Free Six Rules: Book Two in the SIX Series by Randileigh Kennedy Page A

than some very general details. The thought of being drilled
with questions tonight from his family seemed awkward, when Greyson probably
wouldn’t know those things about me either.
               I opted for a peach knee-length skirt and a fitted white
top. I didn’t want to look too dressy, considering the dinner was held at his
mom’s house. But he mentioned his grandma would be there, along with a couple
of his aunts. If I was stepping into the lion’s den, I had better at least look
cute while doing it.
               I curled my short hair and applied some light make-up. A
few minutes later there was a knock on my door.
               I opened it to find Greyson leaning against the door
frame, looking quite handsome in dark jeans and a soft blue button down shirt.
The color matched his eyes perfectly, and for a brief moment I wanted to pull
him into my apartment and not go anywhere tonight.
               “You look amazing,” Greyson said softly, kissing my cheek.
He grabbed my hand and led me down the metal steps and into his truck. As we
pulled away and began our hour drive down the mountains into Reno, I pried for
more information about his family.
               “So there will just be a few of us, right? This dinner
isn’t a huge thing?” I asked nervously.
               “Well, I didn’t want to say anything. But maybe it’s
better if you’re prepared,” he said hesitantly. “Once they heard I was bringing
a girl, a few more family members have elected to come by.”
               “A few more? So instead of five or six of us, there may be
eight or nine?” My stomach began to feel queasy.
               “Well,” he said with a grimace, “don’t freak out. More
like fifteen people, maybe a few more.”
            “Fifteen
people? That is just a ‘Sunday night family dinner’ crowd? Where I come from,
that’s a full on party. Is that like, every person you’re related to?” I asked
frantically.
               “Well, kind of,” he answered honestly. “Look, I’m sorry it
turned into something more. My mom just got so excited so she made some calls.
A few cousins wanted to come, and before I knew it…”
               “Cousins?” I said interrupting him. “I’ve only known you
for two days and we’re already on cousins?” I shot him a worried glance.
               “Look, I don’t usually bring girls home,” he began.
               “So you chose a girl you’ve known for ten minutes? And who
you’re in a ‘temporary’ relationship with, I might add. Now in three weeks you
have to explain our relationship status to cousins?” The more I thought about
it, the more it fired me up.
               “You really think this relationship is temporary?” he
asked. I couldn’t tell if he was hurt by my comment, or if he was just egging
me on.
               “Forgive me for questioning the ‘opt-out’ clause in the
rules you drafted,” I replied sarcastically. “I think you’re a little bit crazy.”
               “Then this might be a bad time to tell you I’m the normal
one in my family,” he muttered.
               We listened to music and made small talk for the rest of
the drive and finally pulled into a small neighborhood at the base of the
mountains. As we pulled into his mom’s driveway, I could already see numerous
heads standing around through the kitchen window. The house was a small grey
two-story home with a large fenced in backyard.
               As we walked into the house, I could feel eyes all over
me. A tall bubbly woman in her mid-fifties approached me with a wide grin. She
had short blonde hair and leopard print clothing.
               “Mom, this is Mallory,” Greyson said politely. Within
seconds her arms were stretched around me, embracing me in a big hug.
               “You have a