Chapter 6

6

MCKENNA

M cKenna could still feel the ghost of Mazey’s lips on hers as she drove through the quiet streets, her grip on the steering wheel tight. The kiss played on a loop in her mind. It was slow, deep, and unexpected. It was the kind of kiss that wasn’t supposed to happen, especially not in the middle of a fire station, especially not with someone like Mazey Snow.

Her heart raced again just thinking about it. She’d been helping Mazey with the gear, showing her how to put on the uniform, guiding her hands. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it until Mazey pulled her closer. Then their lips were pressed together, and everything else had faded away.

But what really confused McKenna was what happened after. The way Mazey had gone back to pretending like it hadn’t happened, like they hadn’t just shared one of the most electric moments of McKenna’s life. Mazey had returned to the training, her expression calm, as if the kiss had been nothing more than a fleeting impulse. Meanwhile, McKenna’s entire world felt like it had been upended.

Was it just part of the act? McKenna couldn’t help but wonder. Mazey was an actress, after all. Maybe she was just used to blending reality and fiction. Maybe the kiss hadn’t meant anything to her beyond the moment.

But no, McKenna knew that wasn’t true. She had felt something. It wasn’t just physical. There was a pull between them, something that went deeper than either of them was acknowledging. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Mazey’s lips had felt, how her hands had lingered on McKenna’s arms like she didn’t want to let go.

McKenna turned onto her street and parked the car in her driveway, staring blankly ahead for a moment. What now? she thought. She couldn’t pretend like nothing had happened, but she also didn’t want to push Mazey or make her uncomfortable. She didn’t even know if Mazey liked women, or if she was just confused. And that thought gnawed at McKenna, filling her with doubt.

Was it just a mistake? Maybe Mazey had acted on impulse, and now she regretted it. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t said anything afterward. Maybe McKenna had been reading into it too much.

But then there was the way Mazey had looked at her, the way her breath had hitched just before the kiss, the way their bodies had gravitated toward each other like magnets. McKenna wasn’t making it up. She couldn’t have been. There was chemistry between them—undeniable, raw, and real.

“Get it together,” McKenna muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair as she climbed out of the car. She couldn’t let herself spiral over this, but the kiss had shaken her more than she wanted to admit. It wasn’t just that Mazey was stunning or that they’d connected on some level during their conversation. It was that McKenna had felt something she hadn’t in a long time. And it terrified her.

She let herself into her house, the quiet solitude doing nothing to still her racing thoughts. She dropped her keys on the kitchen counter, but instead of feeling the usual calm that came with being home after a long shift, there was only a hollow, restless energy inside her.

She couldn’t get Mazey out of her mind.

What was she supposed to do now? She wasn’t the type to chase after someone, especially not someone like Mazey Snow, who probably had people fawning over her all the time. But then again, McKenna had never felt this kind of connection with anyone, and she wasn’t sure if she should let it slip away without finding out what it really meant.

She felt her phone buzz in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a text from one of her colleagues.

"Good job with the safety training today! Snow looked like she had fun."

Fun. McKenna let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. Yeah, she had fun, alright. But her chest tightened. It wasn’t just about fun for McKenna. It was about what that kiss had stirred up inside her, something she hadn’t let herself feel in a long time. And it scared her.

She sank into the couch, staring at the TV screen in front of her. She knew she had to figure this out, but where did she even start? Should she talk to Mazey about it? Could she even bring it up without making things awkward or uncomfortable? What if Mazey really did just want to forget it happened?

But McKenna couldn’t forget it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling of Mazey’s lips on hers, the way her pulse had quickened, the way it had felt so…right.

She let her head fall back against the couch cushion, closing her eyes. What was the right thing to do? Part of her wanted to call Mazey, to talk to her, to ask her what that kiss had meant. But another part of her was terrified to even acknowledge it out loud, scared that Mazey would brush it off as nothing more than a fluke, a mistake.

Maybe I’m overthinking this, McKenna thought, her heart heavy with uncertainty. But deep down, she knew she wasn’t. That kiss had meant something. She just didn’t know if Mazey was ready to admit it too.

And the worst part was, McKenna wasn’t sure if she could keep pretending that it didn’t matter. Because it did. It mattered a lot.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Don't overthink it, she told herself. There was no point in losing sleep over something she couldn't control. Mazey would reach out if she wanted to, there was nothing McKenna could do to force things along. She just had to let it go for now, as hard as that seemed. Ember’s words echoed in her mind, “Be patient.”

Right, she thought, sighing softly. Patience.

But patience wasn’t something McKenna was good at, not when it came to something that had rocked her so deeply. Still, she had to try. She convinced herself that the best thing to do was to sleep on it and figure out her feelings in the morning. If Mazey wanted to explore whatever it was they had started, she’d reach out. It was simple, right? McKenna couldn’t be the one to push this further, especially with Mazey’s career and the added complication of her fame.

With that resolve, McKenna dragged herself into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. As much as she tried to focus on anything else, work, her upcoming shifts, the pile of laundry she needed to do, her thoughts kept drifting back to the kiss. The feel of Mazey’s lips against hers, the way it made her entire body feel alive. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before.

McKenna clenched her eyes shut, forcing herself to think of something else, anything else. But the memory of the kiss had its own rhythm, playing on repeat in her mind. She could still feel the lingering heat from Mazey’s body, the way their lips had moved together so naturally, as if they'd done it a hundred times before. It was frustrating, really. She had kissed women before, but none of them had made her feel like this.

Eventually, the fatigue won out. McKenna felt herself slipping into sleep, her mind still clinging to the last thought of Mazey before she drifted off.

Her alarm blared, jolting her awake. McKenna groaned, blindly reaching for her phone to shut it off. She blinked against the early morning light streaming through her curtains, her head heavy with exhaustion. What time did I even fall asleep? she wondered groggily.

It didn’t feel like she’d gotten much rest at all. The night had passed in a blur of half-conscious thoughts, and even in her dreams, the kiss had replayed over and over again. No matter how hard she tried to forget it, Mazey was right there in the forefront of her mind: her smile, her touch, the feel of her lips. McKenna rubbed her eyes, feeling the weight of the restless night settle in her bones.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, sitting there for a moment as she let herself wake up fully. Why did this have to be so complicated? It wasn’t just a kiss anymore. It was everything that came with it. The feelings she couldn’t quite pin down, the questions about where Mazey stood, the way her heart felt like it was on a rollercoaster she couldn’t control.

McKenna ran a hand through her hair, staring blankly at the floor. Should she reach out to her? The question gnawed at her, but she quickly shook it off. No, she wasn’t going to make the first move. If Mazey wanted to talk about it, if she wanted to explore whatever was happening between them, she’d have to come to McKenna. And if she didn’t? Then maybe the kiss had meant nothing to her after all.

But that didn’t sit right with McKenna. It had to have meant something to Mazey. There was no way she didn’t feel that too. Yet, the uncertainty was still there, and it clawed at her. The doubt. The nagging fear that maybe she’d misread everything.

She stood up, stretching her stiff muscles, and tried to shake off the sleep that still clung to her. Today would be a fresh start, she told herself. She had work to focus on, and she wasn’t going to let herself get distracted by one kiss. No matter how much it had affected her.

But as she went through her morning routine—making coffee, checking her phone, preparing for the day ahead—her mind kept wandering back to Mazey. To the way Mazey had kissed her with that sudden urgency, that spark of something undeniable, and then had gone back to being cool and composed as if nothing had happened.

McKenna sighed, sipping her coffee, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Be patient, she reminded herself again, but the words felt hollow now. Waiting wasn’t something she was good at. She was used to taking action, solving problems, moving forward. But in this situation, all she could do was wait and see if Mazey would make the next move.

She stared at her phone, half-expecting a message from Mazey that wasn’t there. Maybe it was too soon, she reasoned. They had both been caught off guard by the kiss. Maybe Mazey needed time to figure out her own feelings.

Still, McKenna couldn’t shake the feeling that today was going to be a long day, filled with more questions and no answers. She’d do her best to get through it, but she knew one thing for sure, Mazey wasn’t someone she could easily forget.

Just as she pulled into the parking lot, her phone buzzed. An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen. She frowned, her curiosity piqued, and opened the message.

“Hey, stranger. Thanks for all the safety tips. It’s really going to help me with my character.”

McKenna’s breath caught. It must be Mazey. How had she even gotten her number? More importantly, why was she texting? They hadn’t exchanged much beyond that one encounter, and yet here she was. McKenna stared at her phone for a second, unsure how to respond, her mind swirling with the kiss they'd shared and how Mazey had brushed it off afterward.

She typed back quickly, keeping her tone light. "Can I assume this is Mazey?"

A moment passed before her phone buzzed again. "Yes, it is. Do you have any other actresses coming to ask for advice on rescues?"

McKenna let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. She wasn’t used to this kind of banter, especially with someone she couldn’t quite figure out. "Nope. Just you."

Her phone buzzed almost instantly with a response. "Good. I like that. You really helped me yesterday. You really know your stuff.”

McKenna felt her cheeks warm. She wasn’t sure why Mazey’s words affected her like this. It was just a text. It was just friendly. She could feel herself overthinking it, reading into every word, and tried to convince herself that it was nothing more than a casual message.

"I’ve been doing this for a while," she replied, trying to keep her cool. "I hope I can teach something as simple as safety when it comes to rescues."

The pause that followed felt heavier than it should have. McKenna found herself staring at her phone, waiting for the next message, wondering why it even mattered. It was just Mazey being polite, she told herself. But the memory of the kiss tugged at her mind. She thought about the way Mazey had pulled her close, the warmth of her lips, the electricity between them and then the way Mazey had acted like nothing happened afterward.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her out of her thoughts. "You did more than that. I feel like I understand a lot more now. About the role. About other things."

McKenna’s heart skipped a beat. Other things? Was Mazey hinting at the kiss? Or was she just being vague? McKenna couldn’t tell, and that uncertainty was gnawing at her. She didn’t want to push, didn’t want to assume anything. But there was something there, wasn’t there? Or was she just imagining it?

"You’re a quick learner," she typed back. "Glad to be of help."

This time, the pause was longer. McKenna stared at the screen, waiting, her mind swirling with a million questions. Was Mazey reaching out just to talk? Was she looking for something more? Or was this all just professional, like Mazey had insisted at the end of their encounter?

Finally, her phone buzzed. "I’ve been thinking a lot since yesterday. About how you made everything feel easy. I guess I didn’t expect that."

McKenna’s pulse quickened. The message felt different. Not flirty, exactly, but more personal. She could feel the vulnerability in Mazey's words, and that surprised her. For someone so confident, Mazey was hinting at something deeper. But was it about their kiss or just the connection they'd shared?

"I’m glad it helped," McKenna typed slowly, unsure of how to proceed. "Sometimes things are easier when you’re not thinking too hard about them."

She hesitated before sending it, wondering if that was too vague, too cryptic. But maybe that was for the best. She didn’t want to push Mazey into saying something she wasn’t ready to admit. If there was even anything to admit.

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 go for 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.”

They said their goodbyes, and McKenna hung up, feeling a little more centered. Ember was right. She didn’t have to have all the answers right now. She just had to show up, see what Mazey wanted, and go from there.

She glanced at her phone one more time, rereading Mazey’s text. Penthouse. Tonight. Whatever was about to happen, McKenna knew she couldn’t avoid it forever. She just had to finish her shift, and then she’d find out.