Rule (Marked Men #1)(20)

I knew the reason I had initially agreed to go out with Gabe was because he in a very vague sense reminded me of Rule. He had dark hair, light eyes and while he was preppy and clean cut all the way he still had a little bit of mischief in him that just got past my normal reservations. I had known within the first few dates there was no spark, there never was because I was always looking for something, or rather someone that wasn’t there, but Gabe was polite and comfortable until I hadn’t wanted things to get physical. Six months was a long time to string someone along, I knew that, but it didn’t justify the bizarre obsessive behavior he was showing now and it was just one more burden I felt I had to shoulder.

I was so ready to just let it all go. I changed into a pair of sweats and curled up on the bed to watch some Netflix, knowing that Ayden wouldn’t be home from her shift until after two leaving me to pout alone. I should be out and about, should have a phone full of friends I could call to spend a rare Friday night off with, but I didn’t and that was just sad. All I needed was a couple of cats and a pint of ice cream to make the pathetic picture complete. Sometime after my second romantic comedy and Chinese delivery I vowed to fully embrace whatever Ayden had in store for me for my birthday tomorrow because what I was doing now was just sad. My roomie was right, I needed some fun, needed to lighten up and however she decided to make that happen I was on board for. I fell asleep watching yet another dorky girl get a fantastic make over because for whatever reason the guy couldn’t see how beautiful she was under her glasses and messy hair.

I woke up the next morning to happy birthday texts from Rome and my father. As usual there was nothing from my mom and I hated to admit I was sad that Margot didn’t send one. I decided to make breakfast. I was surprised by a beautiful bouquet on the kitchen table and recoiled when I saw who the card was from. I was seriously going to have to do something about Gabe.

Ayden was an early riser; she went running every morning no matter how late she got in from work the night before. She motioned to the flowers with her mug and scowled. “They were on the door step when I got back from my run.”

“I know. I think I might have to get a restraining order.”

“Isn’t his dad a judge or something?”

I sighed. “Yeah.” Getting Gabe to back off might be harder than I thought. “Do you want me to make breakfast?”

She shook her dark head and her eyes glittered at me with excitement. “No I’m going to take you to Lucille’s and then I have the best birthday day planned for you in the history of birthdays.” I loved Lucille’s. It was a popular Cajun restaurant in Washington Park and probably one of the few places outside of New Orleans where you could find an honest to god beignet.

“Yay sounds good. What’s on the docket?”

“First we’re going shopping.” I made a face because I hated shopping. I lived in a ridiculous uniform for work and expensive, name brand clothes that my parents insisted I wear because I was supposed to be dressing for the job I wanted and not the job I had and doctors of any sort apparently didn’t walk around in jeans and t-shirts even when they were off the clock. Seeing my face she grinned evilly. “No we aren’t going rich girl shopping, we’re going normal every day college girl shopping. We’re going to the mall, we’re going to my favorite thrift store, we’re going to that cool vintage store on Pearl Street and you my friend, you are not allowed to spend more than fifty bucks on any one thing so there will be no two hundred dollar heels, no five hundred dollar cashmere sweater sets, no perfectly tailored slacks that are hand stitched by blind monks in the Andes or whatever. We’re just going to be two normal friends spending a day blowing our tips on useless crap.”

Oh that sounded like fun and something I never got a chance to do. “And then,” her whiskey tinted eyes widened dramatically. “We’re going to the salon and getting our hair done and mani-pedis. One of the girls in my inorganic chemistry class has this great hair, she looks like rainbow bright, she swears by this place. So we’re going to get all pretty, put on our new, normal girl clothes and go have dinner at that Brazilian place we’ve both been dying to try.”

It sounded awesome all of it sounded awesome. I was about to launch myself at her in a huge hug of gratitude when she held up a hand. “I’m not done.” She disappeared into her room for a minute and came back out with a card in a pink envelope. “The you are going to take this very cool, very necessary birthday present I got you and come out with me and I don’t mean out to Dave and Busters or Old Chicago’s, I mean out, out and I will cram a good time down your pretty little throat if it freaking kills me.”

I opened the card with mild trepidation. I didn’t know what she meant by out, out. Inside the card was a shiny wrapped present that at first glance looked like a credit card. After I read her sweet birthday wishes I carefully pulled the paper off and gasped when I saw what was looking back up at me. “Ayd I can’t use this.”

The Id had my face on it, my birthday only one year older and looked exactly like a Colorado driver’s license. In fact it looked so much like the one in my wallet there was hardly any difference.

“Oh yes you can. You’ve spent twenty years being everybody’s good little girl, and I’m sick of you killing yourself over it. Most girls your age go out, sneak into clubs, kiss boys, have sloppy one night stands, get into ridiculous, drama filled fights with their girlfriends, Shaw you don’t do any of that. Tonight you are taking that Id and coming out with me and acting like every other idiot twenty year old I know. We’re going to drink too much, act silly and have fun, you deserve it. I can’t remember the last time I saw you smile or laugh. You’re letting your soul wither away trying to be someone you’re just not and I can’t stand by and watch it happen anymore.”