Page 10 of Rescue My Heart
“Alright. I should be sleeping, but I guess I could drink some coffee with you,” McKenna replied, trailing behind her as they walked inside.
“Do you have work tomorrow?” Ember asked, flicking on the coffee maker.
“No, but—” McKenna began, feeling the pull of responsibility tugging at her.
“Ah, you don’t work tomorrow, so shut up.” Ember laughed, pouring steaming coffee into two mugs.
“Okay, okay! You win,” McKenna said, surrendering to the moment. McKenna followed Ember into the kitchen, the warm scent of brewing coffee filling the room. Ember grabbed two mugs from the cabinet, pouring hot coffee into each.
“You sure you don’t need something stronger?” Ember teased, offering McKenna a raised eyebrow as she set the mug in front of her.
McKenna shook her head. “Yup. I’m sure. Coffee will do just fine.”
Ember shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
They sat at the small table, the silence comfortable but filled with unspoken thoughts. Ember finally broke it.
“So, Mazey Snow, she’s known for being straight, right? Only ever with those Hollywood big shots.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking,” McKenna admitted, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. “I can’t tell if I’m just making up these feelings in my head or if she was actually giving me some kind of vibe.”
“Why overthink it? Just because someone’s been with men doesn’t mean they’re not into women. For all you know, she’s been seeing women on the down-low for years. Hollywood’s not exactly kind to lesbians.”
McKenna sighed, a mix of frustration and hope bubbling inside her. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Ember leaned back in her chair, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Remember my ex, Ashley? Well obviously it didn’t work out, but did I ever tell you what it was like before we got together?”
“No, you haven’t,” McKenna said, suddenly curious.
“Well, when I first met her, she didn’t even know she was into women,” Ember confessed, her eyes soft with memory.
McKenna’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yup. I had no idea what was going on in her head. All I knew was that I was attracted to her, and I couldn’t shake it.”
“You weren’t put off by the uncertainty?”
Ember chuckled softly. “Back then? No way. I wasn’t about to let a little uncertainty stop me from something I wanted. I just had to be patient and give her time to figure things out.”
McKenna nodded, the tension in her chest easing slightly. “Did you ever worry that your feelings weren’t mutual? That she didn’t want the same thing?”
“Of course I did. But you’ve got to start with friendship and expect nothing. If it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen.”
McKenna stared down at her coffee, swirling the liquid in her cup as Ember’s words sank in. The uncertainty gnawed at her, but Ember’s story had her thinking. Could she really make an impression on Mazey in such a short time?
“But I’m not sure I have the same amount of time that you did. I mean, Mazey’s only here to film for her show, and once she’s done, she’s gone.”
Ember tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “Then you’ve got to impress her before she leaves. You’d be surprised how much can happen in a short time.”
McKenna chuckled, shaking her head. “No pressure then.”
Ember laughed softly before leaning back in her chair. “You know, with Josephine, we just had a one night stand. That was where it started- now look at us. When there is a connection, there’s a connection.”
“I remember hearing about that. Wasn’t that pretty intense?”
“Not as intense as you’d think,” Ember said, grinning. “But it was when the next time we met, my mom was there and it turned out they were best friends and I had no idea! Anyway, then we fucked in my hospital room and nearly got caught.”
McKenna blinked in surprise. “Josephine? No way! She’s so calculated and safe. I never would’ve imagined that.”