself to him, they’d never truly be close.
Following her conversation with her dad, she’d given it lots of thought, trying to come up with the best way to tell him everything.
Annie knew she could trust him. She just didn’t know how he’d feel about her not telling him right away. Or worse, how he might react because of who she was.
She didn’t think that her wealth would be an added draw for Cole. But it could very well be a drawback for him. Not every man would want the hassles that would come with dating her. And it was possible that Cole might be one of those men.
She knew her dad wouldn’t wait long before forcing her hand with Cole. That he’d waited this long surprised her. But perhaps that was why he was coming home the next day.
Closing her eyes, Annie bent her head, clasping the warm mug close to her chest.
I need courage, God. Courage and wisdom. I don’t know how to do this so that I can still keep Cole. I’m scared that because I wasn’t honest before now, he’ll be upset and think I’m lying or hiding other things from him. Please guide me to the right moment to share everything. And I ask that You prepare his heart for what I need to tell him.
Once she finished her cocoa, Annie went to the kitchen to make more. Benji liked the beverage as well as she did, plus he’d be cold from being outside.
After she’d prepared the drink in a pot on the stove, she also made herself a bowl of soup. The cook at the main house always gave her containers of food to put in her freezer, so she had something quick to grab that was good for her and tasted delicious.
Her phone remained quiet as she ate. Not even a text message.
The team had travelled to the East Coast for a series of games, which meant it was three hours later there than where Annie was. If she didn’t hear from Cole soon, she knew that she wouldn’t. At least not that night.
It wasn’t the first day they hadn’t had contact, and previous times had happened while he’d been on road trips, too. So it shouldn’t be concerning, and perhaps it wouldn’t have been, had she not sensed that something was off.
Annie stirred the hot chocolate slowly, watching the tiny whirlpool form in the center of the pot. The wooden spoon scraped gently against the bottom as her thoughts continued to replay the recent conversations she’d had with Cole.
It seemed like an odd distance had grown between them. An invisible chasm.
Annie didn’t think it was a figment of her imagination. She hoped it was, but she didn’t really think that was the case.
Their conversations had grown shorter over the past few days, his responses more measured. It wasn’t just the road trip—something had changed after his last home game. She couldn’t put her finger on what exactly, but the subtle shift in his tone worried her.
The doorbell rang just as she was pouring the hot chocolate into two mugs. Benji knew the code for the lock, so she didn’t go to answer it, knowing he’d let himself in.
Still, she moved from the kitchen to the foyer to greet him as the door swung open.
“It’s getting worse out there,” he said, stamping snow from his boots. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, snowflakes melting in his hair. “The guys are barely able to keep the roads around here clear.”
“I made hot chocolate,” Annie said, taking his coat and hanging it in the closet by the door.
After taking off his boots, Benji followed her to the kitchen, dropping his backpack beside the island counter. “So, where are the cookies we’re decorating?”
“In the living room in front of the fire.” Annie slid a mug toward him. “But these chocolate ones are ready to be eaten. Help yourself.”
As Benji reached for a cookie, Annie’s phone buzzed. She tried not to lunge for it, but her brother’s knowing smile told her she hadn’t been subtle.
“Cole?” he asked.
Annie nodded, feeling a rush of relief at seeing his name on the screen. “Just a text.”
Cole : Just finished a team meeting. Still snowing there?
Such a simple message, but at least he’d reached out. She typed back quickly: Yes, getting pretty deep. Benji’s here for cookie decorating. How was the meeting?
“Everything okay?” Benji asked, studying her face.
She waited for a minute to see if he’d respond, but there was no reply from Cole.
“I think so,” Annie said, setting her phone down. “Let’s get these cookies decorated.”
They worked side by side, Benji proving surprisingly adept with the icing. Annie’s phone remained silent as they covered sugar cookies with red and green frosting, adding sprinkles and tiny candy pieces.
“So,” Benji said casually, carefully outlining a star shape, “have you told him yet?”
Annie’s hand slipped, smearing blue icing across what was supposed to be a snowflake. “No.”
“Annie…”
“I know, I know.” She set the ruined cookie aside. “I’m going to. I just need to find the right moment.”
“There isn’t going to be a perfect moment for this conversation,” Benji said gently. “The longer you wait, the harder it gets. And the more ticked off Dad will get. And if he gets too upset, he’s going to have a conversation with Cole himself.”
Annie wondered briefly if maybe he had talked to Cole already, which is why he was acting different.
A pit opened in the bottom of Annie’s stomach. If he had, what would that mean for her and Cole?
“You need to tell him, sis.” Benji rested his elbows on the edge of the coffee table. “He needs to hear it from you.”
“What if it changes everything?” Annie’s voice was barely above a whisper. “What if he can’t handle it?”
Benji picked up his icing bag and began to outline another tree. “Then he’s not the man we thought he was. You won’t know for certain until you tell him.”
Annie knew Benji was right. But the reality she couldn’t ignore was that her dad’s wealth did make her a target, and it could make Cole one, too.
“How do you plan to tell Amelia?” Annie asked, wondering if their dad was giving Benji as many hassles about his girlfriend as he was Annie about Cole.
“Dad has forbidden me from saying anything to her about it,” Benji said with a frown. “He’s certain that she won’t be someone I keep in my life long term. So he doesn’t want her to know.”
“I’m convinced Dad wants us to let him pick out the perfect spouse for us.”
“I think so too,” Benji said. “It’s probably why Julian is still single and dating anything in a skirt.”
Annie rolled her eyes at the mention of their older brother.
“Julian’s dating habits have nothing to do with Dad’s control issues,” Annie said, though she wasn’t entirely convinced of that herself. “He’s just… Julian.”
“True,” Benji conceded, carefully placing silver balls along the edge of his cookie. “But you have to admit, it’s not a coincidence that the only one of us who’s completely public about his identity is also the one who refuses to settle down.”
Annie couldn’t argue with that logic. Their eldest brother lived his life defiantly in the spotlight, seeming to relish the attention their father so desperately wanted the rest of them to avoid.
“I just wish…” Annie trailed off, staring at the half-decorated cookie in her hand.
“Wish what?”
“That I could be normal. That I could fall in love without all this… complication.”
Benji’s expression softened. “Is that what this is? Love?”
Annie felt heat rise to her cheeks. She hadn’t said those words aloud yet, not even to herself. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
Her phone buzzed again, and both siblings glanced at it. Cole had finally responded.
Cole : Meeting was tough. Coach wasn’t happy with our defense. Sorry I haven’t been more available lately .
Annie read the message twice, searching for clues to his mood. It felt formal, distant.
“You should call him,” Benji suggested, reading over her shoulder.
“No, he’s probably busy with team stuff.” Annie set the phone down without responding.
It’s no problem. I know your road trips are busy. Hope you’re getting rest.
It barely scratched the surface of what she wanted to say to him, but she couldn’t seem to find the words, given the uncertainty she felt.
Putting her phone aside again, she focused on her cookies. They worked in companionable silence for awhile, the only sounds the crackling fire and occasional clink of icing tools against plates. Christmas music played in the background, as it had all throughout the day.
“Do you remember much?” Benji asked suddenly. “About… before?”
Annie didn’t need clarification. “Bits and pieces. More feelings than actual memories. Sometimes I dream about her. Angelica.” The name of her twin sister felt strange on her tongue—they rarely spoke of her directly. “I wonder if we’d still look alike. If we’d finish each other’s sentences. If we’d be close or competitive.”
“Dad hired another investigator last year,” Benji said quietly. “I overheard him talking to Mom about it.”
Annie’s hand stilled. “He didn’t tell me.”
“He didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
A familiar ache bloomed in Annie’s chest. Twenty-four years of searching, of private investigators and discreet inquiries. Twenty-four years of her dad’s hope slowly calcifying into grim determination, then quiet resignation.
“I think that’s why he’s so protective of us,” Benji continued. “Especially you. He couldn’t save Angelica, so he’s determined to keep you safe, whatever it takes.”
“Even if it means I can’t live my life?” Annie set down her icing bag. “Even if it means pushing away someone I care about?”
Benji’s expression turned serious. “Annie, you know I support you. But Cole lives his life in the spotlight. Dad’s not entirely wrong to be concerned.”
“I know that,” Annie said, frustration edging into her voice. “But I’m an adult. I should be allowed to make my own choices—even risky ones.”
“Then make them,” Benji said simply. “Call Cole. Tell him everything. See what happens.”
Annie stared at her phone. The thought of laying bare all her secrets made her stomach clench with anxiety. What if Cole couldn’t handle it? What if he didn’t want the complications her life would bring to his?
Or worse—what if he did, and then something happened to him because of who she was?
Her phone buzzed again, startling her. But it wasn’t Cole—it was her father.
Dad : Arriving tomorrow afternoon. Please join us for dinner at the main house. 6pm sharp.
Annie showed the message to Benji, who grimaced. “That’s definitely Dad-speak for ‘we need to talk.’”
“I know.” Annie set the phone down with more force than necessary. “I need to tell Cole before Dad does something… Dad-like.”
“Like what?”
Annie shrugged, but they both knew their father’s methods.
Duncan Burke was used to getting his way, whether through persuasion, incentives, or more forceful means. If he decided Cole was a threat to their family’s privacy or Annie’s safety, there was no telling what measures he might take.
“Cole does deserve to know,” she said finally. “If there’s any chance for us to have something real, I need to tell him everything.”
“Good.” Benji moved to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”
Annie leaned against her brother, grateful for his steady presence. He might be a teenager, but existing in their world together had made them close. And his dad had always insisted that Benji act with a maturity that often was quite beyond his years.
It was nearly ten by the time the cookies were decorated. Benji helped carry everything into the kitchen, then he headed out into the snowy evening.
Annie watched from the window as Benji’s figure disappeared into the swirling snow, the security lights illuminating his path toward the main house.
Alone again with her thoughts, she picked up her phone and checked the screen. Still no response from Cole to her last message.
It was quite late on the East Coast—he was most likely asleep by now. Or out with teammates. Or…
Stop it , she told herself firmly. That kind of anxious speculation would drive her crazy.
Plus, Cole wasn’t the sort of man to play around when he had responsibilities. And he wouldn’t be staying up super late when they had a game the next day.
Annie moved through her cabin, turning off lights as she went. She banked the fire, then locked down the house.
Upstairs in the loft, she went through her nighttime routine before crawling into bed.
Tomorrow. She would call Cole tomorrow and ask for a video chat. Face to face, she would tell him everything—about her family, her wealth, her sister. About the fear that had shaped her entire life. About why she’d kept secrets.
The thought made her stomach clench with anxiety, but Benji was right. Cole deserved to know. And she deserved a relationship built on honesty.
Annie picked up her phone one last time, typing a message before she could lose her nerve.
Can we video chat tomorrow? There’s something important I need to talk to you about. Nothing bad, just… something you should know.
She hit send before she could reconsider, then set the phone down and pulled her blanket close. Warding off the chill that seemed to have invaded her cozy home, sinking right into her bones.
Her phone buzzed almost immediately, surprising her, since she’d been sure that he would be asleep. It was already one in the morning on the east coast.
Cole : Sure. I have something I need to talk to you about, too.
Annie stared at the message, her heart beating faster. What did he need to talk about? His tone seemed serious. Was he going to break up with her? Had her father already gotten to him?
She typed back quickly. Is everything okay?
There was a long pause before his response came through.
Cole : Just some things on my mind. Can we talk around eight your time? Before our team meeting?
That works. Talk to you then.
Annie set her phone down, her earlier peace now replaced with nervous anticipation. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant was about to change between them. Whether for better or worse remained to be seen.
She closed her eyes, offering another silent prayer for strength and clarity. Whatever tomorrow brought, she would face it with honesty. It was time to stop hiding.