Page 62 of Rules

"Your hair is, well, it looks like someone has pulled you backward through a hole. Cheetos cheese dust on your cheeks, nose, forehead. Not to mention an impressive orange ring around your mouth. Umm, what is that on your chin?" She leans closer, her mouth open as she concentrates on my chin. "Ice cream?" She looks around the room. "If this is a three bag Cheeto's and ice cream situation it must be bad. What happened?"

"The outfit worked," I say, tears streaming down my cheeks. My aunt and I are very close, so I fill her in on the night, all of it. I start with the call about the security system, then catching him staring at me in my dress. Tobias locking the door, us in the back room. What we did, in detail. Then how he left. I'm a blubbering mess when I finally get the last words out.

My auntie takes a big breath, sits there for a moment, then slowly blows it out.

"That bastard." She closes her eyes then slowly opens them. "I'm so sorry, Ruth. I never would have guessed the sheriff would have acted like that. Never." She picks up the half-eaten ice cream container and helps herself. "Oh honey, I just, I don't know what to say other than I want to punch him in the nose."

"Joey said I would get away with it. So, I don't see why you wouldn't either."

Joey leaves my side, walks over to her, getting up on his hind legs. He begs to be picked up. "Come here, love. I know mom is sad, isn't she?" Joey nuzzles her chin with the top of his head.

She sets the ice cream on the side table. Looking back down at me, she shakes her head. "I don't understand. Tobias just doesn't seem the type of man who does that, then leaves the way he did. It doesn't make sense."

"Me either. I think he lied. When I told him I hadn't been with anyone in a long time, he said he hadn't either and then kissed me. He kissed me with such softness and passion." Tears spill over as I tell her. "That type of kiss isn't made up. You can't fake that."

"No, no, you can't."

"He had to be lying about something." I raise my hand. "He was turned on; he had a hard-on, I felt it."

Another sigh from my auntie. "Why would he lie?"

"I don't know." I mimic her sigh. "I just know it hurts, and I'm stiiicckky." The sobs start again. I lean the top of my head against my auntie's leg as she rubs the back of my neck.

"It's okay, Ruth, let those tears out. It's okay."

After a bit, I sit up and wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

"Goodness, your hands."

Looking down, I see my hands are the color of Cheetos. No wonder I have cheese dust all over my face.

"Okay, come on. To the shower with you. We won't be able to figure out anything while you are covered in cheese dust and sticky from melted Ben and Jerry's. Come on, off you go. I'll still be here when you get out." She pulls at the blanket at my feet.

"Thank you."

"Oh dear, you don't have to thank me. It's what family does. Now go shower, you will feel better. Meanwhile, I'm going to clean up your mess and figure out how to beat some sense into the Sheriff."

Smiling, I step up the two stairs leading into the dining room.

If anyone would get away with beating up Tobias, my auntie would. I kind of hope she does. He's such an ass.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." My auntie pulls the blanket down from its normal spot over my head. "I don't know how you sleep like that. I would strangle myself with the blanket."

"It makes me feel comforted. Why are you here waking me up?" Yawning, I attempt to pull my blanket back up.

"Nope. It's spa day. I called right away this morning and made an appointment for us both. You have hair with Dianna, a mani-pedi, and a massage. Now come on, get up so we can get going."

"Really, a spa day? I don't want to see people today. Plus, I have to work." Picking up my phone, I hit the home button and see it's almost nine o'clock. "Damn, I'm late." I throw back the blankets and jump out of bed. "Why didn't you tell me it was so late?" I shoot my auntie an irritated look as I run into my closet.

"Because you don't have to work today. Mary is going to cover for you." My auntie's voice advises me from the bedroom.

Stopping and glancing back into the bedroom, "What? Mary isn't on today. I am."

"Mary is covering. She is already there. I talked to her last night. She had no problem with it, considering what happened."

"You told Mary?" I half-yell as I walk back into the room, stopping right in front of where she is sitting.

"No. I didn't tell her everything. Just that you had a bad date and needed a day to recover. Now, get dressed. Remember she went shopping with us, she knows what's going on." She glares back at me.

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