Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
B ianca went to move her hand to shield from the flashlight, except something held her hand down. “Eddie!”
She had to get to him before Riley hurt him. But something was on top of her legs too. “Ah!” Pain flamed from her shoulder. She shifted her arm, but her left hand was pinned down by…wires? Wait. Why were her eyes closed?
She blinked them open. Only to squint at a ceiling light above her. Beeping monitors to her right gave the first clue to her new location. Not in the woods anymore. That’s right. A nurse had wheeled her upstairs after surgery.
A hospital, which meant the hand holding hers had to be Eddie’s.
She squeezed his fingers and slowly moved her head. Harder to do without shifting her shoulder too.
But it wasn’t the smile she sought.
It was Carter, not Eddie, who looked down at her. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
She curled her fingers away from him. “Carter.”
Her throat burned. But that was probably normal after recovery. Hadn’t the nurse mentioned a drink was on her table? But where was the table? Things blurred out of focus. She closed her eyes again. “Carter, could you hand me my drink? My mouth feels like I’ve eaten chalk.”
What she could really go for was a marshmallow milkshake and Eddie, here with her, holding her hand. Her eyes sprang open. “Eddie. Forget the water. Where is he? Did Riley hurt Eddie? Please take me to him.”
Carter’s expression shifted into what she knew as his fake grin. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She leaned to see over the side of the bed, but pain shot along her head and shoulder. “This thing has wheels, right? I need to know he’s okay. If a nurse stops us, we’ll just offer an autograph.”
Desperate times required her to pull out all the stops.
Instead of helping, Carter ran his tongue over his teeth. “I heard something interesting when Leo and I were waiting for you and Nathan to show. Leo mentioned that you didn’t want to finish the movie at all.”
Bianca pushed her good elbow against the bed and eased forward. “The movie is the least of my concerns right now.” She grabbed on to Carter’s shirt. Another flash of pain zipped through her bandaged shoulder. She clenched her teeth. “Is Eddie alive?”
Please, Lord.
Carter squeezed his fingers around her wrist and pulled her hand away. “You never should’ve made that deal with that firefighter. You said we don’t give up.”
She yanked back her arm. “Ow, Carter, you’re scaring me. Why aren’t you telling me if he’s okay?”
No, he had to be alive. She remembered him telling her to stay with him.
Always.
She’d stay always if she had her way.
Carter sat on the bed and bumped into her hip, jarring her shoulder.
Bianca hissed.
Carter crossed his arms. “Is he going to be a problem while we’re supposed to be dating?”
Bianca brought her good hand up to her forehead. Her skin was lined with sweat. “Carter, I’m not going to do it.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Do what?”
“I don’t want to fulfill all of the contract. I don’t want to play this game anymore. I can’t. No more faking relationships. I don’t want to hurt the man I love. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want to actually be Bianca when I’m not Bia in front of the cameras. No matter what the world thinks of me.”
Carter’s Adam’s apple bobbed slowly. “A deal is a deal, Bia. You have to finish to get paid. I have to get paid. You have to be seen with me. You can’t ruin my online presence any more than you already have. My fans are expecting you and me. Together.”
She shook her head. “You can’t please everyone. I’ve been chasing after fame, then money, and still people pleasing. All of that isn’t the most important thing.”
She needed to remember it was less about getting money to fix all her problems and making people around her happy, and more about following Jesus.
Carter’s hands shook as he moved them through his hair. “If you don’t finish the contract, I can’t finish mine. You know I have debts to pay.”
Bianca arched her back, but it didn’t help the pounding rolling down her arm. “That’s just it. I’m not sure that you do. I think the Duke is…”
Before she could say dead, Carter ripped the pillow out from under her head.
Agony shot through her bandaged shoulder. “Ow! What are you doing? This isn’t a pretend hospital. Not a scene. I really got shot.”
He clenched the pillow in both of his hands. “If you’re going back on your word, you’re at least going to help me with my media. The hits I got off the ring post alone is a start. But I’ve figured out how you’ll get me some of the money you owe me.”
Bianca pushed to sit up. Her right hand reached for the call button. It had to be there somewhere. “Carter, I don’t owe you money, and I’m really tired of telling people that.”
Carter stepped closer. “Your contract says otherwise, and I’m not going to let you ruin all I’ve worked for. You know what will be trending soon? My sorrowful face. When the world learns of your passing and how we had been secretly engaged. And how we used the firefighter as a decoy for our eternal love. I’ll play the part of a grieving near-widower perfectly.”
Something hard brushed against Bianca’s fingers. She grabbed the remote and hit the nurse’s call button. Then used it to block Carter.
Carter lowered the pillow. Right for her face.
Bianca shoved with her moveable arm. “No, Carter. Stop!”
He pressed the pillow over her mouth and nose.
Why had she survived Riley trying to kill her only for Carter to succeed?
She raked her fingernails down Carter’s arm. He only secured the pillow more fully. Her nose smashed against the rough fabric. She gasped but couldn’t draw in any air.
She pulled up her legs inside the tight blankets and kicked, but the lack of air made her lungs squeeze.
It was like being trapped in the car all over again. Except this time, Eddie wasn’t coming to save her. She should have fought harder for the one person who challenged her to be the real Bianca.
A muffled shout rang in the distance. Her lungs burned. She was back under the water. Her nails loosened their hold on Carter. She wanted to move her hands, but she no longer had control.
The pillow vanished, and Bianca panted. Her vision blurred. Her lungs gulped in air as an oxygen mask slipped over her face.
“It’s okay. You’re okay.” Fingers once again held hers. Calloused ones. Warm ones. Ones she never wanted to let go of again.
“Eddie.” Her throat stung, and she winced.
He kissed the back of her hand. “I’m right here. I?—”
“I’m sorry.” Tears pricked her eyes.
Eddie frowned. “Tonight wasn’t your fault.”
“Carter? He…” Her hand flew to her neck.
Eddie helped her lie back against the pillow. “He’s on his way to jail. He spilled the entire story about what he owed the Duke, but it turns out Roger was the Duke. He wanted to be mayor to protect his growing criminal activities and to make sure his business, the resort, got approved.”
Bianca sank back into the pillow. “So the resort isn’t coming to Last Chance County either?”
“That’s the hope. And Riley, Kelson, and Janice were all arrested too.”
She licked her dry lips. “I should be sorry for dragging you into my life. But, Eddie, I’m not. I’m sorry I ever agreed that there couldn’t be a future with you. Could we try it again? This time for real?”
Eddie cradled her palm in both of his hands. She only vaguely registered the beeping of her monitors in the silence. “Some things have changed.”
Bianca closed her eyes. She was too late.
He squeezed her fingers. “As much as I love hearing your offer, you need to know the truth.” His eyes found hers. “I-I want to become Will’s temporary guardian. I don’t know if I can make a difference in the boy’s life, but I don’t want to give up.”
She blinked. Was that it? “I wouldn’t ask you to give up. That’s one of the many things I admire about you. Your compassion for those kids.”
He wiped his thumb along her cheek. “And your desire to see relationships heal.”
She shook her head. “I’ve tried so hard to gain the world’s approval. But I’ve been doing it wrong. No more trying to control the situation. Only God can restore relationships.”
Eddie traced her thumb. “Mary was the one who helped me find you in the hospital.”
Bianca placed her hand on his arms. “Do you want her in your life?”
Eddie shrugged. “Maybe. If it’ll help point her to the Lord.”
Bianca cupped Eddie’s cheek. “You’re a brave man, Eddie Rice.”
“It’s Eddington Darrall Rice. Darrall’s after my father. The man I never want to be like.”
Bianca rested her forehead against his. “I don’t think I want to ever finish that movie, even if it is possible. But if I don’t, there’s no money.”
She pushed herself to sit.
“Easy. I thought you might be worried about that.” He lowered his face until his mouth whispered near her ear. “Instead of a youth center, my team’s only going to need a full-time assistant coach.”
Bianca raised her brows. “Are you offering me another deal?”
Eddie sent her a flirty smirk she rather enjoyed. “The last one turned out pretty well, didn’t it? Minus the fire, death threats, and hospital visits.”
She removed her oxygen mask. “Don’t forget about crazy fans and family drama.”
While he leaned closer, his face sobered. “You’d be worth going through it all again.”
Her breathing hitched. Yes, her true worth rested in the Lord, but it didn’t exactly hurt that the man she’d faced a gun for cared about her too.
He reached to pull her oxygen mask back on. “We’ll talk later. You need rest.”
She stopped his hand and tucked her fingers inside of his. “Wait, our new deal should be sealed with a kiss.”
He brought the back of her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her skin.
She tried to cross her arms, but the tightening in her shoulder around her bandage made her settle for wrinkling her nose. “You didn’t want a real kiss?”
He closed the space between them. “With you…” His smile revealed the two dimples she’d noticed on that first night they’d met by accident. “Always.”
His lips met hers—sweetly—with a promise of a tomorrow. One that held no more pretending. Or at least when it came to their future. The no-faking, happily-ever-after, real-life kind of forever.