Writing the Rules: A Fake Dating Standalone Mariah Dietz (best novels to read .txt) 📖

dad after my grandfather retired last year. The idea that he wants to build it has a warmth traveling through my chest. “That’s a great idea,” I say.

Pax grins. “Are you ready to get back out to see everyone?”

“Yeah. It’s so nice to have everyone here and together all at the same time. I’ve missed this.”

“Maybe you can convince Chloe and Ty to move back stateside,” Pax says, leaning forward and reaching for his pants.

“I don’t think so. She likes living in England and with Nessie and Cooper spending half of their time over there, I think they’ve resigned to visiting. We might be able to convince Ian and Rose to move back though now that Arlo’s taking the head coaching position at Brighton.”

“I don’t know. They like California.” Pax frees my underwear and holds them out for me to thread my legs through. He slides them up my legs, dotting kisses on my bare legs as he goes then kisses me on the mouth.

“Maybe it’s good that we’re a little spread out. It gives us a good excuse to go see them and earn some more airline miles.”

“Rose said Ian’s considering retiring next year, though. So it’s possible.”

Pax nods. “I bet they try and keep him so he can train some of the rookies. Ian’s a great teacher. He knows how to mellow guys out and make them play smarter instead of harder.”

“At least we know Rae and Lincoln are stuck here,” I say, glancing toward the window like I can see the house they’re building four acres away. It’s supposed to be finished in the next year and then we really will see them every day, and I can’t wait.

“Do you regret that you didn’t become a teacher?” Pax asks, sitting beside me.

I shake my head. “I actually like working with my mom way more than I could have expected. I feel like we’re helping and I’m grateful I get to be here with the kids. I never knew what I wanted to do but now I do. I love being a mom.”

Pax kisses my temple. “You’re an amazing mother.” He stands, stretching his arms high above his head. “I’m going to go make sure Arlo’s not convincing the other guys to make a slide down the stairs like that time in Vegas. You take your time and I’ll see you downstairs.” He kisses me again and then crosses the room and closes the door softly behind him. I scoot back on the bed, leaning against the mountain of pillows and reach for my journal.

Dear Diary,

Seeing everyone and sharing these stories from college has left me feeling so nostalgic. I think of how I believed that Mike Rio had received several firsts from me. I realize now that wasn’t true. They were my firsts, solely mine. And my firsts seem so inconsequential now, millions of kisses later. I don’t regret my past, not a single part of it-with the exception of the two times my hair dresser convinced me to cut bangs. Because our pasts are what drove us together. Each wrong turn and delay Pax and I took was just another lesson we learned that made our relationship so strong, our attraction undeniable, and our trust the foundation of something so significant that I’ve realized there are way more than three things that I’m good at and at the very top of that list is being with Paxton because with him by my side the list of things I’m good at and capable of is infinite.

I miss all of our friends and not seeing them all of the time, but I’m eternally grateful to have Pax and Rae still constants in this crazy and wonderful life of mine. I still have doubts, I’m still a true introvert, and I still overthink almost everything except I know that I gave my heart to Paxton in small chunks, dating back to when I was five. I’m sure of this. He’s the first guy I ever loved and without a doubt, he’s my last.

I hope you enjoyed this epic story! If you’ve read all six of the books in The Dating Playbook series, I truly hope you’ve loved each couple and adventure. Brighton has been a wild and fun ride that I’ll always love.

If you have a few moments, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon. I would greatly appreciate it.

Not Ready to Say Good-Bye?

Start reading the Dating Playbook Series with Lincoln Beckett’s story in Bending the Rules Read the first chapter on the next page!

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Bending the Rules

Chapter 1

I’ve never considered myself much of a rule breaker. I’m not a follower or a leader, either. I’m just me, Raegan, queen of naps, lover of sweatpants, and obsessive reader. I’m simple, and I like simple. This is why I constructed a set of rules this year to ensure that my freshman year of college goes smoothly and without any complications, while I work toward earning my degree as a cetologist so I can get my dream job, studying whales and dolphins.

The only problem is that my rules become difficult to remember when I hear his name.

Everyone has one of these name hot buttons, I’m convinced. A combination of vowels and consonants that when strung together and spoken, creates an entire web of memories and thoughts. For me, those letters spell Lincoln Beckett. And like trying to convince myself that the two-year crush I’ve been harboring for him is over, I try to pretend his name doesn’t cast a spell over me. That I can hear his name and not work to listen to what news follows; after all, thinking about Lincoln is the very worst of bad ideas.

Why?

Simply put, there are at least ten rules against dating your brother’s best friend, beginning with the very fact that he’s your brother’s best friend. Secondly, he’s guaranteed