Page 19 of Rescued Heart

The other firefighter failed to mask his smirk behind his hand. “Coach here isn’t married, or dating anyone, and although he’d claim all the kids here, they’re not actually his.”

Eddie sent his friend a scowl and then stepped closer to Bianca, lowering his voice. “How’s your head feel?”

Feel?She almost stumbled again. No one had asked her that the entire day. Besides Frances. The only concern had been about her stitches showing.

“I’ve been worse.” She angled her face toward him, ignoring the pain. “Do you think they did a good job fixing me up?”

He inspected the left side of her face. “Glad you’re healing well.”

She put her hand on his arm. “I have you to thank for rescuing me.”

“Healing is God’s department.” He stepped back, and her hand was left stretched out in the space between them. “And I believe you saidyouhelped rescueme?”

“Want me to finish practice, while you two”—his friend flicked his finger back and forth between Eddie and Bianca—“catch up?”

Eddie handed his friend a glove. “How about you take the pitchers on the practice mound?” He grabbed a bat. “Thanks for stopping by, Bianca. It’s good to know you’re doing well. We don’t always get to follow up with those we help. Unfortunately, we’ve got to get back to practice.”

Not where she’d thought their conversation would go, but improv twist accepted. “Could I help field?”

Eddie finally looked her up and down. “This isn’t a pretend practice for any cameras. You won’t want to get your outfit dirty.”

Bianca grabbed a mitt from the equipment bag. “I know all about real practices. I played softball in high school.”

She kicked off her heels and marched to the outfield. The grass wedged between her toes like a welcome-back hug. She glanced over her shoulder. “You want me in right field?”

A tall, skinny kid shoved past another shorter boy. “You can stand beside me any day.”

“Enough, Tank,” Eddie growled and then shook his head at Bianca. “The last thing we need is for you to get hurt on my watch again.”

Bianca stopped in the middle of left field. Was that what he thought? That it was somehow his fault that she’d gotten injured. “Eddie, if you hadn’t been on watch, I would’ve gotten even more hurt.”

Or worse.

“Coach.” The only other girl on the field crossed her arms. “Just let her play. Girls don’t get hurtthateasy.”

“Yeah, if Scarlette can do it, then any girl can.”

The girl—apparently Scarlette—sent a glare toward the boy in center beside Bianca.

Eddie headed toward the pitcher’s mound. “Fine. Bianca, take left field. Tank, come back to third. But everyone needs to pay attention to where the ball is at all times.”

Bianca thumped her fist into her stiff mitt. This was going to be just like riding a bike.

The boy beside her in center field stage-whispered to the shortstop, “See, I told you she was hotter than?—”

“Will, you go with Zack and practice pitching.” Eddie kept his gaze off Bianca and on his players. “Scout and Scarlette, get your bats and helmets. We’re running out of practice time.”

Scarlette sent a thumbs-up to Bianca, then grabbed her gear and stepped up to the batter’s box first. Her braided ponytail stuck out of the helmet, just how Bianca used to wear her hair to play.

Eddie stepped up onto the pitcher’s mound. “Remember, watch the ball hit your bat. If you’re bunting, don’t run until you?—”

“Make contact, and keep my bat at an angle.” Scarlette wound up as if she were going to swing away, but when Eddie pitched, Scarlette tilted her bat out. The ball hit the barrel and rolled on the line to third. The catcher popped up, grabbed the ball, and threw it to first. But not nearly fast enough.

“Nice bunt, Scarlette.” Eddie grabbed another ball from the bucket beside the mound. “Good throw, Lincoln. Just a little quicker on the fielding.”

Praise and correction. Of course he’d be as excellent a coach as he was a firefighter.

Eddie held up another ball. “All right, Scarlette, swing away.”

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