Page 5 of King

She shifted on her feet. “Mac and cheese.”

King let out a low chuckle, and the sound did something ridiculous to her insides.

“Do you always shop like this?”

Ella hesitated, then shrugged. “I’ve never shopped before.”

That made him pause. His expression flickered with what looked like a mix of curiosity and confusion, but before he could press her on it, his radio crackled to life.

“Station Twelve, we’ve got a structure fire on Oak Street. All available units respond.”

King’s jaw tightened.

“Gotta go,” he said, already stepping back.

Ella nodded as he headed toward the exit with his crew.

But before he disappeared through the sliding doors, he looked back at her.

And smiled.

It wasn’t just any smile. It was the kind that sent warmth curling through her stomach, made her knees feel weak, and had her forgetting how tothink properly.

It was a good thing she’d already gotten all the groceries she needed for the day.

Ella settled into her temporary desk at the firehouse, smoothing out the stack of papers she had to copy before the afternoon meeting with all the department heads hosting the food drive in their buildings. It had been a whirlwind of a morning: emails, calls, and figuring out how to use the ancient filing system the station apparently still relied on. But despite the chaos, she loved being here.

The firehouse was a hub of energy, filled with the sounds of laughter, boots against tile and the constant hum of radio chatter. The people felt relatable and real. It was so different from New York, and she already knew she never wanted to go back. She had no idea if Shadowridge was going to be her permanent home, but she kind of hoped it would be. Everyone was so nice here.

She grabbed the stack of papers and made her way to the copy machine, humming to herself as she pressed the buttonsand waited for the clunky machine to do its thing. Or take off into outer space. With the noises it was making, it was possible either could happen.

But when she returned to her desk, she stopped short.

Sitting neatly on top of her paperwork was a black plastic container, the kind used for meal prep, with a folded note tucked under it.

Curious, she picked it up, unfolding the paper.

I’ll sleep better knowing you eat at least one healthy meal today. - King

Ella’s stomach did a little flip.

She bit her lip as she lifted the lid, and the second she did, the most mouthwatering scent hit her. The meal inside lookeddelicious. Grilled chicken, seasoned rice, and a mix of perfectly roasted vegetables that didn’t look at all icky like the ones her family’s cook had always made. She blinked, stunned.

He had done this? For her? Why?

A warmth spread through her chest as she closed the container and pushed to her feet. She needed to find King.

After checking the usual places, the kitchen, the bay, the break room, she finally found him in the back lot, checking one of the smaller emergency response vehicles. He glanced up as she approached, straightening from where he’d been inspecting the gear in the back.

She held up the container. “King.”

His lips quirked slightly. “Ella.”

She huffed a little laugh. “You made me lunch.”

“I made thestationlunch, and it seemed like a good idea to make sure you had some nutrients.” He shut the compartmentdoor, leaning casually against the truck. “Can’t have you living off gummy bears and macaroni and cheese.”

She stared at him, her heart still doing that ridiculous fluttering thing.

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