Safe Bet (The Rules #4)

Safe Bet (The Rules #4)

Monica Murphy



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.”