Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
A beam of sunshine popped out from behind the clouds as Grace handed Bianca her water bottle.
Grace scrolled on her phone. “Looks like you have an early makeup time tomorrow but nothing else tonight.”
Bianca’s eyes landed on Eddie over Grace’s shoulder, standing in the shade to the right of the cameras. “Perfect. Thanks Grace.”
Finally, a break from filming. Maybe she and Eddie could have their postponed date from last night.
Grace held up her finger. “Except we have a tiny problem.” She turned her phone around.
On the screen was one of Carter’s social media pages and a picture of a gigantic sapphire ring. “I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about the plot of the film yet.”
Grace clicked her tongue. “Read the caption.”
Bianca took the phone from Grace and read the words Carter had written. “Guess who said yes! Hint: I’ve been spending a bunch of time with her lately.” Her mouth popped opened. “Please tell me people don’t think it’s me.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.” Grace yanked her phone away from Bianca before she could read more than two comments that confirmed her fear.
“How can we fix this? I don’t want to fake date Carter.” She dropped her voice. “I don’t even want to fake date Eddie. Grace, we were going to try the real thing. Me and Eddie. I don’t want this scaring him away.”
Grace glanced over at Eddie, who had his shoulder pressed up against the tree as he stared at the sky. “If you’re sure, I’ll try to set a meeting up with Leo and the producers to figure out a way to get you and Carter coupling off the agenda.”
Bianca pressed her hands together. “Yes, please. I’ll even do a hundred more interviews.”
Grace pulled up an email. “Okay, I’ll take care of the meeting. You better go let Eddie know before he sees this online.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Grace. Thanks.”
Bianca jogged over to Eddie. With the dark shadows under his eyes, he looked as tired as she felt. How many callouts had he been on since they had sat in Officer Ramble’s car?
Last night, when he hadn’t shown up for their date, she’d called. No answer. Waited. Texted. When she hadn’t received a word, she’d found out online that he hadn’t stood her up but was doing the job he loved—saving lives.
“Hey.” She smiled and opened her water bottle. “I believe the news clip I saw mentioned that you needed a badge of honor for saving that little girl. I can’t do that, but I can reward you with a slice of pizza or three. If you’re as hungry as me?—”
“I don’t need any special treatment for rescuing people. Those videos should never have been recorded in the first place.”
Back to hangry Eddie. Noted. “I know, but they were a little helpful because they let me know you were safe.” He was a perfect firefighter. Always had the needs of others in his mind. She wanted to erase some of the stress that lined his eyes.
She pulled the end of her ponytail around in front of her and ran her fingers around the curl. “I was thinking about having pizza delivered to my trailer. It’s not exactly fancy, but it’s all the date I need, if you’re up for rescheduling for tonight?”
His attention snagged everywhere except on her.
He dragged his hands through his hair. “Unfortunately, pizza isn’t going to fix yesterday.”
No, but it could fix his hangry situation. Or was there more going on? She cradled her water bottle to her chest. “Did anyone die…yesterday?” Was she allowed to ask that? “Or did something else happen to Mary or Joel?”
Eddie paced under the tree. “People could have died. Accidents usually attract a crowd, but last night, they wouldn’t listen. Too busy trying to gain my attention. A three-year-old could have been killed because paparazzi were trying to take my picture on a callout. One photographer was lucky he only sustained a concussion from the explosion.”
Bianca flinched. She hadn’t seen the explosion part. “I’m sorry, Eddie. People get so caught up in?—”
“You.” Eddie watched her long enough for Bianca to drop her gaze to her shoes, which were scuffed from the stunt he’d helped her get through. Shoes that were a part of her job, not who she was as a person. Because right now, she really could go for the comfort of her flip-flops.
Bianca pushed the sleeves on her character’s jacket. “You’re right. People do get too caught up in not only me but most of the things centered around acting. If you don’t want to eat with me tonight and need to be with your crew, I understand. I can have a pizza sent to your apartment or the firehouse. I’m sure the guys wouldn’t mind some free dinner.”
He slipped his hands into his pockets. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Bianca.” His words were soft, but their meaning hit like another stunt gone wrong.
Bianca blinked. “This what? The pizza? The deal…or the real part of us?”
Please, not the last part.
A storm of emotions crossed Eddie’s brown eyes. “My job is very important, not only to me but for the safety of this town. I can’t work with the paparazzi interfering. If that child had died because of?—”
“She didn’t.” Bianca crossed her arms over her chest. “We shouldn’t worry about things that didn’t happen. Didn’t you say that once? Not to borrow trouble?”
“This”—he motioned between them—“can’t really work in real life. Not with you being who you are and me having to worry about people stopping me from doing my job.”
“Me being who I am?” She’d thought he’d seen the real her. “If this is because of what Carter put on social media, it isn’t true. Grace is going to try to set up a meeting so I don’t have to keep pretending. I’m ready to be real, Eddie. With you. We can figure the rest out together.”
He dipped his chin. “I don’t want to take your money either, Bianca. You have your own money battles to worry about besides my burden too. You were right the other night. We don’t need any more deals. I’ll figure something else out about the youth center.”
Bianca squeezed her eyes shut. This was beginning to sound too much like the last time she’d talked to her father. “My money’s not tainted, Eddie. You keep thinking my kind gestures are something they’re not. We had a deal, and I’m going to keep my end of the bargain. Relationship or not.”
By the shocked expression on his face, Eddie had gotten better at his acting skills. “I never said your money was tainted.”
No, she didn’t need his pity. “Are you going to take my donation or not?”
Eddie shook his head. “I can’t, Bianca. I’m sorry. It wouldn’t feel right.”
She blinked away tears. Backed up. One step. Two. Maybe her family had been right all along. She only ever caused head- and heartaches. “Thanks, Eddie, for everything…The people of Last Chance County are lucky to have you watching over them. You’re a great man.”
He opened his mouth, but she’d seen the mask he’d placed over his heart with his simple nod. “I’ll explain things to the team, and I’ll have Zack help with the tourney.”
She wasn’t only leaving Eddie but the team too.
When he’d left, Bianca slipped between one of the nearby storage barns and the side of a parked trailer. She closed her eyes.
Alone. Again.
God, why can’t those I care about see the real me and stay?
“Uh, Ms. Pearl?”
Bianca opened her eyes and blinked away the tears.
Thad, the security guard, stared at her. His brows pulled even lower. “You all right?”
Bianca sniffed and painted on her Bia smile.
His mouth formed a circle. “Oh, I see. You were only practicing emotions. Wow, you’re such a talented actress. Those looked like real-life tears.”
One of those very real tears slipped down her cheek. “You’re a great security guard, Thad. Thanks for checking up on me.”
Why couldn’t she just admit to him the truth? That she was having a horrible day. But people too often only wanted to go surface level. Not get in the mud and help shoulder the heartache.
The man beamed back at her. “Wait until I tell my granddaughter about how one of her grandma’s favorite actresses paid this old man a compliment.”
Bianca tilted her head. “What’s your granddaughter’s name? I can sign an autograph for her and your wife. That is, if you’d think they’d like one. I can leave them at the security office for you.”
The man chuckled. “They’d like it all right, but”—he held up his hand—“I’m not supposed to ask for?—”
“You didn’t ask. I offered.” Bianca pulled out her phone. “What if you gave me their mailing address? That way if she so happened to get an autograph sent to her house, then you wouldn’t get in trouble with your job.”
“Bella would be tickled pink.” Thad rattled off the address, and Bianca made a memo in her phone.
His radio buzzed on his hip, and someone asked if he’d completed his rounds. He answered and gave Bianca a salute. “Thank, Ms. Pearl. You’ve mightily proved that I can’t believe everything I read online about you.”
Her smile slipped. What had the reporters come up with this time? Did it have to do with Carter, Eddie’s mother, or something else?
The shoes on her feet still pinched her toes, but she’d rather escape to her trailer for a quiet moment than get any questioning looks about her possibly runny mascara. She sent off a text to Grace.
Bianca
Want to share a pizza tonight?
Grace sent back a text.
Grace
I wish! I’m talking to Leo about your meeting. Plus, got a couple hiccups in the upcoming scene location.
Bianca dialed Frances and held the phone to her ear as she walked up the steps to her trailer. Frances’s voice came over the speaker, but it was only her voicemail. Bianca ended the call and sank onto her couch.
Lord, now what am I supposed to do?
She kicked out of her shoes, and her stomach chose that moment to growl. Except pizza no longer sounded good.
Her phone vibrated in her hand. The ID that flashed onto the screen hadn’t called her in months.
Home.
Her fingers shook as she swiped to answer. “Hello?”
Please, let them not have called by mistake.
“Hey, Bee.”
Bianca fell back against the couch cushion. Her sister was calling from her parents’ house. “Hey, Madeline.”
Madeline cleared her throat. “How are you doing?”
Bianca stared up at the ceiling of her trailer. “I’m…okay. How’s…everyone?” Her heart thumped. Once. Twice. Still no answer. “Maddy?”
A sniff snuck over the phone’s speaker.
Bianca sprang up off the coach. “What’s wrong? Is it Grandma? Mom? Dad?”
Please, Lord, don’t take them from me before we get things fixed.
She ran to her purse and threw it over her shoulder. What else would she need to head home? “I’m leaving now. I’ll be there in…” How long would it take her to drive home? Fly? Not quick enough.
Finally, her sister said, “No, Bianca. It’s nothing like that. It’s…”
Another sniff.
Bianca leaned against the trailer’s tiny island. “Talk to me, Madeline. You’re scaring me.”
“We had a big fight.” Her sister’s words echoed over the phone.
Bianca slinked back over to the coach and sat down on the edge. “You and Zeke?” Had one of them called off their wedding?
A ragged breath, and then her sister’s voice whispered, “Me and Dad. He said…I didn’t need the Old Vineyard for my wedding. He’s right. I don’t. I love Zeke no matter where we get married. But we chose our wedding date specifically for when the Old Vineyard had an availability. We waited extra months for it. You know that place was my dream. Always. Mom promised they’d pay for it. They paid the first deposit, but that was before the house…and now the second deposit is due. Dad said they weren’t going to pay. Zeke and I used all our savings to buy the sweetest little house. Do you remember Mrs. Keeper’s old house? The one with the heart shutters?” A hiccup proceeded to a groan. “I’d marry Zeke in rags at the courthouse, but…you know what it’s like to follow your dreams. I just wanted someone in our family to actually keep their promises.”
Bianca rubbed her knuckles along her forehead. “I do know what it’s like to follow your dreams.” The dreams that she wasn’t sure were worth it anymore.
She wanted a better happily ever after for her sister. “What if I cover the vineyard?”
It wasn’t like she had to give any of her movie money to Eddie anymore. She massaged her temples. “I’ll have to put the deposit on my credit card.” But it would work. It had to work.
“Oh, Bee, you’re the best. I promise Zeke and I will pay you back. I told Mom you’d help, but Dad overheard, and that’s when the fight escalated. He said not to call and bother you.”
Bianca fisted her hands. “You’re not bothering me. But if I pay…I want to come to the wedding.”
She pressed her lips together. Why had she made the money an ultimatum? She needed to stop making deals.
Bianca’s heart thumped for far too many heartbeats before her sister whispered, “I’ve always wanted you there, but…even if you aren’t letting us borrow?—”
“Not borrow.” Bianca traced the stitching on the arm of her couch. “It’ll be your wedding gift.”
“Do you have to film that day? It’s almost nine months away. Wouldn’t you need to hire more security?”
Bianca inhaled through her nose and out through her mouth. “I’ll try to stay in the back so as not to cause an issue with anyone.”
One more sniff. “It wasn’t fair for Dad to blame you for his other job loss.”
Bianca sat up straighter. “Other? I thought he only supposedly lost his promotion.”
Madeline sighed. “Last month, he was laid off.”
Eddie had been right to step away from Bianca now. Her dream had cost those she loved far too much.