Page 40 of Heal Me, Love Me

My fingers lightly brushed Rowan’s wrist. “I have to head to the gym soon.”

“Okay.”

“But I want to see you later.”

He smiled. “You asking me on a date?”

“Maybe.” I chuckled.

“That’s good because I was going to ask you.”

I grinned. “Then yes, I’m asking.”

“Okay, let’s go on a date tonight.”

After everything we’d been through over the last two days, a normal date sounded like the best idea either of us had come up with.

8

Rowan

When the doorbell rang,I’d already changed my shirt three times, which was ridiculous.

Not because I was nervous about him. It was Keaton.

MyKeaton.

He’d seen me sweaty after practices, bruised from football and wrestling, pissed off, half-asleep, naked, and happy in ways I didn’t let most people see.

But tonight wasn’t about what he already knew. For the first time, I could walk out the front door, get in his car, and go somewhere as his boyfriend. No excuses. No space between us. No pretending he was just my best friend.

So yeah, I wanted to look good for our date.

“I’ll get it,” Mom called from the kitchen.

Shit.

I grabbed my wallet from the dresser and headed down the hall. “Mom, wait.”

She was already crossing the living room, wiping her hands on a towel and smiling as if this date had been her idea all along.After everything she’d said when I moved back in, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised by how happy she was for us.

The only thing she hadn’t been excited about was Florida.

I’d told my parents how Grant Bishop wanted to represent me and fly me to Tampa to check out Atlantic Combat. Even though my parents understood why I needed to consider Atlantic Combat, Mom couldn’t hide how much the possibility of me moving to Florida hurt her. I’d already spent four years away, and she’d probably hoped that leaving the Air Force and coming back to California meant I was home for good. Maybe I was. The trip to Florida was only to visit Atlantic Combat, not a decision to move there.

“Don’t be weird,” I warned.

Her mouth fell open, and she pressed a hand to her chest. “I’m never weird.”

“You’re smiling like you’ve been waiting for this all day.”

“Maybe I have.”

“Mom.”

“What? I’m allowed to be excited for you.”

I swallowed. “Still. Be normal.”