Unbreakable Rules (Too Many Rules Book 3) by G.L. Snodgrass Page B
Authors: G.L. Snodgrass
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blouse?" I yelled as I ran down the stairs. Six o'clock was coming way too fast. Why was I so nervous? My heart wouldn't stop racing, my palm wouldn't stop sweating, and my stomach felt like a knot of chains. This was ridiculous, it was Ryan Hardy for Crist's sake.
"It's hanging in the laundry room where you left it last week. Why, honey?" she asked.
I needed that blouse. It was perfect for tonight, not dressy, but I looked good in it. Grown up. As if I was in college. Especially when paired up with the right jeans.
"I'm going out," I yelled to my mom as I ran back upstairs.
"With whom?"
That's my mom, always perfect English. "With Ryan Hardy, that's whom."
"And Ryan Hardy is?"
"Nana's neighbor, you remember, I told you about him. I stayed at their house during the power outage."
"Oh," was all she said and I knew she was going to call Nana to get all the details. Well, at least, it gave them something to talk about.
At six, on the dot, our doorbell rang. My heart jumped and stomach fell. Here we go Hailey, I thought as I grabbed my purse and headed down the stairs. Mom had beat me to the front door of course. She was nice enough to wait until I'd caught my breath and made one last check in the mirror.
Looking me over from head to foot, she nodded and opened the door.
Ryan surprised me. He looked good. A button down long sleeved blue flannel shirt exposed a dark blue T-shirt underneath. I smiled to myself. I'd bet anything the T-shirt referenced a superhero or some scientific formula. It wasn't perfect the collared shirt was tucked into stonewashed jeans. But, he looked good. He'd obviously tried.
My heart relaxed a little. I wasn't going to be embarrassed to be seen in public with him. I know that sounds catty, but I'd had my doubts there.
"Thanks, Mom," I said as I scooted through the door. The last thing I wanted was her grilling Ryan. "We won't be late," I threw over my shoulder.
Ryan rushed ahead and opened the passenger door to an older maroon Honda Civic that looked like it had seen better days.
"Who does this belong to?" I asked him as I slid in. That old car smell wasn't too strong. That faint aroma of ancient McDonald's french fries, fake leather, and the moisture of too many winters in the Northwest.
Things looked neat, though. There wasn't an overflowing ashtray or beer bottles rattling around in the back at least.
"It's mine," Ryan said with a prideful smile on his face. "I bought it today."
"Wow, it's nice," I said, unable to not compare it to Jarret's brand new Mustang. “The one difference,” I told myself, Ryan bought it himself. And, only after he'd helped his mother. There's a difference Hailey. Remember that.
"So I forgot, you look very nice," Ryan said with a shy smile.
I smiled back and said "Thank you. You do, also. I don't know if I've ever seen you wear anything other than a T-shirt."
"Yea, well Amanda made me."
I snorted with surprise. He stared at me for a second, then laughed also. With that simple joint moment, we let the some of the tension escape. Both of us seemed to relax, determined to have a good time.
My heart skipped a little when Ryan parked at the mall. Would we run into anyone we knew? I wondered. If so, how would it go? Would it be limited to dirty looks or grow into something ugly?
"So do you want to eat at the Steak House, The Sushi bar, or maybe that new restaurant? I checked. We don't need reservations."
"Oh," I said in surprise. Can he afford all of this? "Why don't we load up on popcorn at the movies?"
"Ok?" he said with a frown. "If that's what you want." I could tell that he wanted to impress me, but I wasn't going to let him waste his money like that.
"What should we do until the movie starts?" he asked.
"Shopping of course," I said, as I silently laughed to myself when his eyes grew three sizes bigger. I swear beads of sweat threatened to form on his forehead. Did the idea of shopping with a girl scare him that much?
"Don't worry," I said. "I
"It's hanging in the laundry room where you left it last week. Why, honey?" she asked.
I needed that blouse. It was perfect for tonight, not dressy, but I looked good in it. Grown up. As if I was in college. Especially when paired up with the right jeans.
"I'm going out," I yelled to my mom as I ran back upstairs.
"With whom?"
That's my mom, always perfect English. "With Ryan Hardy, that's whom."
"And Ryan Hardy is?"
"Nana's neighbor, you remember, I told you about him. I stayed at their house during the power outage."
"Oh," was all she said and I knew she was going to call Nana to get all the details. Well, at least, it gave them something to talk about.
At six, on the dot, our doorbell rang. My heart jumped and stomach fell. Here we go Hailey, I thought as I grabbed my purse and headed down the stairs. Mom had beat me to the front door of course. She was nice enough to wait until I'd caught my breath and made one last check in the mirror.
Looking me over from head to foot, she nodded and opened the door.
Ryan surprised me. He looked good. A button down long sleeved blue flannel shirt exposed a dark blue T-shirt underneath. I smiled to myself. I'd bet anything the T-shirt referenced a superhero or some scientific formula. It wasn't perfect the collared shirt was tucked into stonewashed jeans. But, he looked good. He'd obviously tried.
My heart relaxed a little. I wasn't going to be embarrassed to be seen in public with him. I know that sounds catty, but I'd had my doubts there.
"Thanks, Mom," I said as I scooted through the door. The last thing I wanted was her grilling Ryan. "We won't be late," I threw over my shoulder.
Ryan rushed ahead and opened the passenger door to an older maroon Honda Civic that looked like it had seen better days.
"Who does this belong to?" I asked him as I slid in. That old car smell wasn't too strong. That faint aroma of ancient McDonald's french fries, fake leather, and the moisture of too many winters in the Northwest.
Things looked neat, though. There wasn't an overflowing ashtray or beer bottles rattling around in the back at least.
"It's mine," Ryan said with a prideful smile on his face. "I bought it today."
"Wow, it's nice," I said, unable to not compare it to Jarret's brand new Mustang. “The one difference,” I told myself, Ryan bought it himself. And, only after he'd helped his mother. There's a difference Hailey. Remember that.
"So I forgot, you look very nice," Ryan said with a shy smile.
I smiled back and said "Thank you. You do, also. I don't know if I've ever seen you wear anything other than a T-shirt."
"Yea, well Amanda made me."
I snorted with surprise. He stared at me for a second, then laughed also. With that simple joint moment, we let the some of the tension escape. Both of us seemed to relax, determined to have a good time.
My heart skipped a little when Ryan parked at the mall. Would we run into anyone we knew? I wondered. If so, how would it go? Would it be limited to dirty looks or grow into something ugly?
"So do you want to eat at the Steak House, The Sushi bar, or maybe that new restaurant? I checked. We don't need reservations."
"Oh," I said in surprise. Can he afford all of this? "Why don't we load up on popcorn at the movies?"
"Ok?" he said with a frown. "If that's what you want." I could tell that he wanted to impress me, but I wasn't going to let him waste his money like that.
"What should we do until the movie starts?" he asked.
"Shopping of course," I said, as I silently laughed to myself when his eyes grew three sizes bigger. I swear beads of sweat threatened to form on his forehead. Did the idea of shopping with a girl scare him that much?
"Don't worry," I said. "I
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