Chapter 8
EIGHT
S ometimes life required no thinking.
Eddie took two running strides and dove toward Bianca. He never should have left her. It shouldn’t have mattered what gossip those girls gathered. He should have been there to protect her. That was his job.
His arms hooked around her waist and pulled her to his chest. He twisted his body. His back thumped against the road. Hard. But he was alive.
What about Bianca?
The car never pumped its brakes.
Please, Lord. Let her be okay.
She grunted in his arms.
His lungs squeezed tight as he held her.
Bianca was alive.
The spot below his shoulder blades throbbed. He more than likely had road rash, but had he turned his body enough to save Bianca from any pain?
Or had the edge of the car clipped her?
But no words escaped his mouth to ask. All he could do was suck in another breath and hold her.
Bianca pushed against his chest, and he released her.
Her eyes flashed wide as she rested on her knees. Frozen—all besides her shaking hands. But nothing looked broken. “You…it…”
At least, not on the outside.
Footsteps thundered toward them.
“Her firefighter!” one of the girls that stood on the sidewalk yelled. “He saved her again.”
The girls remained on the corner of the sidewalk, gawking down at the girl’s phone. “Please tell me you got it on camera.”
Bianca’s head dropped into her palms, and Eddie wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Where was his jacket when they needed it?
Her body trembled beneath his arm. Shock. Must have been the reason she hadn’t moved out of the way of the car.
The truck driver who had slammed on his brakes and honked at the car that had actually run the red light jogged over to them. “Do I need to call the police? Ambulance?”
Bianca placed her hand on Eddie’s arm. “You saved me. Again.”
Eddie held out his other hand. “Can you stand?”
He’d had to ask her that question two too many times.
When she tightened her hold on him, he moved his hip, and he bit down on a gasp.
Bianca turned to the driver. “Please call 9-1-1. He’s hurt.”
Eddie’s back cramped, but he had to walk or his muscles would tighten up. “I’m not.” Not enough for an ambulance. “Though it would be wise to have Trace and Kianna check you out to make sure you’re good.”
Bianca shook her head. “I’ve had enough of ambulances for one week.”
“Bia Pearl, are you okay?” It wasn’t one of the three girls who held up their phones. At least fifteen people now gathered on the sidewalks, holding their phones. All pointed at Bianca.
Eddie stepped in front of Bianca. “This is not the time to record anything.”
Her trembling fingers landed on his chest.
He willed his heart to slow and placed his hand over hers. “Can you take a deep breath for me?”
He inhaled, puffing out his chest, and ignored the ache in his back on his loud exhale through his mouth.
She blinked up at him and drew a breath. “I…I…”
“That’s it.” He spoke so only she could hear. “One more?—”
“You guys won’t believe it.” The stroller lady’s voice drifted to them. “Bia Pearl has been in an accident.”
Bianca sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. After three short heartbeats, she opened her eyes and put on a smile. It was unsteady, but only he seemed to notice fakeness from his position.
She lifted her left hand at the crowded sidewalk. “We’re okay, everyone. Thanks for your sweet concern.”
We’re, not I’m.
“How long have you and the firefighter been dating?”
He didn’t know who’d asked the question, but he and Bianca needed to get out of there.
He tucked her against his side.
She leaned into him and held on to her smile. But to him she whispered, “Is there a way we could go back for my flip-flops?”
Flip-flops? Eddie frowned at the road and then at her feet. She still wore her heels. Had she hit her head?
Then he noticed the glassiness in her eyes was no longer from shock but a wall of restrained tears.
Oh. Flip-flops must be code for home .
He ran his thumb over her smooth skin. “Whatever you need. I’ve got you.”
They hobbled past the girls with their phones, recording every step to Eddie’s truck. A police car’s whirling lights and siren came down the road. Finally. Not just bystanders wanting a show.
But of course, the car stopped back at the intersection they had already walked past.
Eddie turned both of them around by their linked hands. “We’d better go give our statements.”
Bianca stopped walking. “I’m really starting to hate that word. I think”—she heaved a pant—“I’d better sit for a minute. Pretty sure my feet are numb. I could go for actual flip-flops right about now.”
Her watery eyes pierced him. Eddie clenched his teeth against his screaming, bruised body. He went straight to the passenger-side door of his truck and helped her in. “I’ll go talk to the officer.”
She scowled down at her lap. “Oh no.”
“What?” She could have internal bleeding. He should have thought to check. He was failing her as a trained emergency personnel.
“Bianca, tell me if you’re really hurt. I can even carry you to the officer’s car. He can get us to the hospital quicker than my truck?—”
Her fingers touched his lips, and he stilled.
She dropped her hand. “I lost my purse. I must have left it on the road.”
His lips tingled from her touch. “I’ll find it.”
As he jogged away, his shirt rubbed against his scrapes, but he kept his pace. Her purse wasn’t on the ground. Wasn’t pushed up against the curb. Or thrown somehow to the sidewalk.
He walked in a circle. She’d been in the middle of the road when the car had turned down the street. There’s no way it would be on the opposite side. Unless she’d thrown it.
He lifted his gaze and spotted something black. No wonder he hadn’t found the purse on the ground. The shortest teen hugged it while taking a selfie.
He stepped in her direction. “Her purse, please.”
She paled and extended it to Eddie. “Th-thanks for rescuing Bia Pearl. She’s like, one of my favorite celebrities. Aren’t you the luckiest guy that you get to date her? That ex of hers didn’t know how wonderful she is. None of them did. But you do, and it shows in how you hold her.”
Eddie clutched the purse. How had he held her? No wonder people said “no comment” so much to fans. Bianca’s exes were none of this girl’s business. Or his. “Her safety is very important.”
“Rice!”
Eddie spun to find Officer Ramble. The purse girl slinked away, and as Junior neared, Eddie lowered his voice. “Have you heard the story yet?”
Ramble’s gaze darted around the lingering crowd. “Bia Pearl would have gotten hit by a car if you hadn’t saved her. You’re her hero. Once again. I’ve received those exact words from multiple accounts so far.”
Eddie shrugged but stopped. His shoulder stung, but his road rash would get checked—eventually. “Something like that. Except leave out the hero part. She’s in my truck. A little shaken. I need to do a more thorough check, but with the crowd…”
Junior nodded. “The firehouse is closer than the precinct. It would be fine to go over anything there without listening ears.”
“That works.” Eddie stared back at the road he’d dove across to reach Bianca. The pavement didn’t have any brake marks. “Does anything about this incident seem suspicious?”
Junior tilted his chin and then inspected the ground. “Currently, it looks like a traffic disobedience and wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time thing.”
Eddie used the purse to shield his mouth from the crowd. “Even with yesterday’s building issue on set?”
Junior rested his palm on his gun belt. “We’ll comb through the traffic-cam footage. And any bystanders’ videos. We’ll know more later.”
That would have to be good enough. For now. The media didn’t need to catch wind of rumors.
As soon as Eddie eased into his truck, he extended the purse, and Bianca took it. Then he inched the seat belt across his body. He could have received an Oscar for not releasing a groan when his back brushed against the seat.
Bianca’s hands sagged into her lap. “You’re hurt.”
Apparently, he’d forgotten not to flinch. “Been through worse.”
She turned her big eyes at him. “I’m so sorry, Eddie. I never should have made you go with me tonight. Twice now I’ve caused people to get hurt.”
He reached for her but instead fisted his fingers. “You couldn’t make me do anything.” If he hadn’t gone with her tonight, would she have been targeted by that car?
He shook that image away. “This wasn’t your fault. Neither was yesterday’s event.”
She squeezed the purse to her chest. “I should have moved. But the last car scene I was in, that’s what I had to do. Stand there.” She extended her arms. “I had to stiffen and wait for the special effects people to lift my harness up. I went into acting mode.” She leaned her head back. “I should have been the one to hit the ground, and instead I landed on top. How did that even happen? For real. Are you hurt? Remember, you’re against lying.”
Eddie put his key into the ignition. He’d never thought sticking to the truth would come back to bite him. “I’m going to be sore, but I’ll be fine. Ice should probably be in both of our futures.”
She shrank closer to the passenger-side door. Something else was bothering her.
“Bianca?” He hadn’t meant to whisper her name.
Her gaze flashed back to him.
He pulled his eyes away and watched Junior speak to the three girls. “You can tell me if you’re hurt or whatever. I promise I’m not going to run to the press or whatever social media is all the hype…”
A half-laugh, half-hiccup cry blurted from her mouth. “All the hype? Sounds like you’re about to star in a seventies-themed movie.”
Eddie smirked. “Only if I get to drive a fast car.”
Probably not the wisest thing to say at the moment.
Her face sobered. “Do you think tonight is related to yesterday’s sabotage?”
There it was. Except he didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad that he could read this woman. She was smart. And possibly rightfully worried.
Eddie buckled his own seat belt. He shouldn’t lie. “Officer Ramble doesn’t seem to think so currently.”
Bianca paused. “You don’t agree?”
Eddie started the truck. “We don’t need to borrow any trouble. Officer Ramble suggested we meet him at the firehouse to go over things without the world watching.”
“Thanks, Eddie. I’m afraid I’ve been nothing but a giant burden to you.”
He slanted his head. “Not sure giant would be the word I’d use.”
Her face flushed to its original color. Exactly what he’d hoped for. Redirection tactic.
Eddie pulled away from the curb. “Maybe I’d use the word gigantic . Even massive . Or humongous .”
She shook her finger at him. “Edward…James Rice. That’s mean.”
He slowed at a red light. “Truth sometimes hurts.”
She huffed, and a curl danced in the air by her face. “Especially when it isn’t said in love.”
He sobered. She had a point. “You aren’t a burden, Bianca, big or little. A little more accident-prone than most.”
Her mouth popped open. “Says the rescue firefighter who has been through more situations than I have.”
Another point for her.
He stole a glace in her direction. “Did I really hurt your feelings?”
Her fingers traced along a section of her curls over her shoulder. “Did I really guess your middle name right?”
She could have misdirected his question because he really had hurt her.
The light turned green, but there was no one behind him. His foot hovered over the pedal. “Not even close.”
She lifted her chin. “Is it Kenneth?”
“No.”
“Michael?”
The light turned yellow, and he finally hit the gas. “Nope.”
“Edward…Alexander?”
He rolled his eyes. “How did we even get on my middle name?”
She sat up straight. “You asked to know if you hurt my feelings, and I want to know your middle name. Thought we were making another deal. Seems to be the way we spend our time together.”
Eddie still hadn’t decided if that was a good or a bad thing. “You haven’t guessed it. However, I won’t be telling you my middle name.”
A frown pulled her brows low. Somehow, she looked cuter irritated than with her perfected fake smile.
He refocused on the road where he was supposed to be looking.
She shifted closer to him. “You’re stuck with me for a while. We might as well get to know each other. I’ll even throw in my actual middle name.”
The next stop sign seemed to come out of nowhere, and he slammed on the brakes. “I don’t like my middle name.”
She threw up her hands. “Who really does? Here, I’ll go first. Mine’s Bianca P?—”
“Bianca, stop.” His fingers squeezed the steering wheel. “No one needs to know my middle name because I’m named after someone who doesn’t deserve to be talked about.”
She slid back toward the passenger-side door. “Sorry I asked, and no, you didn’t hurt my feelings earlier.” Bianca rushed out the words in one breath.
Earlier, perhaps not, but he sure had now.
He opened his mouth to apologize, but her growling stomach interrupted their silence.
She crossed her arms over her body. “Ignore that.”
He knew exactly what would fix his mistake. He made a U-turn. “That’s too bad. There’s a burger place on the way that may very well hold the world’s fastest drive-thru record.”
Bianca drummed her fingernails on the passenger-side door. “Do they have milkshakes?”
Eddie made a left at the junction that would take them by the mom-and-pop restaurant called Tator Lane. “Had a marshmallow one from there last week.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Marshmallow?”
Eddie turned up the radio. “Sometimes the least expected things make the best surprises.”
Only the music in the cab hummed above the engine. Eddie glanced over at her to see her blinking at him.
“You’re right.” Bianca held his gaze. “Not all unexpected things are bad.”
Kind of like the actress beside him.
She was strong. Filled with humor, and surprisingly good with kids.
But she couldn’t be the girl for him.
As if she knew, she cleared her throat. “My friend Frances, she makes the best apple-pie shakes. Though I’d never eat another one if I could have her with me in Last Chance County. But she loves her job as much as I loved mine.”
Eddie flipped down his visor. “Loved? As in you don’t anymore?”
She slipped her feet out of her shoes. “Is that what I said? I still love it. It’s just…sometimes it feels more like a job and less like a dream that I always wanted. Do you ever feel like that with being a firefighter?”
He placed his left hand up on top of the wheel. “My job allows me to help people. There’s a brotherhood among our squad. Plus, I wanted to follow in my mentor’s steps.” The neighbor his foster mom had connected Eddie with when he had gotten in trouble.
Bianca picked at a stain on the fabric that covered her thigh. “Hadn’t thought about firefighters being like brothers. Sometimes a movie cast gets close.”
Eddie heard what she hadn’t said. Sometimes they didn’t. Sounded like she could be a little lonely. Guess he’d never really thought about the logistics of acting. Being away from friends and family. Another plus for being a firefighter.
Officer Ramble was already at the firehouse when they arrived with three marshmallow shakes and two to-go orders of double cheeseburgers and tots. Junior took the offered milkshake and had finished their statements when a limo pulled into the parking lot.
Grace hopped out of the passenger side. She wrapped her arms around Bianca, who flinched. “You should have called me. Do we need to take you to the doctor? Hospital? Do you need more stitches?”
Bianca patted Grace’s back as if she’d been the one almost hit by a car. “How did you know where we…I was?”
Eddie narrowed his attention on Junior. “Did you?”
Junior matched Eddie’s expression. “Course not.”
Grace pulled out her phone. “That tracker app I mentioned. Your phone and mine are connected. Remember, I said it would make handling your social accounts easier.” She tapped on her phone screen and twirled it around. “Once I saw you’d started trending online, I had to make sure you?—”
Bianca grabbed Grace’s phone. “That app tracks me? Like my location? I didn’t know it did that.”
Grace’s shoulders sagged. “I…I, but you said…I thought it would be a good idea, especially with the building accident. I was worried and wanted to be able to help if anything else ever happened. Sorry. I was only trying to be the best assistant and friend.”
Bianca swiped a few things on Grace’s phone and handed it back. “You’ve been a great assistant-in-training and…friend.” Bianca peeked over at Eddie. “I already have a hero.”
Grace’s smile returned. “Yes, you played your part so well, Eddie.”
Eddie squeezed his empty milkshake cup. He hadn’t played anything. Had the battle wounds to prove it. “Let’s not downgrade what happened by pretending it was a scene in a movie.”
Real life wasn’t a make-believe story. Acting allowed someone to shield emotions, which wasn’t always healthy.
Officer Ramble cleared his throat. “If I think of any more questions, the chief or I will reach out.”
Eddie and Bianca both together said, “Thank you.”
Grace hooked her arm around Bianca. “We should go. Leo’s made call time an hour earlier tomorrow.” She spun Bianca in the direction of the limo. “You probably should do a live tonight. Talk about the close call. You’ll be trending for a week.”
Worrying about social media stats wasn’t what Bianca needed in order to heal from tonight’s shock.
At the limo’s door, Bianca mouthed toward Eddie, Thank you .
He dipped his head and watched them leave.
Junior let his notebook drop to his side. “The town may be split between the movie filming and that new resort coming, but all I know is that the precinct was busy enough before Hollywood and the protestors arrived.”
Eddie extended his hand to Junior. “Thanks for suggesting the firehouse for our statements.”
Junior shook Eddie’s hand. “It’s much easier to get the entire story without eavesdroppers throwing in opinions and twisting the facts. Since you’re here, have Bently or Russell check out your shoulder and whatever injuries you have half hidden. If your shirt has road rash, I can’t imagine what’s underneath.”
Based on the sting driving along his side, Eddie could imagine it all. But he wouldn’t need Trace or Kianna. However, a full-length mirror in the locker room might come in handy.
Before he even made it to the bay area, someone called his name.
“Hey, Rice.” It sounded like Zack. “Can you take a minute in the conference room?”
Eddie passed his lieutenant’s office and slipped into the conference room opposite the chief’s office. And then noticed what was written on the whiteboard.
Dating a movie star…for beginners.
Eddie spun around.
Ridge blocked the exit. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Zack rose from a chair and closed the door. “Class is about to start. We believe it’s exactly what you need.”
Izan twisted his chair to face Eddie. “Can’t let you blow your big break.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “Funny. What I need is some pain meds. Bianca isn’t only a movie star, she’s a woman. Not some silly joke.”
Her words echoed in his mind. Not all unexpected things are bad.
Eddie blinked but still couldn’t clear the look she’d given him after she’d taken a sip from her marshmallow milkshake.
Her real smile. The one she hid from the world.
But not from him.
He raked his fingers through his hair, and dust floated into the air. Maybe the crew was right. Perhaps a class was needed. One that showed him how not to fall for a movie star—someone who made a living of telling tall tales. Something he had to avoid.