Rival Hearts (Rival Love #2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

notice this sooner. “I need to go grocery shopping,” I mumble.
    “What?” Malcom asks.
    “Hmmm?”
    “You said you need to go grocery shopping.” I don’t respond so he shakes his head. “You like pasta, right?”
    I nod. “Who doesn’t?”
    He grimaces. “You’d be surprised. I took this one girl out and she went all crazy when I tried to take her out for Italian. She hated pasta, said the texture of noodles made her think of worms. Then she gagged. She hated cheese, for fear she’d choke. It was pretty much the worse date ever.”
    “Sounds like it.” He guides me out of the car and into a small bistro. I look down at my sweats and t-shirt and start to backpedal away from the door.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I can’t go in there looking like this.” People sitting around have nice shirts and slacks on, and the women are wearing dresses. Malcom tugs on my hand and pulls me inside the building. “Malcom,” I plead. “This is a really bad idea. I’m not dressed for this.”
    “Skylar, relax. It’s my grandpa’s place. We’re eating in the private dining area. No one will see ya.”
    I make an O with my mouth and let him guide me through the busy bistro. We reach a huge guy with muscles on top of muscles who blocks Malcom’s path and eyes us up. “Tony, this is Skylar. Skylar, this is my cousin Tony.”
    “Whatcha doing here, Malc?”
    “I’m just checking in on Gramps. Showing Skylar here around. Going to a party in a little bit.”
    Tony looks me up and down and gives Malcom a raised eyebrow look. “A party, huh? Is it one of those pajama type things? ’Cause one of ya’s not dressed right.”
    “Leave her be, man. She’s in her chill clothes.” He starts to pull me along again and shouts back, “See ya, Tony.”
    We reach a bronze-colored door and he knocks. I look around, noticing the décor, from the marble statues to the crushed red pepper-colored curtains. The place has a romantic, vintage type feel to it, and I have to swallow down my broken self and fake a smile up at Malcom as the door opens.
    An elderly man in a suit with a long dark cane in hand looks over at me then at Malcom. The corners of his wrinkled, pale face lift, and he says, “Malcom, my dear boy, come in. Come in. Who’s this you got with you?”
    The old guy motions us into a large office. Malcom and I enter, while Malcom talks. “Gramps, this is Skylar. She’s a transfer from the Cleveland area. We’re heading to a school function a little ways down the road. I figured since I was in the neighborhood I’d drop in and say hi.”
    “Yeah.” His grandpa comes over to me, picks up my hand, and kisses it. “You’re a beauty, Skylar.” He lets go of my hand and I blush as Grandpa and Malcom stare at me.
    Malcom smiles, nods, and says, “Sure is,” while his grandpa says, “It’s the fussy ones you’ve gotta watch out for, Malcom.”
    I almost ask what he means, but quickly figure out he’s making a comment about my choice of apparel. I just smile and take a seat on the couch in the corner of the room. Malcom takes a seat next to me. He brushes a hand on my knee and I squirm. He removes his hand and laughs.
    “Are you kids hungry? I can get you some menus.”
    We both nod. Malcom’s grandpa leaves his office. Malcom turns to me, and his eyes seem to pierce me. I need to look away but for this brief moment I can’t. “I know I shouldn’t say this to you but … I can’t help it. I think you’re amazing. You’re different from the others around here. Not just because of where you come from and all that crap. Or the fact that I’ve actually hung out with all the others since elementary.” He smiles. “I like that you didn’t jump up and rush upstairs to change as soon as I made a joke about your outfit. I like how you ask for help, and the purpose for it being for help , not to pretend to be helpless to get me as your next boyfriend. However, in this case, that kind of hurt my ego, but no matter.