Page 21 of Rescued Heart

“But coach…” one of the boys whined, but Bianca didn’t hear Eddie’s reply.

She hopped inside and pulled out of the parking lot.

So much for the new plan.

She turned on her favorite song. A call buzzed over the car’s speakers. She clicked the accept button and cleared her throat. “Hello?”

“So, when should I schedule your first outing together?” Grace’s cheerful tone hummed through the car speakers.

Bianca pulled the visor down. Too bad it only blocked the lowering sun, not reality. “He was busy. He’s a youth baseball coach, and my dress was the opposite of helpful during practice when I tried to field the ball.”

“Why would you try to field a ball? But a baseball coach too—that’s even more perfect. How old is his kid?” Grace sucked in a breath. “Wait…is he married?”

“We should have thought of that before now. His friend said he wasn’t married. Or dating. Not that it matters. Things did not go well.” At a cross street, Bianca checked both ways. Was this where she had turned earlier?

“Nope.” Grace popped the endingp. “You’re right. Not married. Based on his social media. Doesn’t look like he actually has a kid either. That’s a shame. The media eats up a single parent, underdog story.”

Rows of white chipped houses filed past on the left-hand side of the road. This did not look familiar. But what really did lately?

She pulled into the next parking lot. “Single or not, I don’t think he’s interested in me. Which is fine. I’ll go back and have Carter and I take pictures. I’ll start posting the original plan. The media will change.”

Hopefully.

“Except you can’t.” Grace’s strangled tone paused. “I may have already leaked stuff about you and Eddie. The good news is you two are already trending. If you want to raise your social numbers and eventually movie attendees, then the rescue firefighter has got to agree to fake date you. It’s what the media obviously craves. You have to give the people what they want. Plus, you’re Bia Pearl! The man has got to be crazy if he doesn’t want to be seen with you. It’s not like he’s got to marry you.”

“Assistant improvement suggestion—maybe make it sound a little less horrible the next time you talk about me and marriage in the same sentence.”

“Oh, there’s a red jumper here in wardrobe. Now, this outfit says ‘date me’ for sure.”

Bianca shook her head even though Grace couldn’t see her. The color red also represented the wordstop.

She put her car in Park and gripped the steering wheel.

Was it wrong to ask Eddie to do this favor? To her, it wasn’t lying about a relationship; it was part of her job—to pretend. But he wasn’t an actor. He was a real-life firefighter hero who had a heart for children. Nothing fake about him.

Her gaze landed on the color red on a storefront diagonal from her parking spot.

Kitty’s Family Clothing Outlet,where we dress you for less.

The store was sandwiched between a pizza shop and some kind of birthday party store. On the corner, a teal fabric awning fluttered in the breeze over the bakery. Painted on the window was a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie and the words:You won’t just like our cookies, you’ll love them.

She could really use some comfort sugar right about now. Bianca brushed a piece of dirt off her dress. Her outfit and flirty ways had not been helpful for baseball practice. It was like he’d known that wasn’t the real her. Though her softball skills were rusty, that didn’t mean she couldn’t help. If she were actually dressed for the role of baseball assistant, she could help show Lincoln how to jump quicker to field the ball from his catcher’s position.

Her attention locked onto an exercise outfit on a display mannequin in the store’s window. “Hey, Grace, I’ve got an idea.”

“Come back and I’ll meet you at wardrobe and?—”

“I’ve got my wardrobe covered.” She turned off her car. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

They wouldn’t have to lie. She and Eddie could make another deal.

“Bianca, I totally believe in you. But Leo talked to me again after you left. Just remember, there’s a lot resting on this film doing well. And don’t tell anyone, but one of the producers is talking about pulling out. So there might be even less for marketing than planned. So we need all the creative ways to draw people to both you and the film. Please get your hero to say yes to a real or fake date. I’m not picky.”

That was not the encouraging speech Bianca needed.

Lord, please let this work.

After going inside Kitty’s store and purchasing a T-shirt, tennis shoes, and shorts and changing into more appropriate baseball practice gear, she stopped by the bakery. She grabbed a couple packages of cookies in case things didn’t go well and headed back to the field.

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