Page 114 of Vegas Heat

That’s why his ex is here. She’s giving him a birthday treat—the kind I was planning to give him for his birthday.

“You look positively despondent I said no to Brewer.”

I obviously can’t say it has nothing to do with Danny Brewer and everything to do with whatever Cooper is doing with his ex, so I just shrug.

This entire conversation gave me plenty of insight about how my father really feels about me potentially dating one of his players. It’s a hard no from him, which means maybe Cooper was right all along.

With the combination of this conversation with my dad and what I saw in front of the house earlier, what little hope I was holding onto that somehow we’d fix this evaporates. The hope we’d figure it out and make it right and end up together is blown to bits all in a matter of a half hour.

I don’t really know where to go after dinner, but I know I can’t go back home. Not with this new realization. Not with knowing he’s in the room right beside me…maybe with another woman.

It’s too much to bear.

I get in the truck and call Mia.

“What’s up girl?” she answers, and I very nearly burst into tears but somehow manage to hold them off.

“Can we have a girls’ night?” I beg.

“I’m getting ready for a night out with Dylan,” she says. “I’m so sorry. Tomorrow night?”

And that’s whenvery nearlyturns into the ugly cries I’ve managed to keep at bay all night.

“Oh shit,” she murmurs. “Come over right now.”

I heave in a few deep breaths before I make my way over to Mia’s apartment.

She pulls me into a hug the minute I’m in her doorway, and I notice immediately that she’s definitely date night ready.

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry,” I say as I look her up and down. “You look gorgeous. I’ll just go. I’m okay.”

“Don’t be silly. Hoes before bros, right?” She slings an arm around my neck and forces me into her apartment.

I let out a soft giggle.

“What happened?”

“A variety of events crashed together in a way that forced me to realize it’s really over with Cooper. I was holding out hope this whole time that there was still a chance for us, and then I saw him with another woman. Right after that, I met my dad for dinner, and he made it clear he’d never be okay with me dating a baseball player, and add those two things together and it just feels like a shitty night.” I’m rambling, and she sets a hand on my arm.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “How can I make it better?”

“Alcohol?” I pad over to her couch and collapse. “I don’t really know. I don’t think I’lleverfeel better about losing the best thing that ever happened to me. We came so close, and we had a good run. My only option now is to move on, but I don’t know how to do that.”

“Alcohol,” she says.

“I might be able to help,” Dylan says, appearing as if from out of nowhere.

I glance over at him then cover my eyes in mortification. “I didn’t know you were here. Sorry for ruining your date night.”

“You didn’t. You just made it a double date instead.”

I move my hands from my eyes, which I narrow at Dylan. “What are you talking about?”

Mia laughs. “He invited Hansen over.”

I let out a sound that sort of resembles a strangled grunt. “Hansen? Are you serious? Is this because of the internship? Are you punishing me?”

Dylan chuckles. “No. It has nothing to do with that, but by the way, I’m a finalist for the final spot. Hanson has always had a thing for you.” His words are flippant, as if we all already knew this fact.

---