The Bet He Wasn’t Supposed to Win

Everyone at Crestwood High knows Jaxon Reed’s reputation. Bad boy. Trouble. Walking red flag. So when he asks Ellie Marrow out—quiet, rule-following, and painfully invisible—it’s obvious to everyone that it has to be a joke. Except Ellie knows the truth. Jaxon made a bet. A stupid, reckless one. And she’s the prize. Instead of saying no, Ellie makes a choice no one expects: she agrees to fake date him—for her own reasons. With rules. Boundaries. And an expiration date. What starts as pretending quickly turns complicated as Ellie sees the side of Jaxon no one else does. As rumors spread and lines blur, Ellie must decide who she wants to be when she stops playing it safe. And Jaxon has to face the truth about himself—and the damage a single lie can cause. Because when pretending feels this real, someone is bound to get hurt.