Page 45 of Rescued Heart

Except she didn’t have his number.

Grace paused her fingers and tilted her head. “He said something about a baseball game tonight.”

Bianca ran her finger along her relaxed curl. “He probably needs a break from all of this film chaos he’s not used to. Speaking of chaos…” She lifted a flattened section of hair. “Have you seen Riley? Or better yet, have you heard how Tiff and her family are doing?”

Grace’s fingers clicked away on her phone. “Speaking of Tiff, she never allowed your hair to look like that.”

Bianca tucked the flattened section of hair behind her ears. “Tell me how you really feel.”

Grace winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. But I’m right. Tiff would have already doused you with three different hair spray sessions. But no, she still hasn’t answered my text about how her family’s doing. She must be pretty busy, because she usually answers me pretty quickly. Wow. Last night has been great for your ratings. You’ve gotten five thousand new followers in the last hour alone.” Her phone vibrated and her eyes widened. “Oh, that’s perfect.”

She turned her phone around. “They’re changing up the filming schedule. Only Carter and your stand-in are required tonight. Speaking of stand-ins, I wonder if any of them would like to also do your last stunt. You can’t get a redo of last night’s outing, but you could go watch Eddie’s game. Do a live feed from the hometown ball field. That’s got ‘boy next door meets tough firefighter hero’ written all over it. The perfect combo.”

Bianca picked at a chip in her pinky nail. “He hit that road hard last night. But I should be able to talk to him between innings. Plus, I’d love to see the team play.” And maybe get Eddie’s number. In case she ever needed to check on him.

Grace eyed her as if she’d read Bianca’s thoughts, but then finally nodded. “Maybe get a picture of Eddie in a baseball hat, and you kiss his cheek while holding a ball in the frame or something. Definitely a live for sure.”

At the thought of kissing, Bianca licked her lips. She hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “I should get out of these film clothes.”

Grace shooed her. “Hurry. The game starts in an hour.”

Back at her trailer, Bianca pulled on her favorite pair of jeans plus a T-shirt and headed to her car. The drive toward the south side didn’t have much traffic, but the parking lot at the game resembled a Black Friday sale.

Eddie’s truck sat at the end of the parking lot, right in front of the setting sun that hid behind a forgotten warehouse building. The coach wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon. She parked behind his vehicle and tossed her ruined hair in a ponytail.

She should have brought a baseball cap, and she really wished she had her old softball mitt. It was still in a tub in the back of her parents’ house. Unless they had thrown it away without telling her. Which was possible.

The crowd packed the bleachers, and lawn chairs were lined up along the right field fence. But it was the news camera that made Bianca slow her steps. How had the paparazzi known she’d be here?

Channel 10 Newswas printed on the side, and the cameraman filmed a man in a brown suit. Not her.

The man turned and Bianca kept walking. It was the mayor. So, not paparazzi bothering Eddie or the team.

Finally, something going right.

Scout leaned over on the pitcher’s mound with his team in the field, playing defense. The scoreboard in center field announced that the game was tied at the top of the third inning.

A girl in a side braid had her fingers resting on the fence by the dugout. She turned around and squealed. “Bia Pearl!”

Bianca smiled. She really could have used a hat. “Hey, so nice to meet you.”

The girl snapped a picture of Bianca and then started texting. “I’m going to have my cousin print your picture, and then you can sign it. I bet she’ll want one signed for my aunt, one for me, my cousin, and then my brother’s girlfriend too. Oh, I think Mrs. Williams, she’s notthatold, will want one. She lives in the apartment across from ours. Probably Sally and…”

The girl took an actual breath, and Bianca managed to get out the bad news. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be here tonight.”

A piece of wrapped bubblegum hit Bianca’s shoulder. “Coach B.” Scarlette waved at her from inside the dugout fence. “Better get in here quick. We need you.”

Bianca didn’t wait for another invitation. She picked up the piece of bubble gum.

Once she was inside the gate, Scarlette crumpled her nose at the girl with the one braid. “Sorry, Jazzy, you and your cousin will have to wait. Coach B doesn’t do autographs untilafterthe game.”

Jazzy huffed and stomped away.

Bianca hugged Scarlette. “Thanks. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I didn’t want to sign a million things either.”

“Don’t sign them. They’ll sell them at her aunt’s store.” Scarlette shrugged. “Good thing Coach saw you. It was his idea for me to save you.”

Make that three times that he’d rescued her.

---