Page 53 of Rescued Heart

She held up the phone. “Say ‘baseball’…”

A bee buzzed by and hovered by her face for a minute.

“Eddie. Let’s get one where you’re looking too.”

He took his eye off the bee and smiled. After she’d taken the pictures, she swiped through them. She paused on the one when the bee must have flown close. In the photo, Eddie didn’t appear to be watching a bee but rather Bianca.

He looked like a man who wasn’t faking anything.

A call popped up on her phone with an unknown number.

Bianca hit ignore.

“Spam callers even have famous actresses’ numbers too?”

She dropped her phone into her lap. “I’m notthatfamous. And they do when they’re my ex who can’t take a hint.”

Foot, meet mouth. Eddie wiped a napkin over his lips. Her ex had been tried in a big jury case, but Eddie hadn’t followed it. Something possibly about fraud?

She stood and pocketed her phone. “One of the things I hate about acting is how my life is picked apart. From my past relationships to how I supposedly lied on the stand. But trust me, you can’t believe everything you read on the internet.”

He rose to his feet. “It’s none of my business, but he shouldn’t be bothering you…Hold on, is he angry with you? Could he be behind the car accident yesterday? Even the building? Or he saw you and me and assumed…got jealous?”

Bianca stared at her phone. “There’s no way he’d jeopardize…” She shook her head. “No. He’s already moved on to another woman. Some heiress to her father’s company. I should have known he’d only been after my money, but I haven’t always made wise decisions when it comes to men.”

Eddie fisted the napkin in his palm. “You’re definitely more than money.”

She gave him a closed-mouth smile. “Says the man who made a deal with me.”

It was more with the mayor than her, but she wasn’t exactly wrong. Her donations and help fundraising remained a huge bonus in his decision. “That’s not fa?—”

“Fair?” She raised her brow. “What’s not fair is that my accounts were frozen along with Nathan’s when he was indicted. I spoke the truth under oath and was labeled a liar. When I told everyone in an interview that I’d decided to follow Jesus, they said I was only doing it to clear my name and conscience for lying. When Nathan was found not guilty, all his accounts were released. Yet mine are strangely almost empty. And no one seems to believe me. So I’m stuck trying to regain my finances through a horrible movie contract.”

Eddie blinked. People had called her a liar just because she’d said she followed the Lord? He needed to say something. Encourage her. “Then you probably shouldn’t be wasting money on overpriced pizza.”

Based on her scowl, that wasn’t the best thing to have said.

“Coach B, come and time us,” Scarlette called from the bottom of the blow-up slide.

Bianca walked around him.

Eddie grabbed her hand, and she stilled.

He released his touch. “That didn’t come out right.” He met her gaze. “I’m sorry your interview didn’t go well, but I’m impressed by your boldness for the truth, and if Nathan ever comes around, call the police. Or me.”

She simply nodded.

What would it be like if those he rescued called him a liar for following Christ?

He fell in step behind her, and when they neared the team, Bianca held out her phone. “Who am I timing first?”

Scarlette grabbed her phone. “It’s the coaches’ turn to race.”

Bianca waved her hand in front of her. “No, I don’t think we should…”

Eddie lifted the bill of his baseball cap. “She’s right. I’d probably win anyway.”

Both Bianca’s and Lincoln’s mouths popped open.

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