Page 16 of Rescue My Heart

Mazey’s reply came quickly this time. "Yeah, maybe you’re right. I tend to overthink everything."

McKenna smiled softly to herself. That, she could relate to. "I get that. Happens to the best of us."

She waited for the next message, her thoughts racing. She wanted to ask about the kiss, about how Mazey had felt, but she didn’t know if she should. The last thing she wanted was to make things awkward, to make Mazey feel like she’d done something wrong by pulling away. Maybe it really was just business for her.

Then another message appeared. "Anyway, maybe you could swing past my penthouse tonight? I’d love to talk more."

McKenna stared at the message, her heart pounding. Her penthouse?

McKenna took a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter of nerves in her stomach. She wasn’t sure what this was, but she knew she wanted to find out.

"Yeah, sounds good," she typed back, keeping her response neutral, even though she could feel the excitement bubbling inside her. "I’ll come over after I finish my shift tonight."

Mazey’s reply was quick and to the point. "Looking forward to it."

McKenna hit the call button and listened to the phone ring as she drove, her mind still spinning from Mazey’s text. Ember would know what to do; she always did. When the familiar voice answered, McKenna immediately felt a little more grounded.

“Adams! What’s up? You sound tense.”

McKenna hesitated, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “It’s about Mazey. She just invited me to her penthouse tonight.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “Her penthouse? Wow. That’s a move. So, what’s the problem?” Ember’s voice was calm, as usual, like she wasn’t surprised at all.

“I don’t know if it’s just…friendly or if it means something more.” McKenna sighed, frustration creeping in. “I mean, we kissed yesterday, and then she acted like nothing happened. Now she’s texting me about hanging out, and I don’t know if I’m reading too much into it.”

Ember chuckled. “McKenna, you’ve been overthinking this since the start. You talked to me about this a few days ago, remember? And I told you to be patient.”

“Yeah, I know,” McKenna said, rubbing her forehead. “I’ve been trying to be patient, but now I’m more confused than ever.”

“You’re always patient when you’re at the station or working a scene. You know how to stay cool under pressure. Why’s this any different?” Ember’s voice was steady but probing. “You like her, don’t you?”

McKenna bit her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe. Probably. It’s just weird. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

“You’re overcomplicating it,” Ember replied, her tone firm but warm. “It’s not about figuring everything out in your head. Look, this thing with Mazey? It’s real for you, whether you admit it or not. I get that you’re scared of messing up, but you can’t live in limbo forever.”

McKenna sighed, the knot in her stomach tightening. “I just don’t want to walk into something I’m not ready for, you know?”

“McKenna, listen,” Ember said, her voice dropping into that no-nonsense tone McKenna was used to hearing when things got serious. “This isn’t a fire you’re running into blindly. You’re smart; you’ve got instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, you’ll pull back. But if you keep holding yourself back from even finding out what’s going on with her, you’ll never know.”

McKenna stayed quiet for a moment, letting Ember’s words sink in.

“I know you, McKenna,” Ember continued. “You’ve always been careful, and that’s good, but sometimes you’ve gotta just gofor it. The worst that happens is you go there, you talk, and it’s just friendly. But at least then you’ll know.”

McKenna exhaled, feeling a mix of nerves and relief. “You think I should go, then?”

“I think you’d regret it if you didn’t,” Ember said, her tone softening. “You’ve got a chance here. You said it yourself you’ve never felt like this before. That’s worth something, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” McKenna admitted quietly. “It is.”

“Good,” Ember said, a hint of a smile in her voice. “And don’t overthink it while you’re at work today. Focus on the job, and when the shift’s done, go see what’s up with Mazey. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be nothing. Or maybe…it’ll be something.”

McKenna laughed lightly. “You make it sound so simple.”

“Because it is simple. Don’t overcomplicate it, McKenna. And hey, if you need to talk afterward, you know where to find me,” Ember teased.

“Thanks, Ember. I appreciate you talking me down from the ledge.”

“Anytime, McKenna. Now get through your shift and see what happens. You got this.”