Page 294 of Vegas Heat

“Troy, I’m in love with your daughter, and you made me choose between her and the game. I chose wrong.” I shake my head. “I’ve already lost your friendship, clearly. But I refuse to lose Gabby, too. It may be too late, but I have to try to win her back. I’m not happy, and I’m not playing with my heart because it’s in pieces held by your daughter. I’m incomplete, and I’m broken, and there is nothing I want more than to go find Gabby and tell her that I chose wrong. I never should have chosen the game, but your ultimatum made me feel like I didn’t have a choice. I want to choose her. I willalwayschoose her going forward if she’ll have me, and maybe it’s too late. Maybe I lost her forever. But life is too short to spend it miserable even if it means I’m walking away from the team, from a ninety million dollar contract, from this legacy we were meant to build together...from our friendship. Because I’m not meant to build anything at all if it isn’t with Gabby by my side, and I need to go fight to get her back.”

Troy stands, and his face is red and he’s breathing heavily and for a split second, I’m worried I’ve given him another heart attack. I glance at Mike, and I expect him to be looking at Troy, too, but instead his eyes are wide and he’s looking beyond both of us at the doorway.

I turn to see what he’s looking at, and my broken heart starts to race.

Because there she stands, and I’m pretty sure she heard every word I just said.

CHAPTER 18: GABBY

My eyes are fixed on Cooper.

He’s back.

He’s the same Cooper who left me a month ago, but instead of complete and total dejection as he walks away from me, his shoulders are squared with something like hope.

And he’s…quitting?

For me?

I heard a loud voice as I made my way down the hall, and I recognized it immediately. I heard my name when he saidI refuse to lose Gabby, too.

And I heard everything else that came after that.

He already lost me when he pushed me away, and the anger and fear that he’ll do it again won’t just go away.

But overhearing those words as he spoke them to my father, to Mike…it’s simply everything.

He’s choosing me—or not even me, but the idea of me. He has no idea where I stand, but he’d rather fight to get us back even if he loses than play baseball without me in his life.

Thatis what will heal the hurt and the abandonment and the scars my mother drove deep into me. Being chosen every single day. Being first in his heart. Beinghis.

My dad turns around to see what Cooper and Mike are looking at, and I realize I also haven’t seen my father since that same night.

He got back last night. I knew he was coming home, so I chose to stay the night at Justin’s place.

“You…you’d quit for me? You can’t do that,” I say, breaking the awkward silence in the room.

“Gabby,” Cooper murmurs.

“What are you doing here?” my father asks.

“I, uh…” WhyamI here? My brows dip as I try to gather my thoughts. “I came for a meeting with Mr. Perry.” I turn to look at my dad before I address anything with Cooper. I know what I want to do here, and I need him on board before I act. “Can we talk?”

His brows dip, and he glances at Mike.

“Go ahead,” Mike says, and he doesn’t look at Cooper as he turns to walk out of Mike’s office.

I glance at Cooper and then at Mike. “I’ll be back.” I don’t sayright backorsoonbecause I don’t know how long this will take.

But something moves me to have this conversation before I have one with Cooper.

My dad closes the door behind us when we walk into his office.

He moves to give me a hug, but I stand still.

“Gabriella, I missed you so much.”

I press my lips together and nod. “I heard everything.”

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