𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The last call of my shift had been a straightforward one—nothing too wild, just enough to wrap things up on a productive note. As we pulled back into the station, I let out a deep breath, already thinking about heading home, showering, and collapsing onto my bed for a few solid hours.

That plan lasted all of about five seconds.

Because the second I stepped out of the truck, I spotted someone leaning against my car near the entrance of the station, arms crossed, looking way too relaxed to belong here. It took me a second to process who it was, because it made zero sense.

Madelyn Cline.

I blinked. Hard. She looked completely unbothered, like she casually hung around fire stations in Charleston every day.

My team unloaded and started to disperse, taking off their turnouts. I watched as Caleb was joking around with Travis as they walked upstairs towards the kitchen before turning my attention back to Madelyn.

"Busy shift?" she asked, her voice smooth, like this was the most normal thing in the world. I pulled off my helmet, still sweaty and running on end-of-shift autopilot. "Uh... what?"

Madelyn grinned and lifted something in the air—my wallet. "Oh my gosh, thank you! I've been looking everywhere for that."

Madelyn pushed off the car, stepping toward me. "Figured I'd return it in person. You know, to make sure it actually gets back to you and doesn't end up lost again."

I exhaled a short laugh, taking it from her hands. "Yeah, that would've sucked. How did you—"

"Charleston Fire Department ID," she answered before I could even finish. "Didn't take a detective to figure it out."

"Right," I said, shaking my head with a smirk. "Well, thanks for making the trip. You really didn't have to." She shrugged. "I could've just left it with someone at the station, but then I thought, why not see if I can bribe you into grabbing coffee with me instead?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Bribe me?"

Madelyn smirked. "I did go through all this trouble tracking you down. Feels like I deserve a thank-you drink at the very least."

I looked at her for a second, trying to decide if she was messing with me or if this was just her personality. Something about her expression—the mix of amusement and something else I couldn't quite place—made me feel like she was being serious.

"...You're bribing me into coffee," I repeated.

She tilted her head slightly, looking completely at ease. "It's a pretty fair trade, don't you think?" I exhaled, shaking my head with an amused smirk. "Alright, alright. You win. One coffee. Tomorrow."

Madelyn's smile didn't waver. "Mmm no, I'll just wait."

I blinked. "...Wait, you meant today?" Her lips curled into an even more satisfied smile. "Is that a problem?"

I hesitated, but honestly... why not?

"Alright," I said, tucking my wallet into my pocket. "Let me shower real quick, and we can head out."

"Take your time," Madelyn said, leaning back against the car. "I'm not going anywhere."

Still half in disbelief, I turned and headed inside, knowing that Caleb was definitely going to have something to say about this.

After about twenty minutes, I was freshly showered and still towel-drying my hair, I grabbed my keys and headed out. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Madelyn Cline was casually waiting outside the station for me.

Just as I reached the hallway, Caleb's voice called out behind me.

"Yo, Calloway."

I turned, already knowing the exact look he was about to give me. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me like I was about to walk into a trap. "Where you heading?" he asked, tone casual but very much not casual.

"Just grabbing a coffee," I answered. Caleb narrowed his eyes slightly. "Coffee? After a twelve-hour shift?"

I smirked. "It happens." He tilted his head. "I was gonna grab a bite. You wanna come?"

"Next time," I said, already stepping past him toward the exit. Caleb didn't say anything at first, but I felt him watching me.

And I knew the second he noticed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him lean forward slightly, his head tilting just enough to catch a glimpse of the blonde waiting by my car.

Madelyn was now leaning against the passenger side, scrolling through her phone, looking like she had all the time in the world.

I didn't turn around to see his reaction. I just shook my head and kept walking.

I was never going to hear the end of this.

.  .  .

The coffee shop Madelyn picked was tucked into a quiet corner of Charleston—not too crowded, not too flashy, just the kind of place where people minded their business.

She clearly knew how to avoid the oh my God, it's Madelyn Cline levels of chaos, which I had to respect.

I still wasn't entirely sure how I ended up here, but I had already ordered, so there was no backing out now. Madelyn took a sip of her drink and grinned at me over the rim of her cup. "So, do you always say yes this easily?"

I frowned slightly. "To what?"

"Getting coffee with random actresses who track you down at your job," she teased.

I huffed a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "I'm not sure this is normal enough to have a pattern."

"Well, lucky me, then," she said, eyes glinting with amusement. I lifted my coffee, taking a slow sip. "You're really enjoying this, huh?"

"Immensely," she said without hesitation. I shook my head, leaning back slightly. "This whole thing feels like an elaborate con just to get free coffee."

Madelyn gasped dramatically. "Excuse me, I bought my own coffee, thank you very much."

"That's what makes it worse, you wouldn't let me pay," I quipped. "You went through all the effort of tracking me down, not to let me to pay, but just to... what, see if I'd say yes?"

Madelyn tapped her fingers against her cup thoughtfully. "Something like that."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smirk tugging at my lips. "So, what's the real reason you went through all the trouble?"

She tilted her head, considering. "Would you believe me if I said I was just being nice?"

I arched a brow. "Would you believe me if I said I don't buy that for a second?"

Madelyn laughed, shaking her head. "Alright, fair. Maybe I was curious."

"Curious about what?"

"You," she said simply, stirring her drink with her straw.

I blinked. "Me?"

She smirked. "Yeah. You seemed... different."

I scoffed, taking another sip of coffee. "That's one way to put it."

Madelyn grinned. "I mean it. I meet a lot of people, and most of them either treat me like I'm Sarah Cameron or just want something from me."

I raised an eyebrow. "And I didn't?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p.' "You barely even cared." I chuckled. "Storm cared enough for both of us."

"Oh, she absolutely did," Madelyn said, laughing. "She's adorable, by the way."

"She'd die hearing that from you," I said, shaking my head. "Pretty sure she considers you her ultimate favorite person now."

"Even over you?" I sighed dramatically. "I lost that title the second I got her those Poguelandia tickets. She lost her shit when I pulled out the VIP passes."

Madelyn laughed again, resting her chin in her hand as she watched me. "Okay, since I clearly did all the work tracking you down, let's even the playing field. Ask me something."

I hesitated for a moment. "Anything?"

"Anything," she said, challenging me. I leaned back in my chair, tapping my fingers against my cup. "Alright... what's the weirdest job you ever had before acting?"

Madelyn's face lit up. "Oh, that's easy. I was a banana once."

I blinked. "Come again?"

She laughed. "I worked at a smoothie shop. One day, they made me dress in a giant banana costume and stand outside waving a sign. It was humiliating."

I tried so hard to hold back my laughter, but the mental image was too much. "You?" she asked, taking another sip of her drink.

I smirked. "I worked at a car wash in high school. Had to dress up as a giant sponge once for a promotional event."

Madelyn nearly choked on her coffee. "Shut up."

I grinned. "Full-on foam costume. Arms barely moved. It was awful."

She was full-on laughing now, eyes crinkling as she shook her head. "Oh, I would pay to see that."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not a chance."

We fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, sipping our drinks. The ease of the conversation surprised me. I wasn't one to open up quickly, but something about Madelyn made it easy to just... talk.

"You're hard to get to know," she said suddenly. I raised an eyebrow. "Not really."

Madelyn hummed, tilting her head slightly. "I think you just have really high walls."

I exhaled through my nose, glancing at her over my cup. "Or maybe you're just asking the wrong questions." Her lips curled slightly, and for a second, she just watched me.

I shifted in my seat. "What?"

Madelyn smirked. "Nothing."

I huffed, shaking my head. "You're weird."

"You're just now figuring that out?"

I rolled my eyes but found myself grinning despite myself. After a beat, she set her cup down and leaned forward slightly. "So, you used to play basketball?"

I blinked, surprised she remembered. "Yeah—"

"JD was raving about it after the meet-and-greet," she said with a grin. "Said you might actually be able to take him one-on-one."

I chuckled. "That's because I could."

"Oh, now I need to see that, he's highly competitive, it's always tense after he and Mariah play," Madelyn said, eyes lighting up.

I smirked. "You don't hoop?"

"God, no," she admitted, laughing. "But I do enjoy watching a good game."

"Well, if you ever need a real introduction to the sport," I said, smirking, "I could be persuaded to teach you."

Madelyn's brows lifted. "Is that an offer?" I shrugged. "Just a fact."

Her grin widened. "I'll keep that in mind."

We sat there a little longer, finishing our drinks and letting the conversation drift from basketball to random topics—bad first dates, favorite road trip snacks, the worst movies we'd ever seen.

It was easy. Effortless, even. And I knew this was probably just a one-time thing, but as I dropped her off, I caught the way she lingered for a second before getting out.

"Thanks for coffee," she said, shooting me a smile. "Thanks for bribing me," I quipped.

She laughed, shaking her head as she got out of the car. "See you around."

I watched as she walked inside, not really sure what had just happened. But something told me I was going to hear about it real soon.

.  .  .

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I wasn't smiling.

At least, I was trying not to.

But as I walked into my apartment, tossing my keys onto the counter and what was left of my coffee, I realized my lips were still curved into a slight grin.

It wasn't intentional. It wasn't something I was even thinking about. But Jonathan, Carlacia, and Madison absolutely noticed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," JD said immediately, sitting up from his spot on the couch. "Is that a smile? On Madelyn Cline's face?"

"Shut up," I muttered, heading straight for the fridge to grab a water bottle.

Carlacia glanced up from where she was sprawled on the other end of the couch, raising an eyebrow. "No, no, no—go back. Walk in again, and let's pretend we didn't just see that."

Madison, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor flipping through a magazine, smirked without even looking up. "I think I know why she's smiling."

JD's eyes lit up, and he turned fully toward me. "Oh, do tell."

Madison finally glanced up, her smirk widening. "She was returning something today. And now you come home smiling? Something's fishy."

I groaned, unscrewing the cap of my water bottle. "You guys are so dramatic."

JD gasped, clutching his chest. "Dramatic? Us? No, what's dramatic is our dear Mads returning home all giggly after meeting up with a certain firefighter."

Carlacia sat up instantly. "Wait—you met up with the girl from the festival?"

Madison's eyes widened in exaggerated shock. "Oh my God, you did!"

JD pointed at me. "You never follow up with fans. Like, ever."

I rolled my eyes, taking a long sip of water. "She's not really a fan. She was just there for her little sister."

Carlacia narrowed her eyes, clearly amused. "Uh-huh. And that required a whole coffee date?"

I let out a breath, leaning against the counter. "It wasn't a date. She left her wallet behind at the meet-and-greet. I just returned it."

JD crossed his arms. "Okay. Fair. But tell me why that required getting coffee afterward?"

I opened my mouth to respond but hesitated, realizing I didn't actually have a good answer.

Madison leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. "Interesting." Carlacia smirked. "Very interesting." JD suddenly gasped dramatically again. "Wait, wait, wait—did you at least get her number?"

I froze for half a second, then groaned, rubbing my face. Jonathan's jaw dropped. "Oh my God, you forgot? "

Carlacia flung a throw pillow at me, hitting me square in the arm. "That's like, step two, Madelyn! Step one: you track her down. Step two: you get the number!"

Madison just shook her head in disappointment. "Now you have to make up some stupid excuse to see her again."

JD nodded, crossing his arms like he was personally offended. "Rookie mistake, Cline."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the small laugh that slipped out. "You guys are impossible."

Carlacia smirked. "No, you're just whipped already."

"Oh my God," I groaned, turning toward my room. "I literally just met her."

"Yeah, and now you gotta figure out how to see her again," Madison said, her voice laced with amusement.

JD grinned. "Don't lie. You already want to."

I didn't respond as I went in my room, grabbed some clothes and headed toward the bathroom, but before I could close the door, Madison called after me.

"Oh whatever shall I do? The building's on fire!" she said, dramatically placing a hand on her forehead. "Y/n, come save me!"

Carlacia burst out laughing, and JD immediately joined in, adding, "Oh no, I think I'm fainting! Someone call 911! Wait, no—just call Y/n."

I turned, narrowing my eyes at them. "You both need serious help." Madison smirked. "You're thinking about her right now, aren't you?"

I didn't dignify that with an answer. I shut the door, but their laughter carried through anyway. And maybe I was thinking about her. Just a little.

.  .  .

𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The next morning, I was back in full routine mode. Get up, make sure Storm was ready, drop her off at school, head straight to the station. I wasn't even thinking about the coffee outing anymore. It was just one of those weird things that happen—cool story, but nothing to overanalyze.

At least, that's what I thought until I stepped into the station and immediately spotted Lili standing next to Caleb, a very pointed expression on her face.

I barely had time to process before she swatted my arm. "When were you going to tell me you were dating again?!" she demanded.

I blinked. "Wait—what?"

Caleb smirked, arms crossed. "Yeah, come on, man. Who was the blonde you left with yesterday?"

I exhaled a laugh, shaking my head. "You guys are ridiculous." Lili swatted me again.

"Ow—what the hell?" I said, stepping back.

"Why'd I have to hear it from him?!" she exclaimed, pointing at Caleb.

I rubbed my arm, still trying to catch up. "What are you even talking about?"

Caleb gave me a knowing look. "The blonde, bro. You know who I'm talking about. Who was she?" I let out a slow breath, shaking my head. "It wasn't a date. Madelyn was just returning my wallet."

Caleb squinted. "Who the hell is Madelyn?"

Lili's eyes went wide. Her mouth opened slightly. Then she grabbed Caleb's arm, gripping it like she'd just put two and two together.

"Wait—Madelyn Cline? " I sighed. "Here we go."

Lili gasped, shoving Caleb before swatting me again.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Why do you keep hitting me?!" I exclaimed, taking another step back.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU BAGGED MADELYN CLINE?" Lili practically screeched.

I groaned, shaking my head. "It wasn't a date."

Lili ignored me, turning to Caleb. "Do you hear this? Do you hear her?!"

Caleb, still looking slightly stunned, just nodded. "I hear her. I don't believe her."

Lili turned back to me, narrowing her eyes. "No girl just goes out of her way to return a wallet when she could've dropped it at the station or mailed it. She came looking for you."

"She was just being nice," I said, shrugging.

Lili groaned, exasperated. "Y/n, she's an actress. A famous actress. You think she has time to track down random people to return lost wallets?"

I shook my head. "You're reading too much into it."

Lili stared at me for a long moment, then let out a heavy sigh. "You're annoying."

I smirked. "I prefer 'realistic.'"

Lili rolled her eyes, kissed Caleb's cheek, and turned to leave. "You're no fun."

Caleb watched her go, then turned back to me, raising an eyebrow. "You sure it wasn't a date?"

I exhaled, rubbing my face. "Oh my God, drop it." Caleb smirked but didn't say anything else.

I shook my head, heading toward my locker. Storm was definitely going to kick my ass when she found out.