Page 52 of The Rookie's Second Chance

It wasn't like I was glad about what happened to Kayla, but I couldn't ignore the gnawing thought in the back of my mind – this was my chance. If I played my cards right, Jake might see me in a new light and might realize that I was more than just a good time and a cold beer at the end of a long day.

I scribbled a message to go with the flowers, keeping it short and sweet. "Thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery! - Mandy." Nothing over the top, just the right touch of concern.

I sent the order through, my heart doing a nervous dance. It was a small gesture, but it felt like a step in a plan I was making up as I went along. The thing was, I knew I was good for Jake, better than Kayla with her detective badge and her dark, haunted eyes. I could be the light to his shadow if only he'd let me.

As the day dragged on, I busied myself with chores, each sweep of the broom or wipe of the counter a way to pass the time and work off the anxious energy bubbling inside me. I imagined Jake walking into Kayla's hospital room, flowers in hand, reading the card, and the look of surprise on his face. Maybe he'd think, 'Wow, Mandy really is thoughtful.'

The image of him smiling, that rare, full-wattage grin that transformed his face, was enough to make me pause in my tracks. I wanted that smile to be for me, because of me.

When evening rolled around, I found myself back on the couch, remote in hand, but the TV screen a blur before my eyes. The waiting was the worst part – waiting for Jake to come home, for some acknowledgment of my gesture, for some sign that I was making headway.

The sound of the door finally opening had me sitting up straighter, a rehearsed casualness in place. "Hey," I called out as Jake trudged in, once more looking exhausted. "How's Kayla?"

He dropped his keys on the counter and shrugged out of his jacket. "She's better, which is good. Doctors say she's gonna be okay." His voice was flat, giving nothing away.

I nodded, biting back the surge of... was it disappointment? Relief? I wasn't even sure anymore. "That's great news," I managed, keeping my tone light. "I sent her some flowers."

Jake paused, turned to look at me, and there it was – a flicker of something warm in his eyes. "That was really nice of you, Mandy. Thanks."

The way he said my name, with a hint of something I couldn't quite name, sent a thrill through me. "Of course," I said with a smile. "Just wanted to do something nice."

We lapsed into silence, the air between us filled with unspoken words and tangled emotions. I watched him sink into the armchair, the lines of exhaustion etched deeper than ever.

I wanted to reach out, to offer comfort, but I held back. Timing was everything, and I needed to be patient, to wait for the perfect moment to step in and show Jake that I was the one he could lean on. Until then, I'd be the friend he needed, the steady presence in his life. And when the time was right, I'd be ready to show him just how much more I could be.

Chapter Twenty-Five

JAKE

The station was a tomb when I walked in, just me and the echo of my footsteps. I chucked my jacket on the chair and fired up my desktop, the glow of the screen the only light in the place. Kayla was still laid up in the hospital, and there I was, stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for her to get back on her feet to chase down the shadows of The Vault.

I’d been combing through forums, chat logs, anything that reeked of college secret societies. That’s when I found him – a username that kept popping up in the right places, using the same cryptic language. I shot him a message.

OFFICER-B: I have some questions about The Vault.

ALL4ALL: You and a thousand others.

OFFICER-B: It’s important. Police matter.

ALL4ALL: Even less reason for me to tell.

OFFICER-B: It’s about Garrett and Lexi.

There was a long pause.

ALL4ALL: How much do you know?

OFFICER-B: Enough to know that Garrett didn’t just walk out of school. Something happened. And now Lexi is in danger.

Another long pause.

ALL4ALL: Fine. I’ll meet. But you come alone, or I walk out immediately.

“You’re kidding me,” I muttered to the screen. The guy was paranoid as hell, but I wasn’t about to meet some shadowy figure without backup. I typed back a lie. “Fine. But I won’t be alone.”

We set the time and place—a dive bar four hours away. I’d have to leave soon if I was going to make it. But first, I had someone to see.

Before I could second-guess myself, I was standing in Kayla’s hospital room, the steady beep of her heart monitor a constant reminder of why I was pushing so hard.

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