Heya Josh,
You're most likely on the right track with the heap, but for optimization items there's a bunch of data most of us prefer to see before we start bounding through possibilities... primarily because we'd like to show you the right way on the first try.
If you take a look in my signature below, in the 'help on indexing/tuning' link there's a list of what we'll want and it walks you through getting it for us. Short form: All tables involved and their indexes (including the other tables), the query itself in full form, and the .sqlplan from an actual execution (as the heap stands now).
From there, we'll be able to analyze its connections and expectations and get you on track pretty quickly.
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
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