Chapter 1
Vee
I looked around the room in astonishment—my uncle, aunt, and cousins. These people were my family, my father’s family. And yet, instead of showing concern and shock at our terrible loss, they were focused on the ownership of the Coopers. “Where is he?”
Aunt Rachel led me to the chair across from my father’s desk—the desk that used to be his. I sat as she took a seat in the chair to my side. “The state police said an ambulance would transport Reid to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.”
Her words were muted as if I were listening through an old telephone or to a scratchy vinyl album. “I-I… I don’t know what to do.” I looked up. “Do we need to call someone?” My questions disappeared into a void. Oh God, Daphne. My next question came louder. “Has Daphne been told?”
Aunt Rachel nodded. “The police went to their home first. Daphne had to be woken up. The detective said she was in shock and asked him to contact Darin. Darin called your office as soon as we heard.”
I began to nod. “Yes, I remember. Jen told me he called.” I looked up at my uncle. “I called you back and it went to voicemail.”
“We didn’t want to inform you while you were driving,” he said.
Because I couldn’t handle it.
That’s what he’d decided. I would be too emotional.
He was right about my emotions. They were racing through my circulation, filling me with an unexplainable sense of loss.
While falling to the floor in a fetal position and sobbing until I couldn’t sob anymore was what my mind and body wanted to do, it wasn’t the person Reid Hubbard raised me to be.
I squared my shoulders. “The coroner’s office…
” I tried to think. “Will they let me see him?”
“They requested a family member to identify Reid’s…to identify him,” Uncle Darin said.
I stood suddenly. “Wait. They’re not sure.
” A seed of hope burst within my chest. “Maybe it’s not him.
Maybe they made a mistake.” My gaze went to the closed door, wishing for my dad to materialize.
I could almost picture him sauntering through the front office, greeting his staff, and smiling with his green eyes shining.
The gripping of my heart and the heaviness in my chest told me the police weren’t wrong. It was wrong of me to have false hope.
My temples pounded as I pushed the image away, straightened my shoulders, and turned to Uncle Darin. “I’ll go to the coroner’s office.”
He shook his head. “Vee, you don’t have to do that. Daphne asked me. I’ll do it.”
Of course Daphne wouldn’t do it herself.
I stood. “I’m going. We can go together, but I’m going.”
“Rachel?” he asked.
“Vee, do you want me to come along?”
In the years after my mother left and before Daphne, Rachel was the stable female in my life.
Even after Daphne, Rachel was my go-to. While my single father assured me that I was loved, there were girl things and questions that arose.
Without hesitation, my aunt filled the void.
“No. I need to do this. You, Grant, and Lip can take care of things here.” Suddenly, I had the realization that this tragedy affected many more people beyond our bubble.
“Royce and the coaches. Have they been told?”
“No one has,” Uncle Darin said. “We needed to reach you first.”
My mind was a cyclone of thoughts. “The press.” I turned to Grant. “As vice president of communications, you and I need to decide on a statement.” Grant began to talk, but I continued. “We first need to inform Royce and the coaches. Our team should hear this news from us, not from a news outlet.”
Lip looked up from his phone. “TMZ just broke the news.”
The urgency enveloping us gave me strength. “Uncle Darin, we’ll go to the coroner’s office after I address the team.”
Grant reached for my arm. “Let Dad do that.”
Wrenching my arm back, I walked to the office door.
“Bre,” I called to Dad’s personal assistant.
When she met my gaze, I went on, “Please contact Royce Beasley, Coach Tilson, Andrew Pratt, and Darius Brown. Ask them to move all the players into the large viewing room. I’ll be addressing them in a few minutes.
First, I need to speak to Royce and the coaches. We can meet in Royce’s office.”
“Right away, Vee.” She furrowed her forehead. “Is there something wrong?”
Pressing my lips together, I nodded. “There is.” My thoughts expanded.
The coaching staff and players needed to be told, but there were roughly another seventy-five employees currently in Maker’s Mark Football Center.
“Bre, instead of the film room, ask Royce to send the players to the indoor practice facility.” I turned around to Grant. “Can you have the PA system turned on?”
My cousin nodded.
I turned back to Bre. “I need all employees in the building to join the team and coaches in the indoor practice facility in ten minutes. No phones.”
“Yes.”
I turned back to everyone in the office. “The players should be watching film. Hopefully, no one is scrolling on their phone.”
Uncle Darin shook his head. “Tilson doesn’t tolerate that.”
“Good. His rule may avoid a panic.”
My thoughts raced. If TMZ was talking, the Coopers needed to get out ahead of the rumors. “How did they identify him…the police?”
Uncle Darin was the one to answer. “License plate. The car was registered to Reid Hubbard. They also saw his identification.”
I let out a sigh. “There wasn’t a mistake?”
“No, Vee. No mistake.”
“Grant,” I said, “the Coopers need to make a statement. We can’t get ahead of TMZ, but we can stop the rumor mill. Make it simple: The Hubbard family and Lexington Coopers…” When he didn’t move, I hardened my tone. “Write this down.”
“Vee, you’re not in charge.”
“Right now I am. Write it down.”
Grant pulled his phone from the inside pocket in his sports coat. “The Hubbard family and the Lexington Coopers…” he repeated.
“Have been notified,” I began, “of the untimely death of Reid Hubbard, 65, CEO of the Lexington Coopers. Our family asks for privacy at this difficult time. We will share more information once more is known.” I met his gaze. “Don’t release the statement until I’m in front of everyone.”
Grant looked from me to his father. When Uncle Darin nodded, Grant agreed.
Aunt Rachel reached for my hand. “I’m going with you down to Royce’s office and the practice field.”
“We need to hurry.”
As the two of us traversed the long amber hallway, I thought about how much more familiar I was with the football operations side than I’d been at the beginning of preseason.
It wasn’t only the building, but the people.
Tears prickled my eyes as I said a silent thank-you to Dad for encouraging me to learn more about the football side of the franchise.
“Why didn’t Grandpa Carroll leave half of the Coopers to you?”
Aunt Rachel blinked rapidly and pursed her lips. “This isn’t the time.”
“Was it because you’re female?”
“It seems the logical answer.”
“But it’s not logical.”
“It was nearly twenty-five years ago,” she replied. “Things have changed. And even though Reid wasn’t obligated to include me, he made sure Darin and I were a part of the Coopers. It’s a family business. It has been since our dad bought the team. I know he’d want it to stay that way.”
My feet quit moving. “Are you, or anyone” —my volume rose— “seriously concerned that I will cut any of my family out of the franchise?”
“Vee, we have time for that in the future. Right now—”
Inhaling, I nodded. “You’re right.”
Together, we approached Royce Beasley’s office. Again, I tried to fill my lungs. Our general manager was standing inside near his desk with an irritated expression. Our head coach, Tilson, offensive coordinator, Drew Pratt, and defensive coordinator, Darius Brown were also present.
They turned as we grew nearer.
“What is this about? We have work we should be doing,” Royce said as he gestured around. “All of us.”
I nodded once. “Gentlemen, there’s no easy way to tell you what I need to say, except to say it.” My heart thumped against my breastbone as I maintained my posture. “The Kentucky State Police informed us of an accident on 64.”
The four men were now staring at me.
“My father was killed.”
The room filled with collective gasps.
“Vee,” Drew said, taking a step toward me. “Are they sure? Are you all right?”
I backed up a half step. I couldn’t look into Drew’s concerned gaze.
I had to maintain the walls I’d hastily constructed around my emotions and heart, the ones that would allow me to do whatever needed to be done—to be Reid Hubbard’s daughter.
Swallowing, I spoke to the room. “Uncle Darin and I will be going to the coroner’s office soon to make a positive ID.
However, when the police spoke to Darin, they were certain of Dad’s identity.
We don’t have a lot of information yet. Nevertheless, we decided it was best for the team and others who are a part of the Coopers to hear it from us first.”
“This is terrible news,” Royce said, looking at Tilson. “Everything was going our way. Now what?”
“We continue,” I said. “My dad wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“I’m assuming,” Royce said, “Darin Marsh will assume Reid’s responsibilities as CEO for the time being.”
“That’s incorrect. I am now the owner and CEO of the Coopers.”