CHAPTER TWENTY
Cole swiped the key card to unlock the door to his room. They’d flown from Detroit earlier that morning to prepare for their next game in New York City.
He still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Annie, and though they’d said they’d talk that day, he wasn’t sure when they’d be able to connect.
Though they wouldn’t have an intense practice like they’d had the previous day, Coach had scheduled another meeting for the team. Plus, he’d been talking about team morale, so he’d probably arrange some sort of activity for all of them.
Normally, Cole would have been on board for all of it. Anything to help them get a win. Especially against the New York team, one of their bigger rivals. They absolutely needed the win that night.
Unfortunately, his thoughts and emotions were so tied up in Annie and the situation with her dad that he hadn’t spent much time thinking about the game.
A text from Annie lit up his screen as he tossed his bag onto the bed.
Annie : Free to talk soon?
Cole stared at the message, his stomach tightening. This was it—the conversation that could change everything between them.
Yep. Team meeting in a couple of hours, but we can chat before that.
He sat heavily on the edge of the bed, trying to organize his thoughts. What could he say without violating the NDA? How could he ask about her family without revealing he’d already spoken with her father?
Cole’s phone beeped with a message to their team’s group chat.
Coach: Change in time for the meeting. Half an hour, same place.
“Of course he changed times,” Cole muttered as he sent back an acknowledgement.
He quickly texted Annie that he’d need to push their call back, then got himself prepped for the meeting.
Marcus had just exited his room as Cole headed down the hallway, so he walked with him to the meeting room, frustration building with each step. It felt like the universe was conspiring to keep him and Annie from having this conversation.
The team meeting was briefer than Cole had thought it might be. Coach went over film from their previous matchup against New York, highlighting defensive assignments and offensive strategies. Cole forced himself to focus, making mental notes and asking questions when appropriate. Basketball had always been his sanctuary, the place where everything else was forgotten.
But today, his mind kept drifting back to Annie.
“Halverson, stick around a minute,” Coach called as the meeting broke up, with everyone heading for the lunch he’d arranged in a nearby room.
Cole nodded to Marcus, who gave him a questioning look before leaving with the others.
“What’s up, Coach?”
The older man studied him, arms crossed. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you?”
“Nothing’s—”
“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.”
Annie’s shoulders slumped. “Yes. And it seems that someone recognized me and sent a threat to my dad.”
“Wait…” Cole leaned closer to his phone. “What? You’ve been threatened?”
“My dad thinks I have been,” Annie said.
Cole listened in shock and growing dismay as Annie explained what had happened. “You took a risk that you shouldn’t have, Annie.”
Her face fell at his words. “I took a risk because… I wanted to be with you and do something… normal.”
Cole could understand why she’d want that, but if he’d known all of this prior to the fundraiser, he wouldn’t have invited her. In that moment, he completely understood what Duncan Burke was trying to accomplish in keeping Annie hidden away.
“Your dad’s right.” It pained him to say that, but in this particular instance, it was the truth.
Annie’s face briefly registered shock before her expression went blank, effectively blocking him out.
“I’m sorry, Annie,” he said, his voice soft. “I know that’s not what you want to hear from me, but I’m worried about your safety, too. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’m under constant guard, you know,” she said stiffly. “I always have a guard, or sometimes two, with me.”
“Really?” Cole thought back to the times they’d spent together.
“My main bodyguard is Dawn, and Benji’s is Andrew.”
“Oh. Wow. So they’re not a couple?”
Annie hesitated. “They are, but they’re not supposed to be dating. Dad would flip his lid if he knew.”
“Why?”
“The people who kidnapped me and Angelica were a couple. The woman was our nanny at the time, and the guy was part of the security team. Back then, my dad wasn’t as rich as he is now, but he still had security around us.”
“Why is it so hard to find information on your kidnapping?” Cole asked. “I would have thought it would have been covered by every news outlet.”
“My dad did his best to keep all the information under wraps. And he preferred using his own team to investigate what happened.”
“But no one’s ever been found?”
Annie shook her head. “It’s like they disappeared off the face of the earth. Until this threat was received, which I’m not convinced is actually real.”
“Your dad isn’t going to take a chance on that,” Cole said. “And neither am I.”
“So that’s it then?” Annie’s voice was tight. “Things are over just like that?”
Cole’s heart broke at the thought of not having her in his life. And he hated that he was siding with her dad.
But the reality was that their lives weren’t compatible with each other.
Cole bent his head forward and dragged his hand through his hair. Was there a way to maintain his relationship with Annie while he was still living such a public life? Would they be able to have a strong, stable relationship if they kept it hidden from the public?
There was always speculation over who he was dating, so if he was ever spotted out with her, people would pounce on that information. He’d seen the headlines on the entertainment sites after he had appeared at the gala with Annie.
There had even been a lot of curiosity among his teammates and their significant others. The news that he’d taken someone to the gala had spread through the team, so even those who hadn’t attended were aware of the information.
All it would take was for one person to figure out who Annie was, and then, if they shared that information with the wrong person, it could all come out. Was it a chance he was willing to take?
Part of him said yes, it was. But his heart, as much as it ached at the idea of being without Annie, also balked at the idea of putting her at risk.
He was in a horrible position. He’d fallen in love with an amazing woman when he hadn’t been looking for love at all. And now, the only thing that outweighed his love for her was his fear that something would happen to her because of him. Because of his life in the spotlight.
“Annie,” he said finally, lifting his gaze to meet hers. “I don’t want to end things with you. But I can’t be the reason you’re put in danger either.”
Annie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “So you’re choosing my father’s side? Just like that?”
“It’s not about sides,” Cole said, his voice gentle but firm. “It’s about your safety. If something happened to you because of your connection to me…” He couldn’t even finish the thought.
“I’ve spent my entire life in a beautiful cage,” Annie said, frustration clear in her voice. “Always protected, always watched, always hidden. For once, I thought I’d found someone who saw me—just me—not Duncan Burke’s daughter, who needed constant protection.”
“I do see you, Annie. That’s why this is so hard.” Cole pressed his fingers to his temple, feeling a headache building. “I care about you too much to put you at risk.”
“What if we were more careful?” she suggested, leaning forward. “What if we kept things completely private? No more public appearances, no photos—”
“You know that wouldn’t work,” Cole interrupted gently. “People follow me everywhere. They analyze every move I make. Someone would eventually connect the dots, especially now that there’s been a threat.”
A tear slipped down Annie’s cheek, and she brushed it away quickly. “So that’s it? We just… give up?”
The pain in her voice cut through him like a knife. “I don’t know what else to do,” he admitted. “Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Cole hesitated. The thought had just formed, and he wasn’t sure if it made any sense. “Unless I step away from basketball.”
Annie’s eyes widened. “What? No! You can’t give up your career for me. That’s your passion, your life’s work.”
“And you’re becoming an important part of my life, too.” The realization surprised him even as he said it. When had Annie become so essential to him?
“Cole, that’s crazy. We’ve only known each other a few months.”
“I know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But I’ve never felt this way before. With anyone.”
Annie was silent for a long moment, her expression unreadable. “I can’t let you do that,” she finally said. “I won’t be responsible for ending your career.”
“Then where does that leave us?” Cole asked, the question hanging heavy between them.
Annie looked away, staring into the fireplace. “Maybe we need some time. To think things through separately.”
The suggestion felt like a step toward goodbye, and Cole’s chest tightened. “Is that what you want?”
“No,” she whispered, looking back at him. “It’s not what I want at all. But I don’t see another option right now.”
A knock at Cole’s hotel room door startled them both.
“Halverson!” Marcus’s voice called through the door. “Coach wants us in the lobby in fifteen.”
Cole glanced at the time, surprised at how quickly it had passed. “I’ll be right there,” he called back.
When he turned back to the screen, Annie’s expression had shifted, resignation replacing the raw emotion of moments before.
“You need to go,” she said quietly.
“Annie, wait—”
“It’s okay. You have a game to prepare for.” She attempted a smile that didn’t reach her beautiful eyes. “Maybe we both need some time to think.”
“I don’t want to leave things like this,” Cole said, desperation edging into his voice.
“I know. But right now, I don’t think either of us knows what the right answer is.” Annie tucked her hair behind her ear again, a nervous gesture he’d come to recognize. “Play well tonight. We can… talk again soon.”
Before Cole could respond, she ended the call, leaving him staring at a blank screen. The abruptness of it felt like a physical blow.
He sat motionless for several moments, his mind racing. Was this really happening? Were they breaking up? The thought of not having Annie in his life left a hollow ache in his chest.
Another knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. “Coming,” he called, grabbing his team jacket and phone.
As he joined his teammates in the hallway, Marcus gave him a concerned look. “Everything okay? You look like someone just stole your favorite sneakers.”
“Just focused on the game,” Cole lied, falling into step beside his friend.
“Right,” Marcus said skeptically. “Well, whatever’s going on, channel it onto the court tonight. We need Halverson the beast, not Halverson the brooding poet.”
Cole managed a weak laugh. Right then, he needed to focus on basketball. But after the game, he would think more about a possible solution to their relationship dilemma.
Because one thing had become crystal clear during their conversation—just how much he cared for her. He didn’t want to lose her. To lose what they’d found together.
They might not have dated for very long, but all the conversations leading up to that night at the gala had allowed them to move from friendship to more so easily. He’d cared about her as a friend, and now he loved her as a person who meant the world to him.
The realization struck him with unexpected force as he stepped into the elevator.
He loved Annie.
Not just cared for her, not just enjoyed her company—he loved her. The kind of love that made him consider walking away from the career he’d built his entire life around.
Marcus nudged him. “Earth to Cole. You with us, man?”
“Yeah, sorry.” Cole straightened his shoulders, trying to push thoughts of Annie aside. “Just getting my head right for the game.”
But as the elevator descended, his mind kept circling back to the impossible choice before him.
Basketball had been his life for as long as he could remember. The discipline, the competition, the brotherhood of the team—all of it was woven into his identity.
Could he really walk away from that?
The idea wasn’t exactly foreign to him. With his contract in its last year, for the first time, he’d allowed retirement to become a possibility.
He was already older than the average player. But barring any significant injuries, he could continue to play for several more years. The oldest player in the game currently was in his early forties, so Cole had several years yet by that standard.
But the older he got, the more likely it was that he’d injure himself. His recovery time would probably take longer, too.
He wanted to go out on a high note, so retiring sooner might not be a bad thing. It would also take away Duncan Burke’s power over him.
His heart ached at the thought of giving up the career he’d worked his whole life to attain. Just as it ached over the loss of Annie.
Still, Cole would retire in an instant if it would guarantee that they could keep their relationship going. Unfortunately, Cole wasn’t sure that would be the case because Annie was adamant that he not retire. It might well undermine their relationship if she felt guilty for him losing his career.
And when it came to Annie—would her father’s protection always keep her safe, or was it merely an illusion of safety that came at the cost of her happiness? The threat against her was real, but so was the cage her father had built around her life.
The team filed into the hotel lobby where Coach waited, clipboard in hand. As they headed toward the waiting bus, Cole’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Discreetly, he checked the screen.
Annie: I’m sorry for ending our call that way. Whatever happens, please know that I care about you deeply. Good luck tonight.
Cole stared at the message, a lump forming in his throat.
“Halverson!” Coach’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts. “Phone away. Game focus starts now.”
Cole slipped the phone into his pocket, nodding at his coach. As he boarded the bus, a strange calm settled over him. He still didn’t have the answer, but he knew one thing for certain—he wasn’t ready to give up on Annie. Not yet.
The arena lights were blinding as Cole went through the pre-game warmups. The familiar rhythm of dribbling, shooting, and stretching usually centered him, but tonight his movements felt mechanical, his mind elsewhere.
“You need to lock in,” Marcus muttered as they lined up for layups. “Whatever’s going on with your girl, put it away for the next few hours.”
Cole nodded, knowing his friend was right. The team needed him at his best tonight. He closed his eyes briefly, offering up a silent prayer—for focus, for clarity, for guidance on what to do about Annie. And more than that, for protection for her. He couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if something happened to her.
When he opened his eyes, something had shifted. The noise of the arena, the pressure of the game, the complications with Annie—they all remained, but somehow, they felt manageable. One step at a time. One play at a time. One day at a time.
As the starting lineup was announced and Cole’s name echoed through the arena, he jogged onto the court with renewed determination. For the next few hours, he would be fully present in this game. And afterward, he would figure out how to fight for what mattered.