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“What?” she asked.
He looked up from the assortment of balls and lifted one up. It was her green one. She took it, feeling its full weight in her hands for the first time. “I said, from now on, we will do everything together. We’re going to show everyone that we can barely stay away from one another and we’re connected at the hip. Homecoming. Dates. Everything.”
Did that mean this was a date too? “Yeah, okay.” The weight of the bowling ball was the only thing keeping her from floating away. What he said made sense now, she just didn’t have enough brain power back to dispute it. If she even wanted to. It didn’t sound bad.
The more she was seen with Nathan, the better.
He looked at her then, and by some mercy, seemed nervous. “I’m sorry about that. I should have asked directly. It was a bit much, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” One-word answers were her thing now.
“Sorry. I’ll be more clear next time.”
Next time.
There was going to be a next time.
She took her green ball and walked past Nathan, needing an excuse to turn away from him. She didn’t stop, or aim, or warm up, or anything. She just extended back her arm and released the ball into the lane.
Strike.
thirty-one
tully
“Tully!” Sandy beamed. Her hair was tied up on her head and she wore a flowery apron over a neat dress. An image of a 1950’s housewife popped into Tully’s mind. “It is so good to see you again!”
Tully smiled and opened her mouth to respond, but Sandy’s thin arms swallowed her words in a tight hug. Frozen like ice, her hands stuck to her sides, pinned down as Sandy patted her back.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t more hospitable last week. Nathan, that boy, he didn’t tell me you were his girlfriend.”
Tully focused on keeping still. The last thing she wanted to do was push Nathan’s mom off her and risk offending her. Obviously, Sandy didn’t have any ill intentions. Still, she couldn’t think of what to say until Sandy pulled away.
“Oh.”
Why wasn’t her method acting working now? It came in handy at the bowling alley, but it’s like it disintegrated once she was here. What was it Nathan said he told his parents about her? Oh right, shy and embarrassed. “I told Nathan I was nervous about meeting you.”
Sandy’s hands clapped together, delighted, as she chuckled brightly. “Oh, hun. No need to worry about that. I know a lot of mother-in-laws like to keep close tabs on their sons, but I’m just happy to meet someone he’s serious about for once.” Sandy had surprisingly quick reflexes. Her hands shot out and grabbed both of Tully’s. Tully sucked in her lip and focused on smiling through the urge to pull away. Sandy lowered her voice. “I’ve always wanted a daughter.”
“Mom!”
Tully had been trying so hard to stay still that she missed Nathan standing on the top of the stairs. The twisted, mortified expression was amusing enough to give her some relief.
“Hi, honey!” Sandy said, though her hands remained clasped to Tully. Nathan noticed it too. His attention homed in on the touch and he rushed down two steps at a time. “We were just chatting.”
“I see that,” he reached forward and, with a sharp whisk of his hand, severed the hold that Sandy had on Tully. Sandy gasped and took a surprised step backward. Tully wasn’t confused about why he did it, though she was a little surprised. She also wanted to laugh. His eyes flicked over her frantically, like any touch on her would make her combust into flames.
She sucked in her lips to keep from smiling.
“Nathan Robert! What are you doing?” Sandy scolded, bewildered.
“Sorry, but we’re in a hurry. The longer you talk the less time your precious son has to study. Now let her go.”
“You could have just said that. I wasn’t holding her hostage,” she huffed and shook her head. Nathan took that as a dismissal and motioned for Tully to follow him. As uncomfortable as it was to be grabbed by Nathan’s mom, she still had a character to uphold after her lapse.
“It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Rondeau.”
“Call me Sandy, please.”
