Safe Bet (The Rules #4)(10)

“We do?” I frown.

“Yeah.” Drew steps closer, his voice low as he says, “Fable’s fine. She just woke up, was a little disoriented, but otherwise she seems fine. But I don’t want to make a big scene, and neither does she. So bring the kids with you and let’s go out to the car. We’ll load them up, drive around to the back of the restaurant and pick up Fable and Wade. Then we’ll get out of here.”

I nod, not bothering to say anything else as I grab hold of Autumn’s sticky hand. “Let’s go, sweetie.”

“But I gotta go potty,” she starts to protest as I lead her out of the game room, following after her father.

“I’ll let you have another sucker if you wait a little bit.” Drew kneels down to look her in the eye, his big hands engulfing her shoulders.

“You will?” Autumn breathes, those green eyes wide with wonder.

“I will. I know how much you love those things, but Daddy needs you to wait a few minutes before you can go potty. Okay? Can you do that for Daddy?”

“I can, Daddy! I can! I’m a big girl,” Autumn says excitedly.

We go to our table and I grab the diaper bag, slinging it over my free shoulder. Jacob protests as I jostle him in my arms, but otherwise he’s fine. I grab Autumn’s hand once again and follow after Drew as we make our escape out of the restaurant.

The moment we’re outside, a barrage of flashing lights hits us, one after the other. I try to dash behind Drew, but he slips his arm around my shoulders, guiding me around the side of the building toward the parking lot.

The photographers won’t stop screaming at him, and they have a lot of probing questions.

“Who’s the girl, Drew?”

“Does your wife know about this little date?”

“You brought your kids?”

“Is this the new nanny, Callahan?”

“Where’s Fable?”

“Where’s your wife?”

“Drew! Is it true that you and Fable are separating?”

“Is that your new girlfriend?”

Oh God. I can’t turn back. I don’t look at anyone. Drew removes his arm from around my shoulder and takes my hand, leading me to the car. I keep my gaze focused on his broad back, ignoring the reporters’ voices, the flash of their cameras.

How do celebrities cope with this sort of thing day after day? It’s awful.

As soon as the vehicle comes into view, Drew hits the keyless remote. I hurry over and put the children into their car seats, buckling them in, relieved when they’re secure so I can hurriedly close the door.

“Get in the car,” Drew demands and I run around the back of the car. But my foot gets caught on something and I trip, squealing as I fall onto the ground, landing heavily on my knees.

Drew appears in an instant, and I lift my head, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. Before I can say anything, he grabs hold of my arms and hauls me onto my feet. “You all right?” His gaze bores into mine, his dark brows furrowed and I nod, unable to find words.

Afraid if I try to talk, I’ll end up crying instead.

He lets go of me just as the paparazzi reappears, their flashbulbs blinding as they go off again and again. I stumble once more, my back hitting the SUV and Drew grabs hold of me, scooping me up into his arms and clutching me close to his chest. The reporters become extremely loud and I know it’s because of the way Drew’s holding me.

In his arms. Like I’m the one who just fainted, not his wife. Which of course, the reporters don’t know about any of that. They can’t.

This isn’t going the way we planned.

Drew throws open the door and practically shoves me into the SUV, slamming the door extra hard. He doesn’t say a word as he climbs into the driver’s seat and heads for the back of the restaurant. He throws the car in park and gets out, disappearing through a door that I assume leads into the restaurant. Within minutes he’s back outside, Fable in his arms and looking pale, but otherwise all right.

The photographers are—of course—nowhere to be found.

“Are you okay?” I ask her once she’s settled in the passenger side seat.

Fable nods, her expression still dazed. “I fainted.”

“We’re going to the hospital,” Drew says firmly as he slides behind the steering wheel and throws the car into drive.

“Where’s Wade?” I ask just as the door is thrown open and he climbs inside, sitting next to me.

“I’m right here,” he says with a charming smile, one I can’t help but return.

“Yay, Wade, you made it! If I can hold my pee pee for a few minutes, Daddy is going to give me another lollipop!” Autumn yells, her voice scratchy.

Drew laughs. So does Fable. Wade chuckles too.

But I don’t laugh. Nope. Instead, I burst into tears.





Ah man, she’s crying. I don’t do well with women and tears. My mom wasn’t much of a crier, she was too tough for that most of the time. But when she did actually cry? I always ended up terrified, unsure of how to comfort her. Tears make me uncomfortable.

Sydney’s quiet tears are shredding me.

“Hey. Don’t cry,” I say quietly as I scoot closer to her and slip my arm around her shoulders, trying to offer comfort. Her entire body is stiff and she quickly wipes at her cheeks, then brushes her hair away from her face before she turns those big blue eyes on me. They’re shining with unshed tears and her cheeks are splotchy, but otherwise, she looks fine.