Page 224 of Vegas Heat

They give me exactly what I need.

I go live in the weight room for a little while, and Justin warns players as he ushers them in. Some of their kind words are caught during the live, and others will appear on the video I’ll edit together and post later.

I’m excited to build a brotherhood from the ground up.

I’m excited to play for Troy Bodine.

I’m excited to be here to collect as many Ws as we can.

I’m excited to live in a place with palm trees.

I’m excited to play with Cooper Noah.

I’m excited to bring the Heat to Vegas.

I’m excited to be here to launch a new legacy.

They’re all wholesome after a wholly unwholesome parade, and it’s the type of content I was expecting rather than the boob and beer fest we ended up with.

I record additional footage as I ask players questions about my dad, and I work on that video first when I head back to Joanie’s office.

I also pull together some charity events and community service opportunities for the players on the team. I text Kaylee to see if she has any leads, and she puts me in touch with her sister-in-law, Ellie, who knows everything there is to know about local events.

Cooper makes good on his word, returning with AJ a little before dinner time, and I take that as my cue to head out. He’s got it from here, and I’m freaking exhausted after a long, long day.

Besides, it’s time to head to the hospital to visit my dad and face whatever wrath awaits there.

CHAPTER 12: GABBY

My dad was sleeping when I arrived, but Joanie was not. She kept him from seeing any of the coverage of the parade today, in part because a doctor came in to examine him right at noon, butshesaw it.

And she wasnotimpressed.

I told her I took care of it, and when I told her what I did, this time shewasimpressed.

“The players also signed a card for Dad,” I say, handing over three Get Well Soon cards in an envelope along with some additional handwritten notes to my father.

I didn’t read them.

I couldn’t—not because they were sealed, but because it felt too personal to him and I knew that reading them would only slay me. I know how important this was to him to be there, but sometimes things happen out of our control. His body needed to slow down, and this was its way of warning my father that if he doesn’t take these issues seriously, he won’t be here at all.

She tears up and pulls me in for a hug.

“They were really sorry,” I say. “I have a video to show him.”

She nods. “I wish I could’ve been there today, too.”

“You were there in spirit.”

She offers a smile and waves me toward his room.

“One more thing before we go in,” I say, and she turns back to me with eyes narrowed in my direction. “The doctor said getting a pet can be good for helping lower stress, and I think we should get Dad a dog. I can take care of it when he’s not home.”

She smiles broadly. “I think it’s a lovely idea. I have a niece who’s a veterinarian. I’m sure she can recommend the best placeto get a dog, along with top trainers and caretakers when we can’t be around. I wouldn’t want to put the entire burden on you since, you know, you’ll be traveling with the team, too.” She winks at me, and my hand flies to my chest as my brows knit together.

“I’ll be traveling with the team?”

She nods. “We still have to conduct interviews and blah blah blah, but you’re a lock for the social media position, Gabby.”

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