“But I really like her. So do the kids. A nanny is supposed to be a part of our family, right? So we’re going out to dinner as a family, along with our family friend Wade, and Sydney is going to accompany us. She’ll be a huge help with the kids. So what’s the big deal?”
Drew sighs. “Fine. No big deal. Let’s go eat pizza then. Need help rounding up everything?”
Fable looks like she wants to hop up and down like a little kid, she’s so happy. “No, I’ve got this. Sydney will help me.” She turns her gaze on me, grinning from ear to ear. “You are coming with us, right Wade?”
“Oh, yeah,” I drawl, flashing Fable a smile.
I wouldn’t miss this pizza date for the world.
The pizza place is called Fire, and it’s one of those trendy, out of the way restaurants that’s full of people decked out in their best designer clothes, where I probably look like a slob in my athletic shorts and T-shirt, though I really don’t give a shit. Drew’s wearing the same damn thing, but the employees are practically bowing at his feet like he’s a king and they’re all his measly servants.
Not that he acts like that, but it’s kind of wild, how he commands everyone’s attention no matter where he goes.
The owner comes right out to greet us when he discovers the Callahans are dining at his restaurant tonight, and they find us a table in a discreet corner immediately. Both Autumn and Jacob are in good spirits since they just woke up from a long nap, and Sydney is tending to them, sending a shy smile my way every once in a while. Otherwise, she’s not really saying a word to any of us beyond the kids. Drew finally takes Autumn from her since she keeps trying to make her escape and run through the restaurant.
“This place is packed,” I mention to Fable as we both check out our menus. Drew is holding Autumn, who won’t stop squirming. That she can almost sneak out of her dad’s strong arms is saying something.
“Lots of local celebrities come to this place,” Fable says, her gaze never leaving the menu in front of her. “It’s usually quiet and you can eat here without worrying about the paparazzi.”
I scan the room. It’s wall to wall with people, every table and chair filled, along with the bar. There’s outdoor dining as well, and it looks packed too. There was a line out the door when we arrived, so I’m guessing the word is out. “I think your quiet restaurant where you can eat privately is no more.”
A worried expression appears immediately on Fable’s face. “That’s too bad. I love this place. I love their salads.”
“So there are local celebrities here?” Sydney looks around the restaurant with wide eyes, hoping she can spot one, I assume. She’s holding a fussy Jacob in her arms and he’s clutching a handful of her hair in his fist.
“Mostly athletes. Sometimes local news personalities show up. People like that.” Fable leans in close, her gaze never leaving Sydney’s. “I saw Joe Montana with his family the last time we were here.”
Sydney frowns. “Who’s that?”
“Oh God.” I rest my hand on my chest, shocked at her sacrilegious question. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Um…I can tell you that, but I’m really not.” She winces.
Drew starts to laugh, shaking his head. “You’re serious?” he asks her.
“Who is he?” Sydney turns to Fable for help.
“Only the greatest quarterback to ever play for the Niners—and maybe the entire NFL,” I answer for Fable.
Sydney turns her pretty blue gaze on me. “When did he play?”
“Throughout the ’80s. He won four Super Bowls.”
She smiles. “Well, there you go. I wasn’t even born in the ’80s, so how I would I know who he is?”
“I wasn’t born in the ’80s either,” I answer. I notice Fable and Drew are talking menu choices, so I decide to ask Sydney a personal question. “How old are you?”
“Nineteen.” Her cheeks turn the faintest pink, as if she’s embarrassed to admit her age.
Because damn, the girl is young. Well, only three years younger than me, but still. It feels like a huge difference considering where I’m at in my life and where she’s at in hers.
She can’t even walk into a bar legally. Not that I’ve gone out much since I’ve come here. I’m trying to leave all that behind. In college, we partied all the time. Me, Owen and Des. Until we got out of control and Owen nearly ruined his relationship with Chelsea—hell, at one point, he almost got kicked off the football team. Getting high all the time wasn’t doing any of us any favors. So I quit, and so did Owen. Considering I’m in training right now, I won’t even touch a beer.
“Have you been a nanny before?” I ask her.
Sydney shakes her head. “This is my first job ever.”
I raise my brows. “Seriously?” She nods, doesn’t say a word. “How did you meet Fable?”
“Mutual friend. My brother knows her brother.”
That was a vague answer.
“Your brother knows Owen?” When she nods, I continue. “How exactly? Maybe I know your brother too.”
“I doubt it.” She smiles. “They met through Owen’s girlfriend, I think? She was participating in a summer program at the same college my brother goes to and they somehow crossed paths. I think at a party.”
“Wild.” I shake my head. “It can be a pretty freaking small world sometimes, I swear.”
“I know, right? I’ve never met Owen though, or his girlfriend.”
“They’re cool.” I pause. “You’d like them.”
There’s that shy smile again. “I’m sure.” She looks away, like she’s a little embarrassed and I smile to myself.
Only for the smile to quickly fade.
She’s hella cute, but completely off limits. I can’t go thinking I can mess around with the sexy nanny—Drew and Fable’s employee, when I should be focused on football and training and hoping like hell the coaches won’t cut me loose. I don’t want to go home a loser. I promised my mom I’d do this. I promised her I’d take care of her for the rest of her life. I want to live up to that promise too. Whatever it takes.
I can’t screw up.
“I don’t feel so good.”
I glance up to see Fable watching me, her gaze vacant, her face pale. She blinks at me, like she’s trying to bring me into focus but can’t quite do so. My heart immediately starts to race. “You don’t look so good either,” I tell her.
She gives me a wan smile just before she grimaces, touching her forehead with splayed fingers. “My head is spinning.”
We’d pretty much finished eating about fifteen minutes ago, but we’re lingering because the kids were having fun in the retro video game room with Drew, though usually that’s where the hipsters hang out. He was sitting at one of those racecar games with Jacob on his lap and Autumn running circles around him, screaming for him to go faster. Sydney had made her quick escape to the bathroom, leaving me alone with Fable.
Who’s suddenly not feeling well.
Don’t panic, dude.
“Are you all right?” I ask.
Fable shakes her head, then winces. “I don’t know. I feel really lightheaded. Maybe I should go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face.”
“Should I go get Drew?”
“No, I can walk to the bathroom like a big girl. I’ll be all right.” She mutters it again under her breath. “I’ll be all right,” but she doesn’t sound like herself. Her attempt at humor falls flat. She’s acting strange.
“Come on, Fable. Are you sure you don’t want me to help you?” I study her face. Man, she’s pale. Even her lips are white. It’s like all the color has been leeched from her face, and along with her pale blonde hair, she reminds me of a ghost.
“Yeah. No. I’ll be fine.” She tries to stand but practically falls back into her chair. I leap from mine and go around to stand behind her, resting my hands lightly on her shoulders. I don’t want her to get up again on her own. What if she falls? She could hurt herself. “I’m going to go get Drew.”
“No.” She glances at me from over her shoulder, resting her cold hand on top of mine. “He’ll just freak out and maybe scare the kids. Please, Wade, just—help me to the bathroom.” She tries to smile reassuringly, but it doesn’t work.
The scared expression on her face just freaks me out even more.
I help her get up from her chair, shocked when she stumbles a little and falls into me. She rights herself, shooting me a weak smile, and I clutch her arm as we weave through the crowded tables toward the bathroom, which is on the other side of the building.
Of course.
“It’s so warm in here,” she murmurs as she presses against my side. “I don’t know why my head is spinning.”
I wrap my arm lightly around her waist, hoping no one notices. I don’t want people to think I’m trying to make a play on Drew’s wife. Talk about a scandal. “You’re going to be fine.” My voice is firm, though deep inside, I’m panicking. I forgot my freaking phone in Drew’s car and was too lazy to go out and grab it earlier. Otherwise I’d be dialing 9-1-1 right about now. Something’s not right with Fable. She’s acting weird and she looks terrible. “Have you ever felt like this before?”
“Um…” Her voice drifts and she makes a face, her brows lowered. “I don’t remember.”
Great. I wish I could find Drew. The game room is on the other side of the restaurant, near the front, and I can’t abandon Fable now. I need to get her to the bathroom. Maybe we’ll run into Sydney and she can help us out.
We make it back to the tiny hallway that leads to the bathrooms when I feel her lean too heavily into my side. All of her weight sags against me and I grab hold of her tightly but she slips out of my arms and onto the floor in a boneless heap.
“Fable!” I yell sharply but she doesn’t respond.
She’s sprawled on the floor, completely unconscious.
A door swings open and Sydney’s magically there, standing right at Fable’s feet. “Oh my God! Is she okay?” she asks, her voice filled with panic.
I fall to my knees and cradle Fable’s head in my lap, barely looking at Sydney. “Go get Drew. Now,” I snap as I touch Fable’s face, pressing firmly against her cheek. “Fable, wake up. Fable.” I keep repeating her name, but she doesn’t respond. I can tell she’s breathing, but I don’t know why she fainted like that. And it’s freaking me the hell out.
“O-okay.” Sydney takes off out of the hallway and I stare down at Fable’s face. She looks like she’s sleeping. Her eyes are shut, her lips parted, her face still eerily pale. I smack her cheek lightly, not wanting to hurt her, but desperate to get her to wake up.
Hell. This isn’t good. What if something’s wrong with her? What if she’s having some sort of medical emergency? I should’ve had Sydney call 9-1-1 first. What the hell was I thinking? Now I’m alone in this hall in a crowded restaurant with no goddamn phone and an unconscious woman lying in my lap. The same woman who watched out for me when we were kids and I was always up to no good. Yet she never held that against me. Ever.
I owe Fable everything. I owe Drew everything too.
Icy cold fear races through me and I glance around, looking for someone. Anyone. But I don’t want to cause a scene either. Drew and Fable are private people. They’ll do the occasional media spread to please the press, but otherwise, they try their best to remain out of the limelight. The last thing I want to do is call attention to a potential health problem.
Fuck, I don’t know what to do.
I find Drew in the video game room, smiling and laughing at something his daughter said. He’s hauling his tall body out of the racecar game seat, clutching Jacob to him as Autumn bounces up and down near his feet, shouting “Daddy!” over and over again. He spots the panicked expression on my face and immediately rushes toward me.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice low.
“It’s Fable,” I whisper. “She fainted over by the bathrooms. Wade is with her, though.”
He shoves Jacob in my arms and takes off, calling over his shoulder, “Stay with Sydney, Autumn. Daddy will be right back.”
I turn to look at Autumn, who’s watching me with big green eyes that match her mother’s. I didn’t even notice the purple lollipop she’s sucking on. She’s clutching the tiny stick tightly, her lips wrapped around the purple candy, her face smeared with it. I bet she’s a sticky mess. “Where’d Daddy go?” she asks once she pulls the sucker out of her mouth.
“Um, he had to use the potty,” I tell her. So lame, but what else could I tell her? That her mommy fainted?
I don’t think so.
She starts to bounce up and down again and sings a song. “Potty time, potty time, everybody go potty time. I need to go too, Sydney. Can you take me?”
Oh. Crap. Fable fainted right in front of the bathrooms. I can’t take Autumn back there. No way can she see her mom like that, passed out on the floor. I’m doing my best not to freak out, and I know Autumn will lose it if she spots her mom unconscious.
“Give me a minute.” I jiggle Jacob in my arms, who’s starting to fuss. “Let’s see when Daddy comes back.”
“But I really have to goooooo.” She’s still hopping, the sucker in her mouth, her hand covering her crotch, like if she lets go she’ll pee everywhere. And who knows? She just might. “Right now. Right now.”
I’m in full-blown panic mode now. I glance over my shoulder to see if anyone’s emerging from the dark hall that leads to the bathrooms, but I see no one. What if something’s seriously wrong with Fable? I should call 9-1-1. I should tell someone else to call 9-1-1 for me. I can’t just stand here and try to manage their children. This is freaking serious.
God, I feel so helpless, and I think of my parents. How they never taught me to take care of myself. How they always had someone taking care of me, though it usually wasn’t them. It was a nanny or a servant. The housekeeper or the driver they hired when we were younger. That guy drove us to school every day, and he watched over us too. It wasn’t until I was thirteen did my brother Gabe finally tell me he was a bodyguard.
I don’t know what it’s like to take care of myself. But I do know this: the world is pretty freaking scary when you’re on your own.
“Hey.” I turn to find Drew standing in front of me and I sag in relief. I’ve never been so glad to see someone in my entire life. “We need to go outside and get the car.”
“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.