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Her sanity? Hanging by a thread.
Her reputation? Shredded.
Her heart? That was already gone. In the hands of someone else.
“It’s time to listen to someone other than your obnoxiously large brain.”
Stephanie had said something similar. What was it?
Oh right—Don’t think. Just do.
The rest of the wrapping paper came off easily, and she grabbed the lid of the box, pulling is straight off to reveal what Nathan had packed so neatly in there.
A stinging in her eyes welled, and she wiped quickly at the one tear that broke through before it could fall onto the gift. What a silly thing to cry over.
After all, it was only a purple sweater with NYU embroidered in the center, and a blueberry Pop-Tart wrapped up and sitting on top.
She’d been so busy trying to use her head that she’d forgotten that brains weren’t always reliable.
Eugene and Stephanie were right. It was about time.
She cleared the emotions clogged in her throat and stood up. “I’ve got to go.”
She grabbed her winter coat from where it hung in her closet then rushed to the door, pausing only momentarily to say one last thing. “Thanks, Eugene.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, laughing and appearing mightily full of himself. “Go put Rondeau out of his misery already.”
fifty-nine
tully
Tully’s hands were shaking again, but she managed to knock on the front door.
Nathan’s house looked exactly how you would expect on Christmas. Golden lights were strung on the roof line, a large wreath hung on the door, and even the baby evergreens lining the front were lit with twinkling greens and reds.
She only had a moment to appreciate it before the front door swung open.
Sandy looked as festive as the rest of the house, her mousy hair braided with tinsel and wearing a “Mrs. Claus” apron.
Nathan’s mom nearly jumped when she saw Tully standing there, her eyes as big as the ornaments on the tree in the living room. “Tully! My word, I thought I’d never see you again. Merry Christmas!” Warm, welcoming arms captured Tully by the shoulders and pulled her in.
Tully wanted to say that she also thought she’d never see her again, but just smiled nervously and after a few moments pulled from the hug. She was in the same vicinity in as Nathan, and her body was reacting to that knowledge. Her heart was racing, blood pumping in her ears and making her lightheaded.
“Hi Sandy, I’m sorry to just show up like this. I need to see Nathan.”
“He’s in his room. Go. Go. Go.” Sandy put her hand on Tully’s back and pushed her to the stairs without question, rushing her faster than she ever had in the times she’d been here before. When Tully glanced back at her, she was grinning so big her teeth rivaled the lights.
Tully approached Nathan’s closed bedroom door.
Normally, he’d always guided her to his room. This was the first time she was approaching without him knowing she was there. She stared at the door, took a deep breath, then knocked.
“Come in.” His voice was quiet, muffled.
Tully took another, shaky breath and walked in.
Nathan was laying on his bed, his hands behind his head laying leisurely back like he’d been staring at the ceiling. But the moment he saw her standing there, he jumped up and rushed across the room toward her as she closed the door behind her. She stopped walking once she was in front of his window.
He was a foot away from her, searching her like he was expecting to find her bruised, but when he saw she was fine he visibly relaxed.
