The Mating Rules

Flick gives my mate a pointed look, ‘it’s rude not to introduce your date, Carrington’ she adds.

Hadley reluctantly looks up again, glaring at the girl angrily who grins back at him as he waves at me, ‘Flick, Jamie-Lee, Jamie-lee, Flick.

Flick holds out her hand for me to shake, ‘well I don’t know how this moody git got someone like you to come out with him, especially to this dive, but I’m glad he’s not eating alone for a change.’

I take her hand, ‘I think it’s lovely here’ I reply shyly, making the young girl snort.

‘Please, that dress tells me that you are more used to waiters in tuxes serving you than a girl in a cotton shirt and undies that have ‘screw me’ written in glitter on them’ she retorted, but the twinkle in her eye told me that she wasn’t being mean.

I glanced down at my dress, yeah I do look well overdressed, ‘I uh, didn’t know where we were going’ I admitted, ‘I didn’t want to be underdressed and embarrass Hadley.’

I feel Hadley’s gaze snap toward me but I fight the urge to meet those brooding eyes again, keeping my gaze on Flick, who pats my hand with her other one before letting go. ‘One thing to know about Carrington here, he isn’t one for fancy sh*t. He likes his burgers and fries, beer in a bottle, and that beat up truck in the parking lot. You can’t embarrass this guy because he doesn’t give a f*ck what people think.’ She leans closer, her voice dropping conspiratorially, ‘I think the only person he’s scared shitless of is my Ma.’

I giggle as she winks, straightening up again, ‘OK, what are you drinking, girlfriend?’ she asked.

‘Umm could I get a soda?’ I asked uncertainly.

Flick throws her head back laughing, ‘oh girl, you are fun, I’ll get you a beer’ she replies before wiggling her fingers at us and walking away.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

I turn back to Hadley who is still watching me, ‘she seems nice’ I say quietly, as I flick the edge of my menu with my thumb.

‘I used to help her brother out with his car, that’s how she knows me’ Hadley muttered suddenly, cutting his gaze to the window beside us. ‘I never dated her or anything, her Ma started making me come here for food, kind of a thanks for helping Derek with his sh*t heap of a truck. I’ve been coming here for years, they are sorta like family to me.’

The warrior’s mouth clams shut again and he buries his head back into the menu as I pick my own up, surprised at the warrior’s blurting out of information. Had he known I was unsure about his relationship with the waitress?

Seconds later, Flick was back, placing a bottle in front of each of us before glaring at Hadley, ‘Ma said you only get one, if you driving this girl home you ain’t doing it drunk and if you got a problem with that, she’s out back’ she says firmly.

I choke on a laugh at the teenager’s words, whilst Hadley sighs deeply, ‘I was only having one anyway’ he grunted.

‘Well it’s good that you and Ma are on the same page cos I sure as sh*t ain’t going back out there to tell her you said no’ she retorts. ‘Now, food, what you having?’

I take one last glance over the menu before raising my gaze to the girl beside me. ‘Could I get a small cheeseburger with a salad?’ I ask.

Flick raises an eyebrow at me, ‘girl, you trying to enter Miss World or something?’ she scoffed, ‘I go back in there and tell Ma you ordered a salad, she coming out here to whoop your a*s and then mine for taking that order! You want a cheeseburger with the works, a good helping of loaded fries, and some cheese sticks. I’ll bring you that, trust me you’ll thank me’ she added, jotting it down as I just stare at her in silent shock.

‘You’ Flick added, pointing her pen at my mate, ‘you get the cowboy burger, no onions, I’m not subjecting this poor girl to your oniony breath. Loaded tater tots and damn, you need some mac and cheese bites!’

She snatches the menu from his hands as I meekly offer her mine, nodding at us both before rushing off again.

I turn, dumbfounded, toward Hadley who gives me a small grimace, ‘dunno why she even gives out menus’ he muttered, ‘no one ever gets what they ask for.’

I giggle, I can’t help it, ‘well what she suggested does sound better than my choice’ I reply with a grin.

Hadley smiles, for the first time and my breath catches as his face lights up, suddenly transforming from the closed off man I’m used to seeing, into this open and breathtakingly beautiful man instead. ‘Yeah, I’ve never had a bad meal here’ he agreed, oblivious to the effect he’s just had on me.

I play with the salt shaker that’s between us on the table, tapping it lightly to the music as Hadley sits across from me, the atmosphere awkward once again.

Plates are placed in front of us and I have to admit that Flick was right, the food looks amazing. I quickly cut my burger in half, knowing it’s too big to hold as it is, and lift one half, taking a huge bite as my taste buds throw an immediate party inside of my mouth. Groaning loudly, I chew on the mouthful, my eyes closing as I savour the flavor hitting my tongue.

Swallowing, I open my eyes, grinning at Hadley, who bites into his own burger, watching me over the brim of the bun in his hands. ‘This is the best thing I have ever eaten’ I gushed happily, taking another big bite.

The warrior gave a small smile, ‘Ma does make a mean burger’ he agreed, sinking his teeth into the food as we eat in silence.

Popping the last of the meal into my mouth, I grab a fry from my plate, and swirl it in the burger sauce that fell out as I was eating, coating it in the delicious sauce, and popping it into my mouth as I chewed thoughtfully. ‘You don’t talk much’ I comment, watching the man across from me closely as he stiffens before shrugging non committedly at me.

‘Don’t see the point in talking for the sake of it. If I’ve got nothing to say, I keep quiet’ he replied evenly.

I tilt my head, shaking it slightly, ‘no’ I disagree, ‘I don’t think that’s it.’

Hadley raised his gaze to me, his deep grey eyes dragging me in, ‘you think you are an expert on me?’ he asks, an edge to his tone.

I shake my head, ‘no’ I reply, ‘I barely know you, but it doesn’t mean I’m blind.’

The warrior’s brows knit together as his stare hardens, ‘you don’t know sh*t about me princess’ he growls through gritted teeth, ‘let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for this Goddess damned mate bond, you wouldn’t even be here right now.’

I reel back at his harsh tone, blinking a few times as he turns away from me abruptly, standing up and digging in his pocket for a few bills that he throws on the table before crossing his arms over his chest.

I was seriously expecting him to storm off and leave me here with the anger radiating off his body, so taking his silent command, I stood up, straightening my dress and followed him out of the restaurant back to his truck.

Surprisingly, Hadley walks to my side, opening the door for me but making sure not to touch me in any way as I climb in, shutting it firmly behind me.

Striding to his own side, he slides in behind the wheel, turning the ignition, his thumb rubbing the top of the steering wheel until the vehicle splutters to life again.

Pulling out of the space, he drives us back to the pack in silence, pulling up at the front door, keeping his gaze away from me as I slowly reach out and push open the door to slide out.

Hesitating, I turned back to my mate, taking in his chiseled profile, ‘thank you for dinner’ I whisper, ‘I had a really nice time.’

A snort of what feels like disbelief comes from my date but I decide to let it go. I have no idea why Hadley wants to date me, but it damn sure isn’t about me.

‘Goodnight Hadley’ I murmur and step from the cab, shutting the door behind me before heading toward the pack house front door. Surprisingly, the warrior’s vehicle doesn’t move until I reach the entrance, opening it so the light from within bathes me. Turning back, I can just make out the silhouette of his face in the dark cab as he puts the truck in gear and pulls away, leaving me alone on the doorstep.

Heaving a sigh, I push open the door, almost walking straight into a wall of muscle. My eyes travelling up as the scent of cedar envelopes me. Caden my body whispers as I meet with the intense blue eyes of my second mate.

‘Just got back?’ he asked, trying to pull off nonchalance, but the fire in his eyes tells me he is pissed.

‘Yes, He just dropped me off’ I reply quietly.

Caden snorted derisively, ‘where did he take you? An all night gas station for a big gulp and a microwave hotdog?’

I frown, stepping away from the Alpha, ‘not that it’s your business’ I reply coolly, ‘but we went to a really nice diner, I had a lot of fun.’

I watched as the future Alpha’s shoulders tense, his jaw tightening, ‘oh good, glad you had fun with your other mate’ he growls before turning on his heel and stalking away from me.

Groaning, I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and forefinger, this night had been a sh*t show all round. I’m beginning to wonder why the heck I wanted the whole romance thing in the first place because so far, this dating malarkey wasn’t anything like the movies described it.

Suddenly I’m tired, bone tired, my body sagging as I pull off my shoes and walk barefooted up the stairs toward my room.

Only twenty seven more days to go though woohoo!