Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

“You didn’t bring your friend this time?” she says, the arrogance in her tone covered up by fake politeness.

I can’t deal with this right now.

“No, he’s out with his boyfriend today.”

Her jaw drops.

I do everything in my power not to laugh.

I just had to. She gave me no choice.

To my great surprise, she looks relieved. I bet she thinks that this is why he was ignoring her pickup lines. Whatever helps her sleep at night.

She leads me to my table and brings me a menu. I don’t know why I came back to the restaurant Haze and I went to. When the taxi driver asked me, “Where to?” I went for the only place in Colton Gate that felt somewhat familiar.

A short while after the waitress brought me the menu, she comes back to take my order.

“What can I get you?” She holds her notepad in her hands.

“I’ll have the breakfast combo.”

She nods. “Would you like a drink with that?”

“She’ll have a cappuccino. It’s on me.”

I look ahead to see a familiar set of eyes staring back at me. I recognize the guy who bought me the black dress a week ago. He just sat down in front of me. I’m tempted to ask him who he thinks he is to choose a drink for me but bite back my words.

“Make that two, actually,” he says to the waitress.

She raises her eyebrows at him the same way she did at Haze the first time she saw him and gives him a warm smile.

Uh-uh. Looks like she’s found her next victim.

I do have to agree with her: this Ryder guy is cute. I’d have to be blind to say that his dimples and messy black hair don’t give him a head start on the good-looking scale, but he’s not Haze. That’s all I see when I look at any guy now: Not Haze.

“Hey. Winter, right?” He smiles.

“Yes,” I say with uncertainty in my voice. “And you’re Ryder if I recall?”

“That I am. Sorry to interrupt. I just saw you sitting there alone, and I thought you could use some company. Hope you don’t mind.”

I’m tempted to tell him to leave me alone but decide against it. We’re in a public place, and he seems pretty harmless. Plus, I might as well talk to some people instead of just roaming around town alone for the rest of the day.

“No, it’s fine.”

“So, how was the storm last night?” he asks.

“It was windy,” I joke but can’t even muster a smile. “Weren’t you there?”

“No, I was out of town. Just came back this morning.”

“Well, you didn’t miss much.”

A bunch of small talk comes next, and I’m not that bothered by it. He knows how to hold a conversation, and he’s pretty nice.

“So, did your boyfriend like the dress?”

That’s right. He saw Haze back at the store.