Chapter 3

I got home around four and found Kieran in the living room, laptop open, but he wasn't really working. Just staring at the screen.

"How was the gym?" he asked.

"Fine." I dropped my bag by the door. "The kids are getting better. Marcus landed a perfect combination today."

Kieran nodded like he was actually listening, which was new.

I was heading upstairs to shower when my phone rang.

"Hello, is this Ember Cross?"

"Speaking."

"Hi, this is Jennifer from UCLA Medical Center. I'm calling to remind you about your annual physical exam. You're scheduled for next Wednesday at ten AM."

UCLA Medical Center. Right. I'd completely forgotten about my yearly checkup.

"Thanks for the reminder," I said. "I'll be there."

"Great. Just bring your insurance card and any medications you're currently taking. The doctor will want to review your—"

The phone was suddenly yanked from my hand.

I turned to see Kieran, his face white as paper.

"What did you just say?" he barked into the phone.

"Kieran, what are you doing?"

He held up a hand to silence me, pressing the phone closer to his ear.

"When do you need her to come in?" he asked the nurse. "Is this urgent? Does she need immediate treatment?"

I could hear Jennifer's confused voice through the speaker, but couldn't make out the words.

"Blood work? Scans? What exactly are we looking at here?" Kieran's voice was getting higher, more panicked.

"Sir, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"

"No, I need to know. How bad is it? What stage? What are her options?"

"Kieran!" I grabbed his arm. "Give me back my phone!"

He shook me off, still talking to the poor nurse.

"I don't care what it costs. Get her the best doctors, the best treatment. Money is not an issue."

"Sir, I really think you've misunderstood—"

"How long does she have?" Kieran's voice cracked. "Months? Weeks?"

Jennifer's voice got louder, trying to break through his panic. "Sir, this is just a routine physical exam reminder!"

Kieran went very still.

"Routine?"

"Yes, sir. Annual checkup. Very standard. Is there something wrong?"

I watched Kieran's face cycle through confusion, relief, and then something that looked like embarrassment.

"I... no. Sorry. I thought..." He cleared his throat. "Thank you for calling."

He handed me back the phone with shaky hands.

"Sorry about that," I told Jennifer, who was probably wondering if she'd accidentally called a mental hospital. "We'll see you Wednesday."

I hung up and stared at Kieran.

"What the hell was that about?"

He was running his hands through his hair, messing up his usually perfect style.

"I thought... when you said medical center..."

"It's my yearly physical, Kieran. I do it every year. Standard stuff for athletes."

"Right. Of course." He sat down heavily on the couch. "That makes sense."

But he still looked shaken.

"Are you okay? You seem really stressed lately."

Kieran looked at me with an expression I couldn't read. Sad? Scared? I wasn't sure.

"I'm fine," he said, but his voice was quiet. "Just tired."

I sat down across from him. "Is work okay? You've been home a lot more than usual."

"Work is fine."

"Is it about Celeste coming back?"

His head snapped up. "What?"

"The news about her comeback. I saw it online. I figured maybe that's why you've been acting weird."

Something flickered across his face, but not what I expected. Not longing or excitement. More like... confusion?

"Celeste," he repeated.

"Yeah. I mean, I get it. You guys have history. If you want to end our arrangement early, that's fine. I won't make it difficult."

Kieran stared at me for a long moment.

"You think I want you to leave?"

"Don't you?"

"No." The word came out fast, almost desperate. "No, I don't want you to leave."

This was getting weirder by the minute.

"Okay," I said slowly. "Then what's going on? Because you've been acting really strange since last night."

Kieran was quiet for so long I thought he wasn't going to answer.

"You should eat dinner," he said finally. "I'll have Maria prepare something healthy."

There he went again with the health thing.

"I can make my own dinner, Kieran."

"You need proper nutrition. Organic vegetables, lean proteins. And you should probably cut back on the training. Too much exercise can be harmful."

I blinked. "Too much exercise? I'm a boxing coach. Exercise is literally my job."

"Maybe you should consider a less strenuous career."

Was he serious right now?

"Are you trying to tell me how to live my life?"

"I'm trying to take care of you."

The words hung in the air between us.

Take care of me? Since when did Kieran Vale want to take care of anyone, let alone me?

"Why?" I asked.

He looked at me with those intense dark eyes, and for a second I thought he might actually tell me what was going on.

Instead, he stood up.

"I need to make some phone calls," he said. "I'm going to arrange for you to see Dr. Harrison next week."

"Who's Dr. Harrison?"

"The best doctor in California. Maybe the country."

"For a routine physical?"

"Just to be safe."

"Safe from what?"

But Kieran was already walking toward his office, phone pressed to his ear.

"Harrison? It's Kieran Vale. I need a favor. Emergency consultation. My wife needs to see you immediately."

I sat there, completely lost.

What kind of emergency consultation did you need for a routine checkup?