Ashley glanced down as Mia's dog, Ginger, suddenly wagged his tail, his excitement unmistakable. She blinked, glancing at Mia, who shifted her gaze between Ashley and the dog. Crouching, Ashley gently patted Ginger's head, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"Right," Ashley said, straightening up and meeting Mia's eyes. "Have you heard anything new about the guy who attacked you?"

Mia shrugged, her shoulders rising and falling with a sigh. "Maya's already taken care of it," she said. "Last I heard, the guy's in prison. He couldn't make bail."

Ashley tilted her head. "That's good. At least you can breathe a little easier now."

As Mia turned and walked toward the kitchen, she chuckled. "You can sit on the couch while I set this up," she said, though her eyes caught Ashley following her instead.

"Mia," Ashley called as Mia placed the paper bag on the dining table. Her voice softened, almost hesitant. "Have you ever been confessed to?"

Mia paused, furrowing her brows as she looked at Ashley, puzzled. "You mean, like a romantic confession?"

Ashley nodded, her finger brushing her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, by a friend."

Mia resumed unpacking the bag, her tone casual. "I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Ashley began, hesitating slightly. "There's this friend of mine. She told me about her friend confessing to her—though she's always treated that friend like a sister. Family, you know? But that friend told her she loved her and wasn't expecting anything in return."

Mia stilled, turning her full attention to Ashley, her expression more curious now. "And? What did your friend say?"

Ashley sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She told her friend how she felt—apologized, mostly. She didn't want to hurt her but couldn't feel the same way romantically. And, well... she's into someone else. Someone younger, actually."

Mia sighed, laughing softly as she walked closer. Her eyes squinted slightly as she studied Ashley. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Ashley asked, swallowing nervously.

"You sure you're not talking about yourself right now?" Mia asked, raising a brow.

Ashley blinked, her composure slipping. "What?" She let out a nervous laugh. "What are you even saying?"

Mia shrugged, her gaze steady. "I don't know. Just a hunch. Do you like someone right now?"

Ashley instinctively took a step back as Mia moved closer. "I... I told you, it's about my friend," she stammered, her voice cracking.

Mia chuckled, shaking her head. "What do you take me for, Ash? I wasn't born yesterday."

"What?"

Mia sighed, clicking her tongue in irritation. "You keep treating me like a kid," she said, her tone softening yet firm. "And honestly, I'm starting to hate it."

Ashley bit her lower lip, her fists clenching as if bracing herself. "I—"

Mia raised a hand, silencing her. "If you like someone, what's stopping you from telling them? You've already turned down your friend, so what's the harm in confessing to the person you actually like?" She stepped away, pulling plates out of a cabinet.

"I told you it's not me—"

"I'm not buying that, Ash," Mia said, turning to face her with a faint, knowing smile. "I've seen this play out before—Riley and Sienna, Harriet and Zoey. I know the signs. Your excuses won't work on me."

Ashley scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, really? Then why don't you take a guess who I like?"

Mia froze, her throat tightening as their eyes locked. Clearing her throat, she quickly looked away, her hands fumbling with the utensils. Why would I even assume it's me? she thought, biting her lip. I'm not even sure how she feels, and I don't need to confuse myself further.

"What's wrong? Have you lost your tongue, sugarplum?" Ashley teased, her laughter light but laced with nervous energy.



Both Mia and Ashley locked eyes, the silence stretching between them like a taut string threatening to snap. Mia gulped, her mind racing to piece together the meaning behind Ashley's words. She didn't want to assume, but the signs were hard to ignore. Letting out a soft, nervous chuckle, she hitched her breath.

Ashley's teasing tone carried an undercurrent of unease, masked by the confident smirk she wore. Mia's hands faltered as she arranged the utensils, the clink of metal against wood breaking the silence. She quickly recovered, her composure slipping only for a moment.

"I don't have time for games, Ash," Mia muttered, attempting a cool indifference. She turned her back to Ashley, busying herself with the table. But the faint flush creeping up her neck betrayed her calm facade.

Leaning casually against the counter, Ashley crossed her arms, a spark of amusement in her eyes. "Sugarplum," she repeated, letting the word roll off her tongue. "Didn't think it'd get you all flustered."

Mia spun around, glaring in mock annoyance. "I am not flustered," she retorted, her tone sharper than intended. She took a steadying breath, trying to rein in her spiraling emotions. "Why are you here, Ashley? If you're just here to mess with me—"

"I'm not," Ashley cut in softly, her teasing demeanor giving way to something gentler. Uncrossing her arms, she stepped forward hesitantly. "I told you I needed someone to talk to, and I simply... needed to see you."

Mia raised a skeptical brow. "Needed to see me? For what?"

Ashley hesitated, the words tangled in her throat. Her usual confidence wavered as she searched for the courage to speak. "Because you've been on my mind," she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "And it's driving me insane."

Mia blinked, her lips parting in surprise. "Detective..."

"I know it's crazy, right?" Ashley continued, the words spilling out in a rush. "You're ten years younger than me, and I know you've made it clear where you stand, but I can't help it. Every time I try to push these feelings away, they just come back stronger. So yeah, maybe I am out of my mind, showing up here like this. But I couldn't keep pretending I don't care."

The room fell into a heavy silence. Mia stared at Ashley, her expression unreadable, while Ashley shifted on her feet, palms damp with nerves. "Say something," Ashley murmured, her voice cracking under the weight of the moment.

Mia let out a shaky breath, her gaze softening. "You're really something, Ash," she said, her tone a mix of exasperation and something more; something Ashley couldn't quite name. "I don't know whether to laugh or yell at you."

Ashley's heart sank. "Right. I understand. I'll just—"

"Wait," Mia said quickly, closing the space between them. She looked into Ashley's eyes, her own filled with uncertainty and curiosity. "You caught me off guard, okay? I... I wasn't expecting this, any of this."

"Well, neither was I," Ashley replied with a nervous chuckle. "But here I am, here we are."

Mia's lips twitched into a faint smile, and she shook her head in disbelief. "You're impossible. You know that?"

Ashley grinned despite her nerves. "Yeah, I guess it's part of my charm."

Mia rolled her eyes, but the smile lingered on her face. "Let's eat first," she said, turning back to the table. "I don't think I can figure out... whatever this is on an empty stomach."

Ashley nodded, her heart pounding but a little lighter now. "Fair enough," she said, taking a seat. "But for the record, I don't regret telling you. Not even a little."

Mia paused, glancing at Ashley over her shoulder. For a moment, Ashley thought she saw something—a flicker of emotion she couldn't quite name. Before she could dwell on it, Mia turned back to the table, her voice steady as she said, "You really are a weird detective, Ash."