Page 208 of Vegas Heat

“We’ll talk more later, but let me leave you with this. It’s not just the fact that she’s his daughter. It’s not just the fact that you’re his good friend. You’re a player on his team now, and if ever there were bad feelings between you and her, that will be reflected in every aspect of your game play, of his management, of simplyeverything. If he has to choose sides between you and her, guess who it’ll be?”

The cameraman signals that the broadcast is about to return. But even though I don’t get the chance to respond, the answer is clear.

If it ever came down to it and Troy had to choose between his daughter and me, there would be no contest, and there shouldn’t be.

But what would that mean for me?

CHAPTER 2: GABBY

It feels like I’ve been sitting here forever when Cooper walks through the doors, but in reality it’s only been about four hours.

He’s still in a suit from the broadcast, though he’s removed his jacket, and if I were anywhere other than a hospital fretting about my father as he undergoes emergency surgery, I might take the time to appreciate the feast laid out before my eyes.

“How is he?” Cooper asks.

I shake my head as I rush into his open arms, and the moment he folds me into him, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. “Still no update.” My words are lost in his chest, and I feel him lean down to press a kiss to the top of my head.

“The doctor should be out soon,” Joanie says.

I’m not sure anything could draw two people closer than holding hands and praying in a hospital for a successful surgery. We’ve cried together, we’ve shared stories about him, and we’ve discussed ways to help reduce his stress going forward, a seemingly impossible feat.

He lets me go to give Joanie a hug, too.

“Can I get either of you anything?” he asks, and just as I open my mouth to tell him I could use some water, a doctor walks into the waiting room.

“The Bodine family?” he says, and we all turn to face him. He walks us back into a private room. My heart pounds and my mouth goes dry as we wait for the news. I just found him a few years ago. I can’t lose him already. He’s too young at only forty-one. He’s fit and athletic and handsome. He eats a fairly healthy diet with maybe too much sodium but I guess I just don’t understand how this could even happen to him.

Why is the doctor taking us to a private room? Why can’t he tell us out here?

I get it. My dad’s a celebrity. This is for his protection.

Still, it feels ominous, and I don’t like it.

The doctor finally speaks. “We were able to remove the blockages successfully.” Joanie and I both let out loud breaths of relief. “He’s stable and resting now. He’ll need to stay here a few days, and then it’s a four-to-six-week recovery at home.”

“Thank you, doctor. What can we expect at home?” Joanie asks.

“He will need someone with him the first week to ten days after he’s released. He’ll have some pain around the incision as well as his legs from the vein graft. He’ll be tired and weak, but he’ll be okay to take walks and slowly build his strength, and he may have episodes where he feels depressed, so keep an eye on his mental state. He shouldn’t drive or travel for about a month, and he will likely push back on that. If you need any assistance at home, we can recommend some great in-home care.”

“Thank you,” Joanie says.

The doctor pats her shoulder lightly. “He’s going to be fine. He’s young, and he’s otherwise in good health. Keep him on a heart-healthy diet and help him reduce his stress.”

Joanie shakes her head a little. “I’ll do what I can from home, but his career isn’t exactly conducive to a low-stress environment.”

The doctor chuckles. “No, it isn’t. But if he can manage his stress at home from now until he needs to be at the stadium more regularly, he’ll be in better shape when the season comes. The drive for success is hard on the heart.” The doctor pats his chest. “Coaches tend to have irregular sleep and eating habits, and they can’t work it into their schedules to see a doctor. They often wait until it’s past the point of good sense, which is what happened with Troy. I suspect he’s been ignoring symptoms forweeks, even months, and there were enough events colliding into each other at once to trigger tonight’s attack. So do whatever you can to reduce stress. Get him a dog. Make him take walks to build strength back. Have him give something up, or it might cost him more than a night in surgery and a few weeks off work.” He presses his lips together and nods meaningfully, and Joanie nods back.

“Will do,” she says dutifully, and I have no doubt she will try her hardest…but my father can be awfully stubborn when he wants to be.

“I can take one of you back to recovery to see him,” the doctor says.

Joanie looks at me, and I nod.

“You go ahead,” I say.

“Thank you,” she whispers, and she follows the surgeon out of the room.

I practically collapse onto Cooper, and he just barely catches me.

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