Safe Bet (The Rules #4)

by Monica Murphy

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Books by Monica Murphy

  About Safe Bet

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Epilogue

  Bonus Scene!

  Acknowledgements

  ONE NIGHT

  MORE THAN FRIENDS

  Copyright Notice

  Friends Series

  One Night

  Just Friends

  More Than Friends

  The Rules Series

  Fair Game

  In The Dark

  Slow Play

  Safe Bet

  Reverie Series

  His Reverie (Book #1)

  Her Destiny (Book #2)

  One Week Girlfriend Quartet

  One Week Girlfriend (Book #1)

  Second Chance Boyfriend (Book #2)

  Three Broken Promises (Book #3)

  Drew+Fable Forever (Book #3.5)

  Four Years Later (Book #4)

  Five Days Until You (Book #4.5)

  Billionaire Bachelors Club

  Crave (Book #1)

  Torn (Book #2)

  Savor (Book #3)

  Intoxicated (Book #3.5)

  The Fowler Sisters

  Owning Violet

  Stealing Rose

  Taming Lily

  The Never Series

  Never Tear Us Apart

  Never Let You Go

  Connect with Monica

  Website

  Newsletter

  Facebook

  Twitter

  Email

  Sydney Walker’s new job is perfect. As the live-in nanny to the most famous quarterback in the NFL and his beautiful wife, she couldn’t have it any better. Their kids are adorable. Her bosses are more than generous. Plus, there are hot football players at the house all the time. Life can’t get much better than this.

  Until her life turns into an absolute nightmare. The media is abuzz with rumors that she and her boss Drew Callahan are having a torrid affair. Everyone knows the truth—except the public. So Drew’s wife Fable comes up with the perfect idea.

  She creates a fake relationship between Sydney and one of the rookie players on Drew’s team. Wade Knox is forever indebted to Drew and Fable and readily agrees to the set up. Pretending to be in a romantic relationship with the hot nanny for a week—how hard can it be?

  Crazy how it only takes one week for two people to fall head over heels in love…

  (This mash-up new adult romance features characters from both the One Week Girlfriend series and The Rules series.)

  “Okay, I feel pretentious as hell saying this, but let me explain exactly what the job description is,” the pretty blonde woman says with a wince, then rolls her green eyes, a little smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

  It’s kind of weird, sitting across from her after I’ve only ever seen her on TV, the Web, or in the occasional magazine. She’s much prettier in real life, and much smaller too. I just thought her husband was a total giant, but no. She’s really short and thin, though kind of top heavy, if you know what I mean.

  I nod but remain silent, curling my hands together in my lap. She can’t see them beneath the table, and I’m glad. My fingers twist around each other, I’m so nervous. I need this job. Desperately. Trying to play it cool is becoming increasingly hard the longer I sit in front of her.

  She’s famous. She’s beautiful. And do I really believe I have a chance to work for her and her family? Come on. I’m not that lucky.

  “I’ve never hired a full-time live-in nanny in my life and truthfully, I don’t think I need one. It goes against everything I believe in, because I actually like spending time with my kids. I’m trying my best to be a good mother and I don’t think that involves letting other people raise my children,” she explains, her gaze fixed on the piece of paper in front of her. It’s a list of some sort, possibly what the job she’s interviewing me for entails, yet I still say nothing. “So having you work with me is not always going to be about the children.”

  Um, then why are they looking for a full-time nanny?

  “How old are your children?” I ask, my voice even, my expression hopefully pleasant. I have to show interest. And really, I am interested, even though the nanny part terrifies me. I have no experience with children. None.

  Zero.

  She lifts her head and smiles, her green eyes sparkling. “My daughter is four and my son is almost two. I can’t lie, they’re a total handful. Not that they misbehave all the time or anything, it’s just that at their age, they’re busy. All the time.”

  Nerves make my stomach clench and my mouth goes dry. Yeah, taking care of two children under the age of five is freaking scary. I can barely take care of myself, especially lately. I’ve cried a lot. Spent a lot of nights on friends’ couches because I had nowhere to live. Didn’t want to be a burden on my older brother, even though eventually I went and stayed with him and his girlfriend for a while. Gabe has done what he can, but he’s busy. He has his own life to live.

  I can’t expect him to stop living his life just because I screwed up mine.

  Everything has changed these last few months. Before I was used to doing whatever I wanted—spa treatments, going out to dinner, shopping. Paying for it all with Daddy’s credit card, all without a care in the world. Then my parents found out I was lying about college. As in, I told them I was going, when I wasn’t. My dad got so mad, he cut me off completely—and kicked me out of their house.

  Now I’m so desperate for a job I’ll try to be a freaking nanny. This is laughable. A joke. That my brother is the one who got me this interview is unbelievable. Does Gabe really think I’m capable of doing something like this? I’ll probably drop the toddler on his head and his mama will fire me on the spot, then call the police and have me arrested for child abuse.

  I part my lips, ready to tell her I’m totally not qualified and she should probably consider someone else for the position, when she starts speaking again.

  “This is slightly embarrassing, but more than anything, I need someone to—help me.” She tips her head toward me, her expression serious. “Not just with the kids, but with life. The kids keep me so busy, and so does my husband, and I can’t stay focused half the time. I just need someone to help me stay organized.”

  “I could probably do that,” I murmur, clutching my hands together. I can feel sweat start to form on the back of my neck, my entire body stiff with nerves and…anticipation? Maybe I can help her if I don’t need to chase after children all the time.

  “Oh, that is exactly what I needed to hear. I’m a frantic mess most of the time lately, and it stresses me out. And when I’m stressed out, my kids get stressed out, and then no one’s happy.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I’d need you to be discreet, though. Our private life is exactly that. Private. I’d need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement and everything. I hope that’s okay with you.”

  She’s talking like I already have the job. I can’t be that lucky. “I don’t mind. I’m here for you if you hire me. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it. I just—I really need this job.”

  “Well, I really need someone to help me, so it looks like you and I could help each other.” Her smile is
gentle. “Trust me, most of the time I feel like I’m a total sham. So whatever you can do to make my life easier, I’m all for it.”

  My mouth drops open. She really believes she’s a total sham? She’s so poised, so calm and self-possessed. “Women all over the country admire you. You have it all. A handsome, successful husband, two beautiful children, a gorgeous house.”

  I look around, taking in the room we’re sitting in. I assume it’s her office, and it’s immaculate. White and airy, it’s my dream office come to life, not that I even realized I wanted a home office, considering I’m only nineteen. There are photos on every available flat surface featuring her children and husband, not that I can blame her. If I were married to that man, I wouldn’t want him out of my sight. Ever. He’s painfully handsome.

  “Ha, you’re hired.” She points at me, and though she sounds like she’s joking, I’m thinking she’s serious. I can’t help but let my hopes rise, though I tell myself to remain calm. Rational. Subdued. She doesn’t want a spazzed out nanny. She needs someone she can rely on. “Seriously, sometimes I feel like my life is nothing but a dream and I’m bound to wake up one day to discover that none of this actually happened.”

  Should I ask? I have to ask. “Why do you say that?”

  “My life wasn’t always this—wonderful.” Her voice turns somber, her expression sad. Her green eyes get this faraway look, like she’s fallen back into the past and it’s full of nothing but bad memories. “I had it hard growing up. Like, really hard. And I didn’t always make the best choices.”

  “I’m thinking you made a solid choice when you met your future husband,” I point out.

  Her expression softens. “Oh, I didn’t choose him. He chose me,” she murmurs, a secretive smile curling her lips.

  Lucky her. “Well, he saw something in you then. Something special.” Hmm, I wonder if I said too much…

  She tilts her head to the side, her long blonde hair falling over her shoulder. She looks like a fairy princess, which I guess is apt, considering her name is Fable. “I like you.”

  I smile, feeling all that hope rise within me once again. Maybe I do have a chance. “Thanks. I like you too.”

  “I think we could work well together. I have to remind you, this would be a live-in position. I’d need you here at all times because my schedule is so crazy, but you’d get time off, of course. I just—I need someone I can count on. Someone I can trust.” She holds her hand out toward me, I take it, and we shake. “I’d like to offer you the job, Sydney.”

  Her words send shock waves coursing through my body and I try my best to contain myself. I can’t believe what she just said. My entire body starts to tremble with a combination of relief and excitement. “Thank you. I’d like to accept the position.”

  I press my lips together, mentally warning myself not to cry. But the relief is so overwhelming, I sag the moment I let go of Fable Callahan’s hand. I have a job. Somewhere I can live and eat and actually make money. I just proved my parents wrong.

  I’m almost half tempted to call them and rub their faces in it.

  “Your down and out attitude is bullshit.” Drew claps me on the back so hard I take a stumbling step forward, thankful I don’t fall flat on my face. We’re in his backyard. Me pacing and grumbling, him trying to…I don’t know. Talk me down off the ledge? Though right now I should feel like I’m on top of the world. I’m an ungrateful asshole and I know it.

  But it’s like I can’t help myself. My emotions are all over the place. I even talked to my mom about it, and she told me to snap out of it.

  Yeah, I lost you too, right? Whatever. Just know this:

  I’m an idiot.

  “You should be celebrating right now,” Drew says, his expression fierce as he points a finger right at me. I’m surprised he doesn’t poke me in the chest to make his point. “You made it through the initial training. The coast is pretty much clear. You’d have to royally fuck up to lose your position. I’d say there’s an eighty-five percent chance you’re in for the season.”

  It’s that leftover fifteen percent that makes me nervous. Fills me with fear that I make one mistake, one wrong move, and I’m off the team.

  “You’ve got this in the bag,” Drew continues to say, all the easy confidence that makes him who he is filling his voice. I stuff the envy I’m experiencing deep down inside and try to focus on what he’s telling me. “So quit whining like a pussy. You’ve made it.”

  Easy for him to say. He was a first draft pick and went on to take his team to the playoffs his rookie year. He and his team won the Super Bowl in his second season. In the eyes of the entire team—hell to practically everyone in the NFL—Drew motherfuckin’ Callahan can do no wrong.

  Me? I’m only just starting out. Everything can fall apart in an instant. I can’t forget that.

  “I haven’t made it yet. There’s still a chance they’ll let me go.” I smile but it feels bogus, so I let it fade. I know he’s right. He’s trying to make me feel better and I appreciate it.

  I appreciate even more how easily he took me in, like I’m a member of his family. I’m not. Oh, I’m an honorary member, and Fable reminds me of that often enough that I’m forced to believe her. Her little brother Owen is my best friend. He’s like a brother to me. Growing up, we were always together, and we shared a house in college.

  Plus, we played football together like no other. He was always there when I needed him and vice versa. We had each other’s backs, and not just on the field either. It was me and Owen Maguire against the world. Even when he met and fell in love with Chelsea, he never pushed me out of his life, while other friends had in the past. It was natural. A girl walked in, rocked their world, and friends always took a backseat.

  Never with Owen and Chelsea. And while I admire—and even envy—what they have, I’m not ready to settle down. First, I’m too damn busy focusing on my career. Second, there are just too many beautiful women in this world for me to choose only one. Who needs one woman when you can have many?

  Yeah. When it comes to women, sometimes I can be a…pig. But at least I’m aware of my piggish qualities, right? Chelsea says the first step is being aware of your faults, and I’m definitely aware.

  I’m just not ready to correct those faults yet.

  Besides, I haven’t found a girl I want to be with on a steady basis, you know? I’m too young and all that shit. I like a variety of women. Thin, curvy, red hair, dark hair, blondes. Funny, serious, sexy, shy—I love them all. If I had to settle with just one woman, I know I’d go crazy.

  But I consider Owen lucky, because Chelsea is amazing. She effortlessly accepted me into her life and we’re close. I give Owen constant shit that she’s the better part of him, and he never disagrees.

  Now, though, I’m pretty certain he’s pissed at me. Maybe not at me per se, but pissed at the situation. I have what he wants. What he wanted so damn bad for so long, but didn’t get. I can’t help it that he was picked higher in the draft. That the Broncos snapped him up because he’s damn good and somehow, by some sort of crazy miracle, I got called up too.

  “They won’t let you go.” Drew nods, his demeanor practically oozing confidence. “I have a feeling.”

  The crazy thing is, I was drafted to play for Drew’s football team. I’m a part of the San Francisco 49ers. A second string wide receiver who will most likely warm a bench most of the season but hot shit, I’m a Niner. They were my favorite team growing up. Owen’s too. It was his dream, to play on the same team with his brother-in-law, to keep it in the family.

  Instead he’s going to Denver where he gets to freeze his balls off and play against his brother-in-law.

  Oh and possibly me. Well, if I ever get off the damn bench, that is.

  “Whatever you say, bro. You said you were taking me out to celebrate tonight, right?” I ask Drew because I know he’ll say yes, and then I’ll most likely back out and return to my lonely apartment where I’ll sulk like a baby for the rest of the night.
>
  Which is stupid, but I can’t help it. Most of the time I bluster through life without a care in the world, not paying attention to my mood and who it might affect. I just do what I want and fuck the consequences. Owen lived like that too. Every once in a while one of us grew a conscience—thanks to my mom or Fable—but otherwise, we fought against the norm.

  We always believed the norm was boring, damn it. Being good, following the rules? Screw that. We wanted to have fun.

  Fun can cost you, though. Our friend Des is back in our hometown selling drugs to college students and not inclined to change his career path. We couldn’t save him, no matter how badly we wanted to. We had our own lives to take care of. We couldn’t be Des’s babysitter forever.

  “Ah, that must be the girl Fable hired,” Drew says, pulling me from my thoughts.

  I face the same direction Drew is looking, which is toward the large back patio. Their house is massive yet it somehow feels like how a real home should. I like hanging out here. They always make me feel welcome. “How is Fable?”

  “Stressed the hell out. She has a lot on her plate. That’s why she’s hiring someone to help her,” Drew explains, his gaze never leaving his wife.

  There’s another one who’s madly in love with his woman. I know that they had it rough when they first got together, but their love for each other is so all-consuming, it’s almost uncomfortable to witness sometimes. And I say that because I’m a dude who’s definitely not in touch with my inner most feelings, if you catch my drift.

  My gaze skims over the tiny but mighty Fable Maguire Callahan and lands on the girl standing next to her. She’s taller than Fable, but that doesn’t mean much because pretty much everyone looks tall when they’re next to Fable. The girl seems young, her long, golden blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail, and she’s wearing a simple black dress that skims over pretty curves. She’s completely overdressed compared to Fable, who’s in jeans and a pale pink T-shirt, her bright blonde hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.