Page 10 of Blazing Hearts

Dr. Josephine Mars, her new mentor and Head of the Hospital, spent her hours keeping Phoenix Ridge Hospital running, but she had welcomed Mallory with a warm handshake and an even warmer smile. The older woman was confident, knowledgeable, and sharp, yet there was a kind, almost maternal energy about her that put Mallory at ease. She had guided Mallory through the hospital’s layout, pointing out the departments she’d be working with, the high-tech labs, the team of specialists who’d help her adjust to the fast pace of the hospital.

Mallory listened intently, her eyes scanning the sleek, modern equipment in each department they passed. The hospital felt cutting-edge, efficient, and alive with the kind of energy she hadn’t felt in years. There was a sense of purpose here, a shared drive to provide the best care possible.

Still, it was a lot to take in. Her mind buzzed with the challenge of it all—the procedures to memorize, the faces to remember, the expectations of her as the new addition to the team. But beneath that initial overwhelm, she felt a flicker of excitement, too. She could already tell that this place would challenge her in ways she hadn’t anticipated, but it would push her to grow. And that was something she needed after everything she’d left behind.

What she really loved about both Phoenix Ridge hospital and Phoenix Ridge the city was that it was all women in power. An all woman staff at the hospital and Mallory loved that. No more misogyny for her.

She had barely finished digesting the layout of the hospital when Dr. Mars took her into the staff lounge for a brief coffee break. It was a small but cozy space, with windows that looked out over the city, offering a view of the mountain range that surrounded Phoenix Ridge. It was a peaceful moment; one Mallory could appreciate in the midst of everything else that was happening.

As they sat, sipping their coffee and chatting about the day ahead, Mallory noticed movement from the corner of her eye. A commotion near the nurses’ station, a few voices rising over the usual background noise. She barely registered it at first, until she heard a familiar laugh. It was low and throaty, the kind of laugh that carried without effort, a sound that Mallory recognized all too well. A blast from the past, that was for sure.

Her heart skipped a beat. She felt like she was being plunged back many years. She turned her head, her eyes locking onto the tall, confident figure making its way down the hallway.

Ember Thompson.

Mallory froze. Her breath caught in her throat as her gaze followed Ember’s every movement. The woman was just as striking as Mallory remembered—tall, with an easy confidence that seemed to draw the attention of everyone around her. Her red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore the same relaxed, almost defiant masculine aura that had always made her stand out in a crowd.

Mallory felt a rush of emotions flood her—surprise, disbelief, and a deep, unmistakable ache in her chest. She hadn’t expected to run into her ex girlfriend here, even though, when she thought back, she knew Ember was from Phoenix Ridge. She’d left behind everything about her past—everything about the tumultuous, passionate short lived relationship they’d had many years ago—and moved here to start over. To put distance between herself and the things that had hurt her.

But here was Ember, striding into the hospital like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Ember’s sharp eyes scanned the room, her gaze landing on Mallory with surprising clarity. For a moment, it felt like the whole world fell away. The bustling hospital, the friendly chatter from nearby doctors, even the comforting buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead—all of it seemed to fade into the background.

Ember didn’t smile. She didn’t even raise an eyebrow. She just looked at Mallory as though she had known, deep down, that they would cross paths again eventually. The air between them was thick, charged with something unspoken. Recognition. Curiosity. Perhaps even a flicker of regret or bitterness from Ember’s side, though Mallory couldn’t be sure.

Mallory’s mind raced. She wasn’t ready for this. Not now, not here. The last time she’d seen Ember, things had ended in a flurry of words—angry, hurt words—that had made her vow never to go back to someone like Ember again. Reckless, impulsive, always putting herself in danger. Mallory couldn’t handle it. She couldn’t handle Ember’s behavior. It was too much.

Ember hadn’t been the one to let go. Mallory had walked away, brokenhearted but resolute. And now, seeing her standing there, so familiar and so foreign all at once, Mallory wasn’t sure how to feel. Their relationship was a million years ago, when they were both so young, but Mallory felt shaken like it was yesterday.

Ember’s lips twitched into something resembling a smirk as she slowly walked toward Mallory and Dr. Mars, the soft click of her boots on the polished tile echoing in the quiet hallway. Mallory stood frozen for a beat too long, her mind unable to catch up with her racing heart.

“Morning, Love,” Ember said, as she drew close to the pair.

“Wh—”

“Morning, Ember. I’m nearly done, don’t worry; I’ll be finished soon,” Dr. Mars replied, sending Mallory’s head into a spin. What was going on?

“Oh, Mallory, of course, you haven’t met. This is my wife, Ember. Ember, meet Doctor Mallory Storm. She’s transferred recently so I’m showing her around. Mallory, sorry, there’s something that needs my attention, I’ll be back in a second,” Josephine rattled a rapid pace before striding off to whatever new issue needed her.

Ember’s eyes never left Mallory, her gaze intense, appraising. For a brief, sharp moment, Mallory wondered if Ember could see right through her—the walls she’d built, the distance she’d placed between herself and her past. If she could sense the way Mallory’s pulse quickened in her chest, how her breath faltered the second their eyes met again.

“Mallory,” Ember said, her voice low and cool, carrying a familiarity that both comforted and unsettled Mallory all at once. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” She tilted her head slightly, studying Mallory with an almost clinical detachment. “It has been a long time. How are you finding working here?”

Mallory forced herself to stand a little taller, pushing back the rush of emotion that threatened to rise up. She hadn’t prepared for this moment, hadn’t expected to face one of the ghosts of her past ever again. But here they were, and Mallory couldn’t afford to let her discomfort show. Not here, not now.

“It’s fine. Busy.” Mallory’s voice remained steady, though there was a slight edge to her words. She leaned into her professional demeanor, determined not to let Ember see how much her presence was unsettling her. “But then, I imagine you’re used to that, given the kind of work you do.”

Ember was a firefighter. An impulsive, thrill seeking, risk taking Firefighter. She had been doing her training in the same city that Mallory was living in. Everything about Ember had been seductive, and yet dangerous.

Ember didn’t flinch at the jab. Instead, she leaned casually against the counter, her eyes locking onto Mallory with that familiar, steady gaze. It was the kind of look that made Mallory’s heart beat a little faster, the kind of look that had always made her feel like Ember could see straight through her, could read her thoughts before they ever left her mouth. The woman never had to try. She just knew.

Mallory hated it.

“Usedto do. I haven’t worked as a firefighter in over six years now. I help out on occasion, but nothing regular. Stopped once we had Natalie, our little girl. I spend most of my time fixing up old cars now when I’m not chasing after our little rascal.”

“Six years huh. I had no idea you were married. And to Dr. Mars, too.”

“Yep, got lucky there, though I wish the hours she had to work were shorter.”

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