Page 181 of Heal Me, Love Me

I snorted. “You were gone ten minutes.”

He looked down at his phone. “Eight minutes, actually.”

I rolled my eyes and quickly learned that was another thing that sent searing pain through my head. “Go shower so we can get some sleep.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, and I stayed where I was while the shower turned on. After nearly a year apart, hearing him moving around my hotel room made it feel like no time had passed.

When he came out, he turned off the lights and climbed into the bed. I rolled onto my side, and Rowan did the same, neither of us saying anything as he reached across the space between us and brushed his fingers against mine.

“Get some sleep, baby,” he said softly.

The word should’ve sounded odd after all this time, but instead it felt like coming home.

And with Rowan beside me, sleep came easily.

When I woke,it took a few seconds to figure out where I was. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes. Not as bad as the night before, but still bad enough that I regretted opening them. I groaned and rolled onto my back.

“Good. You’re awake.”

I blinked toward the voice. Coach Phil sat in the chair by the window, and confusion pushed through the headache. “Why are you here?”

“Nice to see you too.” He chuckled.

I glanced toward the other side of the bed and saw it was empty. “Where’s Rowan?”

“Media interviews.”

I dropped my head back against the pillow. “How long has he been gone?”

“About forty-five minutes. How are you feeling?”

I considered the question as I did a full body scan. “My head hurts.”

He got up to open the curtains. “Sort of expected that.”

I shielded my eyes. “The sun should be illegal.”

That earned a laugh. “At least your sense of humor still works. The doctor called this morning. He wants you to take it easy for at least seventy-two hours.”

I frowned. “Seventy-two?”

“You were unconscious, Keaton. He thinks you should probably stay here rather than travel home today.”

Honestly, the idea of an airport sounded miserable. Just thinking about the lights, the announcements, and the crowds made my headache worse. “So I’m stuck in Austin?”

“For a few days.”

Before I could fully wrap my mind around that, Rowan walked into the room, carrying two coffees and a paper bag. The moment his eyes met mine, his shoulders relaxed. “You’re awake.”

“Observant,” I teased.

Coach Phil stood. “I’m going to head out, but I’ll be around if you need anything.”

After he left, Rowan looked back at me. “Coffee or water?”

“Water, please.”

He handed me a bottle of water and a bagel he pulled from the bag.