Click to start The Rules of Engagement series from the beginning.

Rule #4: Be Honest

Men are awful at lying. Women know this. Don’t tell her that your Ferrari is in the shop, or that you just settled a big case in court today, when one look at your shoes can tell her that your Pinto is parked outside with a pizza delivery sign on top. Tell the truth. She might like you anyway.

If you’ve followed the first three rules, you won’t have too much trouble impressing women. Getting caught in a lie is a really good way to ruin your chances with that hot secretary on the 3rd floor. Believe me; she knows how much money you make.

There are other compelling reasons to be honest:

• If you tell her how much you actually hate it, she is less likely to try dragging you to an opera.
• It is much easier to keep your stories straight.
• If you tell her that you are crying because you’ve just stuck your finger in your eye during that sappy chick flick she insisted on seeing, she’s just going to think you’re stupid and clumsy.
• If she knows that you’re seeing other women, there’s a good chance you won’t end up with a fork in your eye when she runs into you while you are on a date.

* The first real fight Rick and I had over this book occurred because of his flat out insistence that I include the following paragraph at the end of this chapter. Read it and you’ll see why I was adamantly against it:

You should remember to let her do most of the talking, because:

• Being too open can get you into more trouble then being “mysterious”
• Not telling the whole truth is not a lie
• Anything before “I Love You” doesn’t count

He was a classy bitch, huh?