Page 105

I arrive at the stadium after my morning classes to find Joanie’s office filled with banners and signs welcoming the new players. Justin put the interns to work, capitalizing on each of their strengths. Mackenzie has perfect handwriting to create the words, Brian and Chase are busy painting in the letters after she finishes, and Chloe is adding the artistic flair while Justin directs and manages the supply chain. Dylan was in class with me this morning, and he should arrive any minute.

“You guys! This looks amazing!” I glance around at all the signs.

“We’ve been hard at work all morning,” Justin brags. “Those are dry,” he says, pointing to one pile. “The ones leaning up on the walls are wet. I’ve got the stack we worked on last night in the office next door, one with each player’s name on it for the clubhouse. We can start hanging them up whenever you’re ready.”

“Let’s do it,” I say, and together we head to the office next door to grab the stacks of already dry posters. We take them down to the clubhouse and start hanging them up all around. It looks festive and exciting when we leave, and I spot Cooper walking in just as we’re walking out.

“Is now a good time for the fake-up-break-up?” he murmurs as he passes by me.

I nod. “Be gentle, though.”

He chuckles, and Justin and I head back up toward Joanie’s office.

“What was that about?” he asks.

I roll my eyes. “We decided to stage a break-up in front of Mackenzie so she keeps her damn mouth shut.”

“Smart. She was yammering on about telling Joanie.”

“Joanie knows,” I mutter.

Justin’s eyes widen. “And she hasn’t told Troy?”

I shake my head slowly, and he lets out a low whistle.

“Oh, that ain’t gonna be pretty when he finds out she knew.”

I twist my lips. “I know. But maybe he never has to know she knew.”

We arrive at her office and step in, and the production line just keeps churning out more and more posters. I help make a few, and since I know Cooper’s on his way up, I ask Dylan, Brian, Chase, and Chloe to go hang some posters around the hallways and weight room so it’s just Justin, Mackenzie, and me up here.

“Gabby, can I talk to you?” Cooper asks.

I purse my lips. “What is it? I’m kind of in the middle of something here.”

“I, uh…can you come out here?”

“Just say whatever it is.” I go for the bitchiest, most exasperated tone I can muster.

“Really? You really want me to do this here in front of everybody?”

I blow out a breath. “Go for it.”

“Fine,” he mutters. “I can’t do this anymore.”

I freeze as I glance up at him, and his eyes are cold and hard. It’s quite the act he’s putting on. He’s even got me convinced.

Mackenzie freezes, too.

“It’s been a fun few weeks, but it’s over,” he says.

My brows dip as I finally force myself into motion. I take a few steps toward him, abandoning the paint brush I was just using. “What do you mean?” I ask, forcing a little bit of begging into my tone.

“I mean this shit between us is not worth it,” he says, and even though I know we’re staging this, his words still cut into my heart. “You’re too young for me, too clingy, and I’m just…done. I’m here in Vegas, baby. I just want to have a good time in a brand-new city with my brand-new team. I’m out.”

Too young.

Too clingy.

Does he mean those things?

It’s like he’s choosing my deepest fears and laying them out on the table in front of Mackenzie, and that hurts my heart more than I thought it would.

Tears fill my eyes, only they’re not fake. “Oh.”

He shrugs. “It was fun while it lasted.” He shoots Mackenzie a grin and raises his brows as if he’s issuing an invitation, and then he disappears from the door.

Justin walks over and puts his arm around me. “I’m so sorry, baby girl. Are you okay?”

I shake my head. “No. What a dick,” I mutter, and then I actually do allow myself to cry for a beat.

What if that was real?

What if he meant those things?

He didn’t, and I know he was doing this on the fly. The words he said to me last night are far more meaningful than these fake ones. But that doesn’t lessen their impact.

Just the mere thought of him ending things with me has me feeling this way. I can’t imagine how it might feel if we actually ended things.

“I’m so sorry, Gabby,” Mackenzie finally pipes in. I sense just the tiniest bit of smugness in her words.

I suck in a breath as I remember why I talked him into doing that. “Thanks,” I mutter, and she walks out of the room.

I have zero doubts in my mind that the reason she walks out of the room is in order to track him down and shoot her shot, and I’ve never hated someone more than I do in this moment.

“You okay?” Justin whispers while I blow my nose.

I nod. “I’m fine. It just cut a little deeper than I expected it to.”

“You’re really in deep.” He raises his brows pointedly.

“Deeper than I’ve ever been into anything before,” I admit.

We get back to work, and by the time we leave, the stadium is decorated beautifully with tons of welcoming messages, and we have a pile of posters drying that we can pass out to people watching the parade.

It’s not until I’m on my way home that I finally get the chance to call Cooper.

“Hey babe,” he answers, his voice filling my car speakers.

“Hey,” I say quietly.

“What’s wrong?” he asks immediately.

“Your little speech hurt more than I was expecting.”

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean any of it, and I felt like shit as the words came out of my mouth. Come over so I can prove how much I didn’t mean it.”

“I’m the one who told you to say it. I guess I just didn’t realize how invested I am until I thought about a real end.”

“It’s not something you have to worry about, Gabby. I promise. I’m not going anywhere.”

“But you called me too young and clingy.” I sniffle at the memory.

“If anyone here is clingy, it’s me. I’m sticking to you like plastic wrap, baby, and you are not getting rid of me easily.”

I giggle at his comparison, and I decide to let it go as I head toward his house to let him prove to me how he really feels.