Page 21 of Hearts & Embers

Eventually I accepted that continuing to debate the issue accomplished nothing useful and simply sent the message. Once it was done, I immediately wondered whether I should have phrased it differently, which only proved that overthinking remained a remarkably inefficient hobby.

Me: Are you free Saturday night?

Several minutes passed before her response arrived.

Aurora: That depends.

Me: On what?

Aurora: Whether this is a trick question.

I laughed before typing my reply.

Me: It's definitely not a trick question.

Aurora: Good. In that case, yes. Why?

The answer seemed considerably more straightforward now that I had already committed myself.

Me: Would you like to have dinner with me?

The delay before her response felt noticeably longer this time. Rationally, I knew only a few minutes had passed. Unfortunately, rational thinking rarely influences situations involving anticipation. When the phone finally vibrated, I picked it up immediately.

Aurora: I'd like that.

Relief settled through me despite the fact I’d been reasonably confident about the outcome. The discussion that followed focused on practical details. We settled on a restaurant neither of us had visited recently, agreed on a time, and exchanged several additional messages before eventually ending the conversation for the evening. By the time I went to bed, Saturday had become something I was genuinely looking forward to.

Friday morning arrived with the beginning of another shift at Firehouse 99. The station was already active when I arrived because several firefighters had reached the building ahead of schedule and breakfast preparations were underway.

Coffee brewed in industrial quantities while conversations drifted between sports, weather forecasts, and plans for upcoming days off. The familiar atmosphere settled around me almost immediately. No matter what happened outside the station, the beginning of a shift always carried a certain sense of consistency.

I plated food, poured coffee, and had barely finished eating when Cody dropped into the chair opposite and immediately narrowed his eyes.

"What's with you?"

I paused with the coffee mug raised halfway to my lips.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been smiling at your phone for the past five minutes."

"I have not."

"You absolutely have."

Several people nearby immediately agreed.

I looked around the table.

"Traitors," I grumbled.

Cody pointed his fork at me.

"Who is she?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

Cody raised his eyebrows at me again.