Page 71 of Rescued Heart

Eddie’s hands went through the right motions and took the firefighter outfit. The jacket resembled his turnout gear; however, the pants were too thin, and the helmet was lighter than standard issue. “The mayor?”

“What’s wrong?” Bianca whispered. “Can he not do that?”

Eddie began to wonder what Gregory couldn’t do. Besides approve the youth center for the grant on the first round.

He held out the uniform. “I suppose he can, though I hope my chief was warned. I still haven’t called him.”

He’d gotten sidetracked by a certain actress.

Eddie grimaced down at the pretend fire suit. “How about I wear my actual turnout gear? That way, if anything weird happens…”

Grace blew out another exhale and put her hands on top of her head, taking in another deep breath. “Can’t. You have to match Carter.” Her phone beeped from her pocket, and she dropped her arms. “Plus, there’s not supposed to be fire. Only smoke. Hopefully, it fits.” She inspected her phone. “Bianca, they need you in that limo, pronto.”

Bianca eyed the fire suit in Eddie’s hands. “I’ll ride with Eddie so I can talk him through the scene.”

Grace’s phone beeped again. “I’ll let them know.” She reached toward the travel mug in Bianca’s hand. “I can take that, if you’re finished with it?”

Bianca tucked the mug against her side. “Thanks, but it’s Eddie’s.”

Grace raised a brow. Her gaze pinballed between them. “O-kay. I’ll see everyone at the fire station then.”

After Grace left with a wide grin, Bianca bit the bottom of her lip. “Thanks again for the milkshake. Morning or night, I’ll always take one.”

Eddie smirked. “I understand now. You’re keeping me around for my rescue abilities and milkshake deliveries.”

Except she didn’t match his smile.

She shifted the travel mug to her other hand. “I’m pretty sure I never told you thanks for rescuing me for the millionth time last night. Thank you, Eddie. Grace said that you dove off that high…” She swallowed. “And I should have asked first if I could ride with you. If you don’t want me?—”

“There’s no point in driving separately.” Other than needing to keep his feelings securely off a future that wouldn’t end well. Not when the life of the woman before him wasn’t centered in Last Chance County.

He tucked the helmet and fire suit under his arm and walked beside Bianca. “Why isn’t Carter doing this scene? Especially if it’s only smoke.”

Bianca shrugged. “I don’t know what his contract says. All I know is that I do most of my stunts, but Carter rarely does any in this film.”

She rubbed her hands against her arms as if she was cold. “The location’s changed, but the scene setup should be the same. After you find me inside the house, I’ll say my lines. I don’t have very many. Then you carry me out. Once Leo says cut, you and Carter will switch places. Then the extras swarm around us.”

Eddie brushed off a fly that landed on the helmet. Bianca actually did want to ride with him to explain the scene. That really shouldn’t bother him.

She placed the travel mug and her hands back behind her, but not before he noticed that they were shaking.

He paused on the sidewalk, shifting the fire gear, and reached behind her and held one in his palm. “If you’re this nervous, you can tell them no.”

“Don’t you ever get nervous before you go out on a call? Hard things sometimes bring nerves. Doesn’t mean they’re always wrong.” She squeezed her fingers around his and then stepped into the parking lot. “This stunt is only going to be some smoke and nothing else, and it’s atyoursmoke house. Super safe, right?”

Eddie locked his jaw to keep from flinching. There had been the one time when the doors had locked and Macon and the woman who was now his wife had been locked inside. But it’d ended up being an accident. “Even if things do go wrong, I promise I’ll get you out.”

She gave him a soft smile and opened the passenger-side door. “I know. I trust you.”

Then why did she seem disappointed by that fact?

He also climbed into the truck, and once he was buckled, he started his vehicle.

She turned up the radio to an oldies song. “I was thinking…remember when I came to practice and first asked you for a favor, and Scarlette mentioned something about getting to be an extra? I would only need to text Grace, and we could probably make that happen.”

Eddie pulled out onto the road and turned in the opposite direction from the picketers, who were back again today. “She’d love it, but she’s in school.”

Bianca leaned her head back. “That’s right. Bummer. Okay, I’ll see if there’s another time she could come. And could you check with Jade before I bring it up with Scarlette?” She closed her eyes and massaged the space between her brows.

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