Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
B ianca yanked on her seat belt, but it only tightened against her chest. “Help!”
She kicked her feet through the river water pouring in the opened windows and swelling around her legs. Another shiver jetted through her body as darkness invaded the first seat of the car.
“Eddie!”
This was so not the scene plan. The scariest thing was supposed to have been the heights, not drowning.
She arched her back against the car seat and tilted her head toward the ceiling. The water rose to her shoulders. Fast. She never should have done the scene. She should have listened to Eddie.
The car was supposed to level out. Float, not sink. Why wasn’t her safety harness releasing her?
God, I want to see You, but not today. Not like this.
She pulled her numbing legs up through the water and pushed her feet against the dash. Nothing loosened. Still stuck.
God, please help!
She gathered one last gulp of air and then open her eyes under the water. She could barely see the steering wheel in the murky water.
Her ears popped, whether from the pressure of sinking deeper into the river or from not being able to get more air.
She wasn’t going to be able to prove to her parents that she’d changed. Save their house before the foreclosure was finalized. No youth center either. Wouldn’t see her sister get married. And she’d never see Eddie again.
Her fingers tugged on the left-hand side of the seat belt and shoved it back in, hoping it would give her enough slack to slip out. Her pinkie hit something—the seat recliner.
Her chest burned. She tugged on the lever and rammed her back against the seat. She only needed a little more room. Except the chair didn’t move.
Stars filled her vision.
She swallowed and cleared her ears, but she needed air. Now.
God, I’m sorry for everything. I should have worked harder. Been better.
She willed her lungs to loosen, but her heart thumped oddly in her chest. Pain threaded into her sides.
This was it.
Eddie’s face burst into her mind. She would never get to help him. Never get to tell him that she wished things could be different between them. He was the best man she’d known. She blinked slowly at the memory of Eddie coming toward her and all the times he’d rescued her.
Something touched her shoulder.
She jerked. This wasn’t a memory. Eddie was there to save her?
Even in the shadowed water, panic showed on his face. He wrapped his arms around her sides and pulled, but her body remained rooted.
She took his hand and ran it along the seat belt.
His fingers left hers. Darkness filled her vision.
Hurry. Bubbles escaped her lips.
He pulled something out of his pocket. A knife.
Her lungs screamed. She released more air bubbles, and water slipped into her mouth. It tasted like dirt and death. She couldn’t let Eddie die trying to save her.
She pushed at his chest, but he batted her away and reached farther down beside her seat. One heartbeat. Two. And then suddenly the seat belt and safety cords floated in front of her.
Eddie yanked her out of the window and thrust her up, toward the light.
She kicked, freedom in sight. Her lungs were on fire. Burning. Finally, light filled her vision. She crested the water and gulped for the glorious, chilled air.
She kicked, but her legs felt like they were tied down. Water filled around her face again.
Arms circled around her—strong yet gentle. Eddie.
She wrapped her sluggish arms around his neck, breathing hard. His chest vibrated. He said something. Her ears rang. She shook her head.
People swam toward them. Their mouths moved, but all she could do was cling to Eddie.
He spun to his back in the water and pulled her on top of his chest.
She willed her legs to kick but wasn’t sure her body listened. The thump of Eddie’s heartbeat echoed not only in her ear but under her fingertips. He’d jumped in after her. He’d saved her.
Thank You, Lord. Thank You for this man in my life.
She closed her eyes. She had more time.
The water disappeared around her shoulders, and she opened her eyes.
The river rippled around Eddie’s knees.
Voices shouted from the shore. The river’s current lapped against the bank. But all she could see was her hero.
He stared down at her, and his chest heaved. “Thought I lost you.”
She heard his words above any of the other muffled shouts. His mouth remained right by hers. She cupped his chin. Her fingers danced along his five-o’clock shadow. In his arms, she was more than simply safe. It was like coming home.
She lifted her lips toward her hero. Eddie’s eyes remained locked on hers. His heartbeat jumped under her palm. She closed her eyes, and hands pulled at her sides.
Her eyes flew open. No longer as close to him as she wanted to be.
Eddie shifted her tighter against him. “I’ve got her.” His voice sounded like gravel.
Chip held out his palms, soaked up to his chest, and pointed behind Eddie. “The ambulance has arrived. I just wanted to help get you both to the shore.”
Eddie glanced down at Bianca as if to ask if she wanted Chip to hold her. Bianca simply answered by lacing her fingers back around Eddie’s neck.
A collection of safety and special-effects crew members circled around them with shock and fear in their expressions.
As Eddie reached the shore, his foot stumbled onto the bank.
“I can walk.” Her throat, though raspy, finally released words.
Eddie’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “If I let you do that, you might beat me to the ambulance.”
Two paramedics raced toward them from the ambulance on the hilltop.
Eddie set her feet on the ground, and Bianca lowered to sit on the grass, but he didn’t let go of her hand.
She squeezed her fingers around his.
The first medic flashed a light in Bianca’s eyes. “How long was she underwater?”
“Thankfully not any longer.” Bianca coughed. “Thanks to Eddie.”
Eddie tightened his hold on her fingers. “She never lost consciousness.”
A brief nod from one of the paramedics and then, “Any pain? Symptoms? Head injuries?”
She shook her head, and then Eddie leaned closer to the medics. “Can we get her into the ambulance so she doesn’t have an audience?”
Bianca squeezed his hand again.
His gaze lifted off her and moved to the fence on the other side of the river.
Oh.
Not only did it seem the entire film set had encircled them—watching, waiting, and who knew what kind of unauthorized pictures being taken—but there was also a line of heads peeking over the far wooden fence row. It could be fans, or more than likely protestors today. Either way, people ready to sell a story about her to the press. And those stories were never good.
But did it really matter what the world thought of her? Frances kept promising her it didn’t.
Inside the ambulance, an EMT listened to her heart while the other spoke to Eddie.
Bianca’s head throbbed, and she rubbed her thumb over Eddie’s hand. What would she have done without him?
Eddie stopped talking and glanced at her.
She blinked away tears. “I think I like having you around.”
A half smile showed a small dimple on the left side of his cheek. “If you want to keep me around, there are other ways besides getting into danger.”
Bianca tightened her hold on his fingers. “Good to know. I think I want to totally be done with danger.”
The ambulance doors burst open. Carter’s eyes flashed with panic. “Bia!”
“Sir.” The EMT at Bianca’s side held out her gloved palm. “I need you to wait outside.” Then to Bianca she said, “Does anything hurt?”
“Just my chest a little.”
Carter squeezed inside and yanked on Bianca’s arm that Eddie had been holding and pulled her to a sitting position. “They’re talking about shutting us down.”
Eddie grabbed Carter by the wrist. “Get out before I throw you out.”
Carter blinked but didn’t move. Eddie latched his grip on Carter’s other arm, and they both exited.
A shiver ran through Bianca, and she tightened her hold on the blanket.
The EMT set down the blood pressure cuff. “I recommend you head to the hospital for a more thorough checkup for your lungs.”
She took a deep breath. “My lungs feel sore, like I’ve been swimming all day, but I think I’m okay.”
A knock sounded on the ambulance door. “Bianca?” Grace poked her head inside. Her gaze searched Bianca from her drenched jeans to the water dripping from her hair. “Hey, girl. So glad you’re safe. Want me to ride with you to the hospital?”
Bianca shook her head. “I don’t think I need to go.” She balled a corner of the blanket into her fist. If she was going to the hospital, she’d rather it be Eddie with her.
Grace narrowed her eyes. “You sure you shouldn’t go in?”
The EMT raised her brows. “My recommendation stands.”
Grace tilted her head. “Bianca?”
Bianca pushed up to sit on the gurney. “I should give my statement before anything’s decided. Carter said something about production being stopped.”
Grace stared at her nails.
“Grace? Did they officially stop because of me?” Would it be safe if they did continue?
Grace sighed. “Nothing’s official yet. If they did, it wouldn’t be because of you. First the building. Now this, and the death. It’s been madness from day one.”
Bianca swung her legs over the side of the gurney. She had gotten far too caught up in herself. “Has the family been notified? Was it foul play?”
Grace’s phone vibrated, and she swiped on the screen. “One of the construction workers appears to have had a heart attack. So horrible, but no foul play. But with everything, the police could delay the movie.”
It also delayed Bianca fixing all the things. She scooted to the end of the gurney. “Let’s go see if I need to make a statement.” Bianca turned to the EMT. “Thank you for your help.”
Had she actually thanked Eddie yet?
The EMT pulled out a clipboard. “Can you sign this release? It states you’re aware of the recommendation and you refuse transportation. If you feel anything out of the ordinary…”
Bianca signed her given name, Bianca P. Lady. “I promise to get checked out.”
Grace hopped out of the ambulance first. Bianca used the rear bumper step to get down.
She turned in a circle. Leo stood by the river with Carter, whose arms flailed as he spoke. Chip was packing up his gear.
Grace touched Bianca’s elbow. “Do you need something? Water? Another blanket?”
Bianca peeked around the side of the ambulance. “Do you see Eddie?”
Grace frowned. “I heard his radio call him out on a fire run.”
He left.
Bianca twisted her hair to one side and wrung it out. He’d left to do his actual job. Which wasn’t to babysit her.
Water dripped down onto her soaked shoe. And that’s when she realized she was missing her left tennis shoe.
Grace gasped. “You’re missing a shoe. Let’s get you back to your trailer. A good hot shower will get you feeling like normal again.”
Bianca wiggled her shoeless toes in her sock. Without Eddie there beside her, it suddenly felt like she was missing more than a shoe.