Chapter 24
Red: landed safe
Joel: Good.
Red: house feels weird without you in it
Joel: You're in an airport.
Red: i meant when i get home
Read 11:52 PM
August 22, 7:14 AM
Joel: [image: sunrise over the mountains, purple and gold]
Red: jesus
Red: thats gorgeous
Joel: sometimes I miss those sunsets
Read 7:18 AM
August 25, 9:32 PM
Red: preseason schedule dropped
Red: we play colorado oct 12
Joel: Japan. Grand Prix assignment.
Red: right
Red: what about september
Joel: I have a week. Late September. Between choreography sessions.
Red: i could fly out
Joel: Or I come to you.
Red: vegas is risky
Joel: I'll get a hotel. We don't have to go anywhere.
Red: september 22? i have three days
Joel: Done.
Red: just like that?
Joel: Natalia handles logistics. I handle wanting things.
The Athletic — August 28
THE FACE OF VEGAS: INSIDE ROBERT PIPER'S RISE FROM AFTERTHOUGHT TO FRANCHISE CORNERSTONE
A few years ago, Robert Piper was an undersized AHL center with a bad hip and no path forward. Now his jersey outsells every other player on the Vegas roster.
The transformation has been swift and deliberate.
Piper's on-ice production—113 points across two seasons, plus 11 more in last year's playoff run—tells part of the story.
The rest lives in billboard campaigns, charity galas, and a recent endorsement deal with athletic wear giant Lynx that positions him alongside Olympic-level talent.
"He's become the heartbeat of this team," GM Jack Hollistan said. "Not just what he does on the ice. It's who he is in the room, in the community. Kids in this city wear his number."
The Aces have taken notice. Extension talks are expected to begin this fall, with sources suggesting a deal in the $7 million AAV range—significant money for a player drafted by no one.
But visibility cuts both ways. Piper has grown noticeably guarded with media, offering polished answers that reveal little. He declined several interview requests for this piece.
"He's private," one teammate said. "Keeps his circle small. But when it matters, he shows up."
Whether the pressure of being Vegas's most marketable player affects his game remains to be seen. For now, the Aces are betting their future on a 5'6" center who keeps proving the doubters wrong.
September 3, 2:18 AM
Red: thinking about the pool
Joel: Which part.
Red: the part where you cheated to catch me
Joel: Strategy isn't cheating.
Red: keep telling yourself that sparkles
Joel: I will.
Red: the 22nd feels far
Joel: It is far.
Red: thanks for the optimism
Joel: You want optimism or honesty?
Red: both
Joel: Pick one.
Read 2:31 AM
September 22, 6:14 PM
Red: landed. hotel?
Joel: Aria. Room 2847. Key under Coffey.
Red: subtle
Joel: Would you prefer I use your name?
Red: point taken
Red: 40 min
Joel: I'll be here.
September 23, 2:34 AM
Red: you awake
Joel: You know I am.
Red: weird to say it out loud
Joel: Say what.
Red: that i dont want to leave tomorrow
Joel: Then don't.
Red: i have to
Joel: I wish you didn’t.
Red: this is the part i hate
Joel: Which part.
Red: the part where we pretend one night is enough
Read 2:41 AM
September 23, 5:47 AM
Red: boarding
Joel: Text when you land.
Red: yeah
Red: next time i want to cook for you
Joel: In a hotel room?
Red: ill figure it out
Joel: You keep saying that.
Red: because i mean it
Read 5:52 AM
September 29, 8:15 PM
Joel: Practice?
Red: brutal. coach wants us dead before the season starts
Joel: Sounds productive.
Red: easy for you to say
Joel: Is it?
Red: you dont have a 240 pound dman trying to put you through the boards
Joel: No. I just throw myself into the air and hope physics cooperates.
Red: drama queen
Joel: You like it.
Red: unfortunately
October 4, 10:22 PM
Red: opener tomorrow
Joel: Nervous?
Red: yeah
Joel: Good.
Red: good?
Joel: Nerves mean you care. Caring means you'll show up.
Red: what if i dont
Joel: You will.
Red: you sound sure
Joel: I've seen you skate.
— October 5
ACES 4, SEALS 2: PIPER NETS TWO IN SEASON OPENER
Robert Piper scored twice in the first period as Vegas opened their season with a convincing win over San Jose...
October 5, 11:14 PM
Joel: Two goals.
Red: yeah
Joel: The second one was better than the first.
Red: you saw it?
Joel: The redirect off the post. You read the goalie before he moved.
Red: its 1am there
Joel: I'm aware of time zones.
Red: [image: locker room selfie, sweaty, grinning, holding up two fingers]
Joel: Look at you. So cute.
Red: shut up
Read 11:21 PM
October 12, 3:47 PM
Red: safe flight?
Joel: Osaka. 14 hours ahead.
Red: thats brutal
Joel: I'll be awake at strange hours.
Red: so normal for you
Joel: Essentially.
Red: good luck at the grand prix
Joel: Good luck against Colorado.
Red: wish you were playing them instead of me
Joel: That would require me to learn hockey.
Red: youd be terrible at it
Joel: I'd be spectacular at it.
Red: sure sparkles
October 15, 6:02 AM
Joel: Quad loop. Clean. Three times.
Red: [image: screenshot of a sports news notification — "Coffey Posts Season-Best Short Program Score"]
Red: yeah i saw
Joel: You have alerts set up.
Red: dont make it weird
Joel: I'm not making anything.
Red: youre smirking. i can tell through text
Joel: Prove it.
October 19, 11:58 PM
Red: you up?
Read 11:59 PM
October 20, 8:14 AM
Joel: Sorry. Jet lag.
Joel: What did you need?
Red: nothing important
Read 8:17 AM
October 28, 7:30 PM
Joel: November 14. I can make it work.
Red: we play winnipeg the 15th. home. id have to leave by noon
Joel: So I fly in the night before.
Red: one night
Joel: is what it is
Joel: Is that a yes?
Red: its a yes
November 8, 4:15 PM
Joel: I have to cancel the 14th.
Joel: Coach moved my program run-through. Nationals is in six weeks.
Red: okay
Joel: Red.
Red: It’s just that things always come up.
Joel: That's not fair.
Red: youre right. it isnt.
Read 5:02 PM
November 8, 11:52 PM
Red: sorry for earlier
Joel: Don't be.
Red: i was an asshole
Joel: You were disappointed. There's a difference.
Red: is there
Joel: Yes.
Red: when can i see you
Joel: After Nationals. Late January maybe.
Red: thats two months
Joel: I know how this sounds. I know what I keep asking you to accept.
Red: do you
Joel: Yes.
Red: then you know i keep accepting it
Joel: Yes.
Red: okay then
Aces Official Instagram — December 14
[Image: Team holiday party at a steakhouse. Players in suits, wives and girlfriends in cocktail dresses. Red is near the center of the frame, laughing at something off-camera. A woman in a red dress has her hand on his arm.]
Caption: Happy Holidays from your Vegas Aces! ????
December 14, 9:47 PM
Joel: Who is she.
Red: what
Joel: Red dress. Hand on your arm. Instagram.
Red: murphys cousin
Joel: She's touching you.
Red: she was being friendly
Joel: Her hand is on you in a photo that 400,000 people can see.
Red: what was i supposed to do
Joel: I don't know.
Red: exactly. you dont know. because theres nothing i could have done without making it weird.
Red: joel
Joel: Because I had to find out from a notification that someone else was touching you.
Red: it didnt mean anything
Joel: I know it didn't.
Red: then what
Joel: I wanted to break her wrist.
Red: thats fucked up
Joel: Yes.
Red: i shouldnt find that hot
Joel: But you do.
Red: yeah
Red: say the rest
Joel: What rest.
Red: whatever youre not saying
Joel: You know what you are.
Red: i want to hear it
Joel: Mine. You're mine. And she had her hand on what's mine.
Red: yeah
Red: i am
December 14, 10:14 PM
Red: had to step outside for a minute
Joel: Why.
Red: couldnt stop thinking about what you said
Joel: And?
Red: and i had to do something about it
Joel: At the party.
Red: bathroom. like a fucking teenager.
Joel: Thinking about what.
Red: you. your voice. the way you said mine.
Joel: Good.
Red: im pathetic
Joel: you’re hot
December 14, 10:31 PM
Red: ro pulled me aside after
Joel: Who.
Red: teammate. finnish. he asked if i was okay.
Joel: Why wouldn't you be.
Red: i dont know. the way he looked at me. like he knew something.
Joel: Does he.
Red: maybe. he didnt say anything. just watched me with her like he was sorry.
Joel: Is that a problem.
Red: i dont think so
Joel: You trust him.
Red: i think he gets it
Joel: Gets what.
Red: what its like
Read 10:42 PM
December 15, 2:14 AM
Red: i stood there for three hours
Red: smiling. letting her lean into me.
Red: and the whole time
Joel: What.
Red: nothing. forget it.
Joel: You don't get to start something and then stop.
Red: i kept thinking about the bruise on my hip
Joel: From the truck.
Red: yeah
Red: i wanted to show them
Joel: Don't.
Red: i know i cant. i said i wanted to. not that i would.
Read 2:23 AM
December 25, 8:14 AM
Red: merry christmas
Joel: Merry Christmas. How's your dad?
Red: bad day
Joel: I'm sorry.
Red: yeah
December 25, 11:47 PM
Joel: [image: Wonton wearing a tiny Santa hat, looking murderous]
Joel: He's plotting my death.
Red: worth it
Red: hey
Joel: What.
Red: nothing
Joel: You keep doing that.
Red: doing what
Joel: Starting to say something and stopping.
Red: bad habit
Joel: Is it something you want to say or something you think you shouldn't?
Red: both
Joel: Say it anyway.
Red: next year
Joel: What about it.
Red: forget it. its stupid.
Joel: Red.
Red: i was going to say maybe we could spend it together
Joel: That's not stupid.
Red: its impossible
Joel: Those are different things.
Read 11:58 PM
Figure Skating Now — January 19
COFFEY WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE U.S. TITLE
The 27-year-old skated a nearly flawless free program Saturday night to claim his third consecutive U.S. Championship, posting a combined score of 312.47. The performance featured five clean quadruple jumps and the kind of component scores that suggest international judges will be paying attention.
January 19, 10:52 PM
Red: three in a row