Page 95 of Rescued Heart

He grabbed his cup of coffee and downed the bottom of his fourth cup. He had three minutes to get back to the webinar and only two more training hours. Then he could go pick up Bianca—for a real date.

Eddie covered a yawn and grabbed a stack of plates. Unless he’d dreamed up his and Bianca’s conversation last night.

Eddie had stared out the back window of Officer Ramble’s squad car.“I’m not sure it’s wise for you to get involved any more with Nathan.”

For her own safety, not because he was jealous.

Bianca had spun to face him as they waited for the set’s all-clear. “I’d only be seeing if he’d let something slip on the phone about the Duke or his involvement with Carter’s attack. Or even my missing money. If this is my chance to clear my name, prove that I didn’t lie, shouldn’t I take it? Plus, the police need my help.”

Eddie fisted his hand. “What if he figures out what you’re doing? If Nathan is behind what happened to Carter, you could be the one…”

The one hurt.

Bianca’s fingers rested on top of his. “What if you were beside me when I called him?”

She licked her lips, and Eddie’s eyes traced the movement.

He scooted away from her. “I’ll be there if you want me to be. You were there for me with Mary, and it’s only fair?—”

“Eddie.” Her soft tone made him lock his attention on her eyes.

Hope and fear swam together. “What if you…were beside me not because of a deal but because you…What if we had a real date? No more deals.”

“What do you mean, no more deals?”

“Your youth center donation is still safe, but you know in the movies, when the star and the hometown hero fake a relationship but then it becomes real…”

Had it become real? For her too?

Eddie swallowed. “I’m not sure the Bia Pearl would want to date small-town Eddie Rice.”

Bianca shook her head. “I want to date the compassionate man who makes me laugh, worries about my safety, and points me to the truth. That’s the man I’m falling for.”

Eddie’s heart boomed almost as loud as his mind. She was falling for him?

Wasn’t he also falling for her? “What would a date like that look like?”

Bianca leaned forward. “Milkshakes, flip-flops, and…”

Eddie leaned closer. “A movie?”

Bianca stopped a breath from his lips. “I’m starting to think I like real life better than a pretend happily ever after.”

He knew he did.Eddie had closed the gap between them at the exact moment Officer Ramble had opened the door.

But now, instead of Officer’s Ramble’s voice giving them the all-clear, it was Zack’s.

“What’s taking so long?” Zack marched straight into the kitchen and pulled out a spoon.

Izan jogged in next. “Don’t let Zack take all the middle. Chief gave us a four-minute-longer break to help you with the brownies. I think the chief’s craving chocolate.”

Eddie shielded the top of the pan with his oven mitts. Maybe real life wasn’t always better than the movies. “Chill. You gotta wait until I cut them so each slice has the highest ratio of crust to chewy center.” Just how his grand-ma’am had taught him.

Izan shared a look with Zack. Then Izan said, “We can’t let the brownies get cold. Stephens, hold Rice down while I grab the pan and run. We’ll split the best part fifty-fifty. The chief can have the rest.”

“Tempting.” Zack pointed the end of his spoon at Eddie. “Our friendship could handle at least one rumble. Especially because we all know how delicious your brownies are.”

Eddie pulled the brownies closer to him. “Can’t hardly mess them up. They’re from a box.” Except his grand-ma’am had shared how to make them special—peanut butter chips.

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