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Heaven was on her side—looking down and shining grace and mercy into Nathan Rondeau’s soul that night.
Nathan didn’t kick her out.
Aside from the redness in his cheeks, all he did was run a hand over his face and groan. “Now I really can’t leave you in here alone.”
It was Tully’s turn to give a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
His shoulders slumping, Nathan pulled out his desk chair and sat down in it. His head tilted back, and from where she stood she could see his eyes closed, appearing exhausted. “If you’re sorry let me hide in here with you.”
Tully, humbled and grateful, merely nodded. It was an active decision to not question him. She tilted her head and observed him. From what she’d heard about Nathan Rondeau, he was the king of parties and people.
So why would he want to hide out in his bedroom with her, rather than return to his awaiting attendees?
She pursed her lips. “It’s your bedroom. You can do whatever you want.”
Looking up again, he focused on her and sat up straight. Tully shifted under his scrutiny. “Your name is Tulsa right?”
His uncertainty when he asked it took a hit at her already shredded pride.
Sure, it shouldn’t surprise her at all that Nathan wasn’t sure about her name, but they’d been going to school together for ten years for God’s sake. Whatever, it didn’t matter because he was interested now.
“Tully.”
“Tully,” he worked his lips around the word like he was tasting it. “So that’s short for Tulsa? Like in Oklahoma?”
She sighed internally. “Exactly.” Unfortunately, she’d answered this same question most of her life.
“Interesting.”
“Well it’s better than if I were named Nathan,” she said.
She watched him carefully, keeping her lips pursed and expression straight despite the smile that was begging its way to her face.
Meanwhile, Nathan’s brows furrowed and unfurrowed over and over again as he tried to figure out whether she was joking or not.
Getting to experience the turmoil in Nathan’s face made the already simmering alcohol-ridden amusement in her chest boil over and her face cracked the smile she’d been trying so hard to hold back.
She chuckled, light and gentle, and once Nathan’s mind caught up to the fact that yes, it was actually a joke, his eyes brightened and relaxed.
The awkwardness between them crumbled into bite-sized pieces that were much easier to swallow. In fact, they were the easiest part of the entire night, and her body finally relaxed. She hadn’t realized her shoulders were so tense and her posture so stiff until her back sighed in relief.
“Tulsa does suit you better than Nathan would,” he said, a soft chuckle riding on the words, and Tully smiled.
For a moment, Nathan’s eyes flicked down to her cheek, and she took note of the way his eyes softened and his grin widened. She could have spent a decent amount of time wondering what went on in that head of his, but she brushed it aside, and sat back down onto the bed. This time on the end rather than the side, facing where he sat in his desk chair.
After a few moments, the room was back to quiet.
After ten years of passing him in hallways, she thought she had an understanding of the womanizing partier and his ways. But, watching him smiling at her, relaxed and generous enough to let her hide in his room . . .
A heavy knock on the door shook her out of her thoughts, and both of them jumped as the knob started to shake.
The corners of her mouth fell, and her body tensed again, afraid that Erik or Joliet was coming in for a fight or something.
The reminder of events leading up to now knocked reality back into her head. They felt like distant memories, even though it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes ago.
And it reminded herwhyshe came to this party at all.
Erik might still be pissed about her slapping him, but he might also be passed out. Joliet was no doubt still down there, still conscious of their presence missing from the party.
