Page 221 of Vegas Heat

And now I’m tapped to lead this team, in charge of babysitting a bunch of drunken idiots.

I swing by the marketing department to see Gabby. She’s the light at the end of this tunnel, and she’s all alone in Joanie’s office. She tilts her head when she sees me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Danny was shotgunning a can of beer when I walked in, and half the players down there are on something or other.”

She closes her eyes and draws in a deep breath. “What can I do?”

“I think I’ve got it handled. I need to fend them off at least until after Mike talks to them, and what they do during the parade is their business.” I think back to all the parades celebrating victories that I’ve seen or participated in over the years, and sobriety was never in sight for the majority of people on the bus.

But never once did I partake in one in Sin City, either. I have the sudden feeling that today’s parade is going to be like literally no other.

When I return, Danny is sulking. “Do you really want the front office seeing you like that?” I ask him.

He glares at me a little, but eventually he purses his lips and looks away, which tells me that even though he might be a little on the wrong side of sober, he’s not stupid and he sort of gets my point.

“Let’s head to classroom A for Mike Perry’s opening statements,” I call out to the men gathered, and they actually listen as they all start to make their way for the exit with Rush leading the pack since he knows his way around.

Mike drones on and on, which isn’t a bad thing since it kills the buzzes that started down in the clubhouse. Eventually he releases everyone for the tour, and I take the pack around the stadium, showing them all the key places they need to know. Gabby and her team did an amazing job with the welcome banners, and every time I see one, a little tingle runs along my spine as it makes me think of her and all the work she’s putting in here.

I lead the players through the front offices and introduce them to everyone on staff, including the interns.

I catch Cade Barrett, one of the minor leaguers with lots of potential to get called up, giving Gabby the eye, and I’m sure he’s not alone. I force my hackles down even though the thought of any one of these guys hitting on her seems to flip a violent sort of switch in me.

None of them are good enough for her.

Her father’s right. She deserves better than a baseball player. She deserves better thanme.

But I’m what she’s got, and I hope it’ll be enough.

We end the tour down in the clubhouse, where I give the speech I’ve gone over in my mind a few times.

“Welcome to the Heat!” I begin, my goal to make eye contact with every guy in the room during my short speech. My openeris met with cheers from the guys gathered here, some sitting by their lockers, some standing. “We all came from somewhere else, and today we’re a team. Think about what that means to you. To me it means we’re working together toward a common goal, and that goal is going for Ws. But today is where we start to build the brotherhood that lies behind what we do on the field. It’s where we start to build trust in each other, where we get to know each other and create bonds that extend far beyond our time here with the Heat. I can’t wait to build this thing with each and every one of you, and I know if Troy were here, he’d speak to the brotherhood we’re building, too. We’re a team, and we have four months to get ready to fucking win! It all starts today, so get out there, have fun, and please don’t get arrested.”

The end of my speech is met with laughs even though it’s a fair warning, and then I get a standing ovation.

I hold up a modest hand until they quiet down, and then I say, “Lunch is served up on the Diamond level, so get some food and then let’s rock this parade.”

The guys filter out of the clubhouse and head up to the Diamond level, and Danny hangs back.

“Sorry about this morning,” he says. “I feel like an asshole, but I do want you to know I respect you.”

“I know you do, man,” I say, and I slap his back. “Do what you want, but I didn’t want you wasted when Perry was talking to everybody. And remember the parade is public, so people will be watching—and filming.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.” He holds up a solemn hand, but the second I walk up to the Diamond level, I realize how fucked we are.

Whoever thought it was a good idea to serve beer at the player luncheon right before the parade should be fired.

CHAPTER 10: COOPER

It was supposed to be a family affair.

Somehow it got off track.

I’m on the top of the double decker bus carrying the players, and Danny is currently tossing those little shot bottles of Fireball out into the crowd. I don’t even know how he got his hands on them, but he’s tossing them to the most attractive women in the crowd.

“Show me your tits!” he yells to a woman in a sequined bikini top with a matching skirt.

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