Page 144

I start my Monday morning by meeting Kaylee at Tight Fit.

It’s the week the Heat comes back from Arizona, and I have not braced myself for it the way I should have. Instead, I’m a nervous wreck, and I’m hopeful some morning exercise will center me.

“Have you thought about my offer?” Kaylee asks as soon as I walk in.

I giggle. “I have, and working for SFK full time with you would be an awful lot of fun. But I don’t know if I’m cut out for staying in Vegas.”

She grabs my arm and pulls a little. “Oh come on,” she says, drawing out the final word. “You have to stay. Don’t be dramatic. Things will get better, and Vegas is the land of opportunity.”

“Isn’t America the land of opportunity?” I ask, my brows scrunching together in confusion.

She laughs. “Maybe in the old-timey days, but now it’s Vegas, baby.”

“When do you need an answer?” I ask.

“Yesterday.”

I laugh again, but it feels a little forced. As much as I’d love to work with Kaylee, something keeps pulling me in another direction. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to continue being close to someone who is also close to Cooper. Still, I do think it would be a great opportunity since I pulled out of the social media position with the Heat. “Send me the contract terms and I’ll look it over while I decide what to do.”

“Fine, fine. Can I convince you over the rowing machine today?” she asks.

“I can’t use the row,” I say before I realize the words have fallen from my mouth. My eyes go wide as she narrows her eyes at me.

“Wait a minute. No kickboxing, no rowing…” She trails off as she puts the pieces together. “Sit-ups?”

I shake my head.

“How about some planks?” she asks.

“I shouldn’t.”

She sighs, and she glances down at my stomach. “Are you going to tell him?”

I’m both terrified and relieved at the same time that she knows…that I don’t have to hold onto this secret by myself anymore. “I have to at some point, right?”

She pulls me into a hug. “He’d never, never let you go through this alone, Gabby. It’s everything he’s ever wanted with the one woman he’s ever wanted it with.”

“Except he’s the one who ended things, remember?” I point out.

“I get that, but maybe this is what will bring you back together.”

I shake my head. “I don’t want a baby to be the thing that brings us back together. I want him to come back to me because he wants me , not because he wants some ideal picture of the perfect family. He already ruled me out of his future. He made his choice, and it was baseball. It was my father. It wasn’t me.”

She presses her lips together. “He hasn’t been answering my calls. I’ve tried, but I know he’s busy with spring training. But I know him, and I know his heart. I still have this gut feeling that somehow you two will find your way back to one another.”

“I wish I had that same gut feeling,” I say sadly. “Now let’s hit the treadmills, okay? I don’t want to talk about him. I’ll tell him when the time is right.”

“How far along are you?”

“Fourteen weeks,” I admit.

“ Fourteen weeks?” she screeches.

“Shh,” I warn, glancing around.

She shakes her head in awe. “Girl, you can keep a secret . But listen, you don’t have a whole lot of time before your body won’t let you keep it anymore.”

“I know. And speaking of which, I need to pee before we start our workout.”

She giggles. “I remember those days well.”

“Are you ready for number three?” I tease.

Her eyes widen in horror. “Oh God no,” she blurts, and the act is all a little much.

I have a feeling she and Ben are probably already trying for number three. They seem like the type who can’t keep their hands off each other.

I can’t help but dwell on that for a beat. They have it so easy. They have ten years between them, and they ended up with their happy ending.

Why can’t I?

I take a quick shower after our workout and head to the stadium for one of my final days of my internship. The team gets back Wednesday, and the first game of the season is Friday. Joanie asked me to stay until Thursday, and I agreed.

At our morning meeting, Joanie says, “The interviews will be tomorrow, and Justin, Mackenzie, and Chloe have all been selected for a spot.” She glances up at me. “And I’d like you to interview, too, Gabby, just for the interviewing experience. It won’t hurt to have the practice, and our team will be there anyway.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

“And of course you all know Dylan was never an option as his campaigns and work weren’t quite on the level we’re looking for, but with him being fired, he’s out of contention,” Joanie says.

“What exactly happened there?” Mackenzie asks, finally making herself useful for once since we’re all wondering the same thing.

“He sold photos he took of some players to the highest bidder and made sure the gossip outlet would create a storyline to make things appear a certain way.” She gives me a pointed look, and I immediately know it was the photos of Cooper that have been all over the internet.

“So why is she still here if she’s not even going for the job?” Mackenzie asks, jutting a thumb in my direction.

“Not that it’s any of your concern, but she’s finishing out her internship.” Joanie offers her a glare, and I’ve never loved her more than this moment. “And you best watch your tone if you want a serious consideration for the position.” Okay, maybe I love her even a little more.

Mackenzie huffs a bit at that but does keep her mouth shut for the rest of the meeting. We’re released for our morning duties, and I can’t help but wander around a little. Soon the stadium will be filled with people waiting for tours before the season gets underway, but there’s something peaceful about walking around before the chaos. I’ll miss this place.

I walk by the StrongFitKids area on the Spade Level, and I can’t help the tears that spring to my eyes. I stop in front of it, and I can picture children laughing as they run through the play structure and race their siblings and other kids at the game. I check out the circuits with the trampolines in between.

Cooper and I made this happen together.

I had less of a role in it, but I was still there for its inception. My dad is the manager of this team. It’s not like I’ll never come to a game even if Cooper Noah is playing third. Maybe someday our child will run around this area we built together.

The thought makes me sad. Our child won’t have a sibling to run around with—much like I never did. I can’t even fathom ever finding someone to love the way I loved Cooper. I don’t want children with some other man even if it would give this baby the sibling he or she deserves.

I brush the tears away, and that’s when I hear footsteps coming up behind me and a throat clearing.

“You okay?” Justin asks.

“No,” I say with a shaky voice.

He pulls me into his embrace, and I feel safe here. Warm. Cared for.

But it’s not the type of safe and warm I’m really craving right now.

Only one person could give me that.

But he chose to walk away.