Page 54 of Heal Me, Love Me

You awake?

The typing bubble appeared a moment later.

Rowan

Barely. Why?

No reason. Just wanted to tell you I miss you

Three dots appeared again instantly.

Miss you too baby

10

Rowan

My phone buzzedagainst the kitchen table before I finished breakfast.

Mom looked up from her coffee. “That yours?”

“Yeah.” I glanced at the screen, expecting a text from Keaton.

It wasn’t.

Devon

Grant Bishop called me

I’d wondered if this was coming.

Marcos had gone through Devon when he reached out about Keaton in LA, so I figured it was a matter of time before Grant contacted him too. It made sense. Agents checked with coaches. They asked questions, looked for red flags, and made sure the fighter they were about to invest in wasn’t just impressive on a highlight reel but also had real discipline.

Still, knowing it made sense didn’t make seeing Devon’s name on my screen any less annoying.

Another message came through:

He asked about your training situation

Then another:

You available to talk?

I stared at the phone long enough for Mom to ask, “Is everything okay?”

I pushed my plate away. “It’s Devon.”

Across the table, my father looked up. “What does he want?”

“Grant Bishop called him.”

My mother’s brows pulled together. “About you?”

“Yeah.” I let out a breath. “My training and work ethic.”

Dad watched me for a second. “And you haven’t told Devon you’re not coming back?”

“Not yet.”