Page 90 of Vegas Heat

“Joanie and I have been seeing each other a while now,” my dad admits. “I confessed it to Coop yesterday, but I wasn’t ready for people to find out.”

Cooper holds up both hands in defense. “I didn’t say a word.”

I raise a brow at him, noting that he’s apparently good at keeping secrets, and then I turn toward my father. “The way you two looked at each other when we stepped into her office yesterday sort of gave you away.”

He chuckles. “Did it, now? We’ll have to work on that.” He shoots me a wink. “Glad to see you’re feeling better. Do you have plans for the day?”

“I’m meeting Justin the intern for coffee a little later.” I finish what’s left in my cup of coffee, and I glance at Cooper, who has finally started eating.

My dad slips into the chair beside me. “Isn’t he the boy who got you drunk last night?”

I roll my eyes. “I made my own decisions last night. Admittedly they weren’t the brightest, but I felt safe knowing both he and his father work for the Heat. I was out with an entire group of interns, so it’s not like I was ever in danger. And Justin’s nice.”

“Nobody’s nice enough for my little girl,” he growls, narrowing his eyes at me.

I glance at Cooper again, who gives me a pointed look as if my dad’s words are proving his point that this is the right decision for us.

I pick up my plate and rinse it in the sink before setting it in the dishwasher. “I have an essay to write and a few chapters to read for my Global Consumer Behavior class, so I’ll be upstairs.”

Cooper presses his lips together and offers a friendly nod, and my dad stands and pulls me into a hug before he lets me go. I hear his voice behind me piling on the compliments as I trail up the stairs.

“She’s such a good kid. Hard worker, smart as a whip.”

I’m not as smart as he thinks I am.

I did, after all, fall for a man twelve years older than me…and then I allowed him to break my heart.

CHAPTER 13: COOPER

One week from today I turn thirty-three and I’m feeling all sorts of ways about that.

The life I imagined for myself at thirty-three is nothing like the life I’m living.

I thought I’d be in my tenth year playing ball, for one thing. I figured I’d be cresting toward the end of my career, deciding what comes next…not getting back into the game after a three-year hiatus and feeling like a freshman all over again. But I won’t have the chance toactlike a freshman since I’ve been tapped to lead this team. Fake it ‘til I make it, I guess.

I thought I’d be married by now. Instead, I’m grieving the loss of something that might have been the most powerful thing I’ve ever come across.

I thought I’d have two or three kids, and I’d be torn between wanting to be on that ballfield and wanting to be home with my family. Family would be edging out the game because you only get one life. None of that matters now since I made a three-year commitment.

My dad was forty-one when he died. Us Noah men, we don’t get long lives to spend with our kids, and the longer I put off having them, the shorter that window gets. I’ve always felt the ticking of the clock, but lately it’s started to sound more like a timer for a bomb that’s getting ready to detonate.

I realize I already did a run this morning and I’m supposed to be slowly moving out of active rest into pre-season training, but I’m restless. I need to move.

I grab my keys and head toward the stadium. Troy worked out my credentials yesterday, so I breeze past security and head toward the weight room.

Nick’s in there, and so are a few other players—including Danny and Rush, and two other guys as well.

“Rush Ross,” I say, and I always thought he was a cool dude. Plus, it’s fun to say his name since it sounds like one word.

He’s younger than me—in his mid-twenties, and I wonder if Troy would be receptive to a younger player dating his daughter as opposed to someone like me.

I hate myself for the thought.

“Noah!” he says genially, and he claps me on the back. “How’s the elbow?”

It’s amazing to me what a community this game is. Everyone knows Cooper Noah retired early from an elbow injury. Everyone knows Rush Ross came close to breaking Randy Johnson’s thirteen strikeout record last season when he had eleven in a single game. Everyone knows that Danny Brewer is a triple threat since he can run, field, and hit.

And now the three of us are in the same room together.

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