Page 75 of Rescued Heart

However, that didn’t exactly make the knot in Eddie’s chest disappear.

“Hush, Carter.” Bianca repositioned one of her curls. “Other people can hear you.”

Carter’s face erupted into a grin, and he gave her a wink. “Good. Maybe the timetable can get back to what it was supposed to be from the beginning, according to the movie promotion clauses in our contracts.” Carter pointed the paper at Bianca. “Sweetheart, he may be helpingyoursocial standings, but…” He flapped the script at Eddie. “He’s not doing a thing for my career.”

Eddie locked his jaw. Perhaps the director would need him to do a stunt where he could tackle Carter and wipe the smugness off his face.

Bianca grabbed the script from Carter, unrolled the paper, and flipped to the third page. “Thanks so much for filling in, Eddie.”

Eddie took off his helmet. Obviously, it was time for her to pretend with someone else. At least they were at the station. He had actual work that could be done, and he didn’t need to watch Bianca kiss anyone. Real or not. “No problem. I’ll see you around.”

Or he’d finally run that found key to the police station.

Bianca looked up from the script and scowled. “Eddie, wait. What about the tour?—”

“Clear the set,” one of the assistants called.

Eddie obeyed the instruction and headed toward the firehouse.

Leo yelled behind him. “Extras, on my mark, run toward the happy couple.”

Eddie’s boots thumped against the sidewalk to the bays. All of that over Eddie’s shoulder wasn’t his world. It was all pretend, and he needed to remember that.

Before he made it to the truck bay, Grace jogged up to him. “Thanks for helping us out, Eddie.”

“No problem,” he grumbled.

“Umm…if you don’t want to make the trip, I can take the fire suit back to the set for you. I know Bianca’s done for a few hours after this, and it would be great to get a few shots of you guys together.”

Eddie stopped, and a sigh escaped his mouth. He pulled off the uniform. “I think she’s about done with my help.”

Grace glanced over her shoulder. “For what it’s worth, Carter’s focused on his career, not Bianca.”

He placed his helmet on top of the folded jacket and fire pants and handed them over. “It doesn’t matter if Carter does have his eye on Bianca.”

Grace tapped her finger on top of the helmet. For one, two of his heartbeats.

“Eddie!”

He turned toward Bianca’s voice.

She raised her hand over the crowd. “Wait. We need you.”

His heart beat oddly in his chest until Bianca pointed at a woman beside her. Apparently, his real career would have to wait again. The other woman wore a bright pink shirt and had slick straight hair that reflected the sunlight as she marched faster than Bianca toward him.

How many assistants did one movie need? He didn’t recognize her. “Do I need to redo the fire scene?”

The woman lifted her chin, and her brown eyes locked onto Eddie’s.

No. It couldn’t be.

The woman waved, and her mouth popped open into a grin that he’d never seen on her before. “Eddington!”

Eddie stiffened. How he wished this were a movie scene instead of real life. Wished his legs would turn him around and sprint for the fire station.

Her black pearl necklace swayed across her chest as she snaked forward in heels he’d never once known her to have owned. The closer she got, the clearer the wrinkle lines around her eyes and mouth showed, despite her thick pink eyeshadow.

She stretched her arms out wide, and Eddie took a step back.

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