The assistant typed away on his phone. “I’m trying to find another option. Can the scene be rewritten with a different kind of structure?”
Leo shook his head. “Got to be a house.”
“Our smoke house might work.” The words flew out of Eddie’s mouth without any thought. “I mean, we’d need to get permission from my chief first.”
Everyone turned to him, and Leo stretched out his palm toward Eddie. “Explain this smoke house.”
“It’s where our crews train in different smoke and fire simulations.”
“With actual smoke?” This from Aiden. “How long does setup take?”
“If we get approval, not long.”
Leo pulled out his phone and pointed it at Eddie. “You talk to your chief.” Then at the assistant. “You figure out how we’re going to get all the needed extras to the new location. And Carter, go make sure Bia is well enough to film this morning.”
Eddie took a step backward and shifted the travel mug to his other hand. “I’ll check on Bianca while I’m calling my chief.” His fire callout yesterday had lasted until almost midnight, and he wanted to see how she was actually doing. Not hear an explanation about how Carter pretended she was.
Plus, Eddie had something she might want.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel walkway behind him. Eddie turned to find Bianca.
Her eyes landed on Eddie, but it was Carter who spoke next. “Look at her. Styled to perfection. She knows the show must go on.”
Bianca produced a closed-mouth smile. “We don’t get this far in our careers by giving up, do we?” Her lips may have been coated with picture-perfect lipstick, but she was hiding.
She adjusted the collar on her striped shirt, tucked into a pair of shorts that made her legs go on forever until they reached her boots. “I know we can’t afford to lose anymore daylight.”
Leo turned to his assistant beside him. “Make sure the wardrobe is ready to be mobile. Eddie will have to have a fire suit.”
Aiden took off at a jog.
Carter raised his finger to the man’s back. “Have them bring mine over too, and check on whoever was supposed to bring me my coffee.”
The man could use a firefighter’s training course. Then he might be a little less self-focused.
Bianca tilted her head, and her dangling earrings rested against her cheek. “Was your fire run okay last night?”
A fire was never okay. “Only a building lost. We got out all the family.”
Leo covered the speaker on the phone call he was on. “You saved someone else from a fire?”
Carter grabbed an apple off a table and took a bite. “Did anyone capture the moment on film?”
Eddie clenched his jaw together. “Real life isn’t like the movies.”
“Right. Right. Of course…” Carter took another chunk out of the apple.
Leo moved his hand off the speaker. “Yes, Aiden’s right. Eddie needs a fire suit. It should fit, right?”
Carter tossed his half-eaten apple toward the trash and missed. He elbowed Leo. “Have them bring me a mocha caramel latte, no foam, extra whip when they bring the fire suits.”
Bianca leaned closer to Eddie. “Why are they bringing you a fire suit?”
Leo hung up his call and glanced between Eddie and Bianca. “Your boyfriend’s volunteered to be your stunt double and possibly saved us time and money trying to find a replacement.”
Apparently, selective hearing wasn’t only a kid’s ability. “I need to get permission?—”
“Technically, he’s my stunt double.” Carter puffed out his chest. “But you get the idea.” Carter gave a salute and headed toward a woman who’d just walked by carrying a drink tray.