Page 12 of Blazing Hearts

No more first responders. No more people like Ember.

The mantra echoed in Mallory’s mind as she made her way down the hallway toward her office. She had learned the hard way that people like Ember—reckless, driven by the rush of adrenaline, always on the edge of danger—were not people Mallory could build a life with. Ember had never been afraid to throw herself into harm’s way, to put everything on the line for the sake of a thrill. But Mallory couldn’t live like that. She couldn’t keep pretending it was okay, watching from the sidelines as Ember risked it all, all while telling Mallory it was “just a part of the job.”

I’m here to do my job,Mallory reminded herself again.Nothing else. No distractions. No more looking back.

But as she stepped into her office and closed the door behind her, the silence was deafening. For a moment, Mallory allowed herself to breathe, to take stock of where she was.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, startling her out of her thoughts. She glanced down at it, half-expecting a message from Dr. Mars or perhaps a colleague following up on some administrative detail. But the name on the screen made her pause, a small, surprised smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Kara.

For a moment, Mallory hesitated, her thumb hovering over the phone. She didn’t know why she had been expecting it. They had only just met, shared a brief but electrifying connection, but that had felt like a lifetime ago, a world away from the stress of her first day in this new hospital. Still, the sight of Kara’s name on her phone felt like a small, unexpected thread of light in the haze of her thoughts.

Kara: How’s the first day? Don’t let the hospital drama suck you in too quickly.

Mallory couldn’t help but smile at the lighthearted tone in Kara’s message. It was like a breath of fresh air, the kind of playful distraction that Mallory had needed after her tense encounter with Ember. Kara’s words were easy, inviting, unburdened by the heavy weight of her past, and Mallory found herself grateful for that. For a moment, she let herself imagine a world where things didn’t have to be so complicated, where the past didn’t hang over everything she did.

Mallory: First day’s going well so far. But I’ve already encountered some interesting personalities. Could use a break from all the drama, honestly.

Mallory hit send before she could second-guess herself. She didn’t know what she was hoping for, maybe just the distraction of a light conversation, something to pull her out of the shadows of her own mind.

The minutes passed in silence as Mallory stared at her phone, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

She was tired of it.

The phone buzzed again, pulling Mallory from her thoughts.

Kara: Sounds like you’ve got your hands full. Let me know if you need an escape plan. I know a good place for a drink when you’re off.

Mallory’s chest tightened, the simplest invitation pulling her back to the present. She hadn’t expected Kara’s message to be anything more than a casual check-in, but something about the offer felt different—genuine. Something about the way Kara phrased it, so easy, so unencumbered by the weight of what came before, made Mallory feel like maybe, just maybe, this was something worth exploring.

But Mallory wasn’t sure she was ready to let herself go there—not yet. She had only just stepped into this new chapter of her life. And as much as the idea of spending time with Kara seemed appealing, she wasn’t sure she could open that door without letting all the failed relationships of her past come flooding in behind her.

She was 36 years old now. Surely it was time she got it together.

Instead, Mallory set the phone down, leaning back in her chair with a sigh. Her eyes wandered to the window across the room, where the soft rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the blinds. Phoenix Ridge was a far cry from the bustling, chaotic city she had left behind. It was quiet here. Peaceful. But that also meant there was nowhere to hide from her thoughts. No distractions.

The pull of the past tugged at her again, an insistent whisper, a reminder that no matter how hard she tried to move forward, the ghosts of the past would always be there, waiting for the moment when she least expected it.

Still, a part of Mallory couldn’t help but feel drawn toward something new, something uncharted. The connection with Kara, no matter how brief, had felt different from anything she had experienced in a long time. It wasn’t messy. It wasn’t complicated. It was just… easy.

She glanced down at her phone again, her fingers itching to send a reply, to accept the invitation, to take a step into something unknown.

4

KARA

Kara stood at the bar of The Copper Fork, the familiar hum of conversation surrounding her. She absentmindedly swirled her glass, feeling the slow burn of whiskey warming her chest. The air inside was thick with the buzz of small-town chatter, the low glow of amber lights softening the edges of the bustling crowd. Phoenix Ridge had a way of making a simple evening feel like an occasion, especially when you were with someone as intriguing as Dr. Mallory Storm.

The last few days had been a whirlwind of text messages, each conversation with Mallory a perfect blend of playful banter and deeper moments that made Kara look forward to each new one. Mallory’s wit and intelligence had captivated Kara from the start, but what really drew her in was the underlying mystery that Mallory seemed to carry—something quiet, careful, and just a little guarded. Kara found herself wanting to know more, wanting to peel back the layers and find out what lay beneath.

Kara had always been the type to wear her heart on her sleeve, to go after what she wanted without hesitation, but Mallory? Mallory was different. It was a slow burn, the kind that made Kara both impatient and intrigued. Tonight, though, she was ready for something more, even if she wasn’t sure where it would lead. She’d been thinking about this dinner for days, eager to see Mallory outside of the digital world they’d built between them. She wanted to know if the spark was just in texts or if it would be just as electric in person.

A few minutes later, the door to the restaurant swung open, and Kara’s heart skipped a beat. There she was—Mallory. The soft glow of the lights on her beautiful long red hair and translucent skin made her look almost ethereal, like she belonged in this place, in this moment. Mallory’s dark eyes scanned the room before they locked onto Kara’s, and the smile that spread across her face made Kara’s pulse quicken. She stood, already knowing the greeting would be warm, but not quite prepared for the wave of chemistry that hit her when Mallory walked over.

“Hey,” Mallory said, her voice smooth but laced with something that made Kara’s stomach flutter. “This place is nice.”

“Yeah, I thought you’d like it. Nothing too fussy,” Kara replied, trying to sound casual, but the way her heart was beating quickly betrayed her.

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