Page 56 of Rescued Heart

“Ah, you’re the pizza lady. You can call me Naomi or Grandma. Or both.” Naomi opened the door wider as she shot Scarlette a glare. “Well, young lady, you shouldn’t assume the cookies were for you. If they’re not, you’re going to find yourself embarrassed.”

A shudder ran down Bianca’s back, and she squeezed her fingers together. The last thing she’d meant was for the cookies to bring embarrassment. “They’re for both Scarlette and Scout. I only wanted to come by and check on him to see how he was doing.”

“Momma!” another woman’s voice called out from somewhere inside. “Where’s my black pants with the double buttons? I’m going to be late for work.”

“Hanging by the washer on the blue hanger,” Naomi hollered over her shoulder and stepped aside. Then to Bianca she said, “Come on back and see Scout for yourself.”

A slender woman wearing a robe dashed down the hall, carrying a pair of black pants. “Found ’em. Thanks, Momma.”

“I don’t want to intrude.” Bianca lifted her gaze off Scarlette, who had her bottom lip pushed out. “Looks like a bad time. If you will, please let Scout know that I stopped by and…”

Naomi opened the door wider. “Nonsense. It’s never a bad time for company. Plus, Scout needs rests from his screen. Between you and me, he’s milking this broken bone thing for all it’s worth.”

Bianca put her hand to her stomach. He’d for sure broken his pinkie. She’d prayed it was only a sprain.

Scarlette pulled out two cookies without even taking the bow off and stuffed one completely in her mouth. She mumbled something that sounded like, “Yeah, if I could play games all day, I might wish my pinkie was?—”

Naomi dropped her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Don’t think we best wish for painful things. They come in life as it is.”

The entry wall opened into a quaint yet clean living room. A loveseat hugged the focal wall with framed family pictures. Two rocking chairs beside the window faced the television.

The rocker on the left tilted forward, and the top of Scout’s head moved into view. “Why is this level so hard?”

Naomi motioned for Bianca to go to Scout. “Perfect time to rest from the screen.”

“But Grandma, my pinkie…” Scout turned around. When his gaze landed on Bianca, his scowl vanished. “Hey, Coach B.”

Scarlette plodded around Bianca and shoved another cookie in her mouth. “She brought cookies.”

Scout hopped up and snagged the package. The bandage made his pinkie about three times its normal size. “These are the best.”

Bianca nodded at his hand. “How’s your finger?”

He scooped out two more cookies. “The doctor said I don’t need surgery, and I can go back to baseball in ’bout four weeks.”

Naomi tsked. “We’ll see about those four weeks. Don’t forget that littleaboutword.”

Scout stopped the next cookie from entering his mouth. “But the tourney is in four weeks and three days.”

“A tourney isn’t more important than you being healthy.” This came from the younger woman, now dressed in black pants and a white-collared, button-down shirt. She had the same big brown eyes as both Scout and Scarlette. The woman was probably around Bianca’s age, but she only came up to Bianca’s chin.

The woman cocked her head to the side. “And you are?”

“Coach B, Momma,” Scarlette said at the same time the woman mumbled, “Bia Pearl.”

Naomi hummed. “Thought you looked familiar.”

Scout clutched another four cookies out of the package. “Mom, Coach B bought us pizza and the blow-up slide last night.”

An awkward laugh bubbled out of Bianca. She swallowed down what felt like dry, crumbled cookie pieces. “I’m so sorry about the slide and Scout’s pinkie.”

Scarlette sent Bianca a smirk. “Coach B is with Coach E.”

Their mom put both her fists on her hips. “She’swithEddie?”

How was Bianca supposed to answer that without lying? “I mean, he’s not with me right now in your house…”

Scarlette rolled her eyes.

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