Read Here With Me for Free Online Page B

climbed inside. 
    “Alright,” he said, starting the car. “You’re going to have to guide me.”
    “Take a right at the corner.”
    He eased the Jeep away from the curb and headed to the restaurant.  Once there, he held open the red door for her and she led him inside.
    “Nice place,” Ryan said once they were seated at a table in the corner.  He picked up a menu and began going over it. “Very swanky.”
    “Yeah, it’s one of Kennebunkport’s jewels.”
    “It’s one of those hippy organic places too,” he smirked, pointing to the statement on the menu, boasting the use of all organic products.
    “ What’s wrong with using fresh ingredients?”
    “Nothing at all.   It’s just very East Coast.”
    “It’s good, so stop making fun of it.”
    He just grinned and the waitress came over to take their order.  Then they were left alone with the awkwardness that was always a first date.
    “I didn’t know you lived with your mom,” he began.
    “Yeah, I still live at home.  By choice, not necessity.”
    “I didn’t mean anything by it.  I was just surprised.”
    “I had big plans when I graduated from nursing school.  I wanted to join Doctors Without Borders or the Peace Corp or something like that so I could see the world and help people or at least work in a hospital in the inner city or some depressed area.”
    “So you’re a do-gooder?” he said with an amused smile.
    “I hope you’re just joking,” she said, taking a drink of water. “I hope you don’t think helping people in need is a bad thing.”
    “Take it easy, Mallory.  I was kidding.  I think it’s great you wanted to do that.  So, what stopped you then?”
    “My mom got sick.  Multiple Sclerosis, actually.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “When we first got the diagnosis, I thought she’d be okay, but she started having spells right away and I knew I couldn’t leave her alone.  She’d never agree to move in with my grandma and my sister, Paige, well…she’s a little too caught up with her perfect life in Connecticut to care about my mom.  So, I was the only option.”
    “I have to say it’s very admirable of you to step up and take care of your mom.”
    “I’m not looking for praise and I’m happy to do it, I just sometimes think how different things might’ve been if my mom hadn’t gotten sick.  I mean, who knows if I actually would’ve gone through with the whole ‘do-gooder’ thing as you put it, but at least I would’ve had the chance.”
    “It could still happen.  You never know,” he said encouragingly.
    “Maybe, but I’m resound to my fate of living in Kennebunkport, which actually isn’t bad. I love it here.  I just like to pretend the whole small town thing isn’t for me, when I think it actually is.”
    “There could be a lot worse places to be stuck.”
    “I can’t argue with that.  What about you?” she asked, buttering a piece of bread from the basket the waitress had brought over. “What was it like where you grew up?  Arizona, I mean.  I’ve never been there.  I just imagine cactus and cowboys,” she laughed.
    “There are cactus and cowboys, but it’s not like the movies portray.  It’s a whole lot different than Maine, I can tell you that.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “Well, I grew up near Phoenix, so it was hot, obviously.”
    “What’d you do for fun?”
    “Hiked, drove out to the lake to cool off sometimes.”
    “There’s actually water in Arizona?” Mallory asked through a laugh.  Ryan just grinned and nodded.
    “Yes, there’s water in Arizona.  We even have indoor plum bing,” he said with a grin.
    “T he brochure just keeps sounding nicer and nicer.”
    He just smiled and shook his head.
    “Is all your family out west then?” Mallory continued.
    “What little family I have is, yes.”
    “So you come from a small family then?”
    “ It’s just my dad and my brother.  It was always Everett, Philip and me.”
    “You call your dad by his first