Page 29 of Rescue My Heart

Mazey stretched lazily, the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the windows as the smell of coffee and the sizzle of something frying lured her out of the cozy cocoon of the couch. The memories of the previous night flooded back, bringing a smile to her lips. Everything had felt so perfect. For once, she hadn’t been overwhelmed by anxiety or the need to keep up appearances. Being with McKenna and meeting her friends, it was all so comfortable, so... real.

Mazey sat up, running her hands through her hair in a futile attempt to smooth it down. Her reflection in a nearby mirror made her laugh. Her hair was a mess, sticking up in all directions. She gave up, deciding to leave it as it was, and picked up a fire department T shirt of McKenna’s that she pulled on with her own panties from last night. She padded barefoot toward the kitchen, drawn by the sounds and smells of breakfast being made.

As she approached, she paused in the doorway. There was McKenna, standing at the stove, her back turned as she flipped something in a pan. Mazey watched her for a moment, a soft smile forming on her lips. This felt so right. She couldn’t helpbut imagine mornings like this in the future, waking up beside McKenna, sharing breakfast, just living life together.

Just then, McKenna turned around, and her eyes widened as she jumped back.

“Oh my god!” McKenna gasped, her hand flying to her chest as she bent over, trying to catch her breath.

Mazey grinned, leaning against the doorframe. “Did I scare you?” McKenna let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, just a little bit! Say something next time when you enter a room. Please.” Mazey walked over and stood beside her, peeking at the pan. “What are you making? It smells amazing.”

“Just eggs and bacon. Figured I’d keep it simple.” McKenna smiled as she turned the heat down. “You looked like you needed some fuel after last night.”

Mazey raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, so it’s like that, huh?”

McKenna shot her a playful look. “What? I’m just being practical.”

Mazey leaned in, wrapping her arms around McKenna’s waist from behind, resting her chin on McKenna’s shoulder. “Well, I could definitely get used to this, waking up to you, breakfast, the whole thing.”

McKenna turned her head slightly, looking at Mazey out of the corner of her eye. “You could, huh?”

“Yeah,” Mazey whispered. “I think I could.”

McKenna watched as Mazey's expression shifted, her carefree smile fading the moment she picked up her phone. The air of ease between them suddenly felt fragile, as though something invisible had wedged itself into the space between their shared laughter and this new, heavy silence.

"Do you have a charger I can borrow? It looks like my phone’s dead," Mazey asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Yeah sure. You can plug it in next to the table."

Mazey stood up and walked over to plug her phone in, taking a seat at the table as it powered on. She glanced at McKenna, trying to steady her nerves. "No work today?" she asked, hoping to steer the conversation back to the comfort of their morning.

McKenna shook her head with a small smile. "Nope. It’s another day off for me."

Mazey hesitated for a moment, she had the day off too, then asked, "Would you like to spend the day together?" Her heart raced as the words left her lips. She didn’t want to seem too eager, but after the connection they'd shared, the idea of leaving felt unbearable.

Before McKenna could respond, Mazey's phone buzzed to life. The name on the screen made her stomach drop. It was her manager. She answered, trying to keep her tone light. “Hello?”

“Mazey. Oh my god, I’ve been trying to reach you all morning. Where have you been?” her manager’s voice was frantic on the other end.

Mazey furrowed her brow. “Out. Why? We don’t have any filming today.”

“Yes, I know that, but have you been online? Turned on a TV?” her manager pressed, the urgency in her voice deepening.

“No, I haven’t,” Mazey replied, a knot forming in her stomach.

“Well, word is that you’ve been cozying up with alesbianfirefighter,” her manager said, the words sharp and cutting.

Mazey’s heart dropped into her stomach. She could feel panic rising in her chest as the reality of the situation settled in. One of her worst fears had come to life. The paparazzi, the media, and all the things she had tried so hard to keep at bay had managed to worm their way into her life again. And just as everything was starting to feel so right with McKenna.

Her hand shook slightly as she lowered the phone and covered the mic. “This is kind of urgent,” she said, her voice strained as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

Mazey paced as she held the phone to her ear, trying to control the panic that was clawing its way to the surface. “What do you mean it’s out there? Who leaked it?” Mazey demanded, her voice trembling.

“I don’t know yet, but it’s spreading fast. The media’s all over it. Photos, speculation, the whole nine yards. It’s not looking good,” her manager said. “You need to get ahead of the narrative, Mazey. This could hurt your career.”

Mazey’s breath caught in her throat. Hurt her career? Was it really that serious? She glanced back toward the kitchen where McKenna was, oblivious to the storm brewing outside their little bubble. Mazey felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She wasn’t just thinking about herself anymore. This could affect McKenna too. How was she going to explain this to her?

“I need to figure this out,” Mazey whispered into the phone. “I’ll call you back.”

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