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This had to be the worst possible way to find out you have a crush on someone.
Tully wouldn’t consider herself a jealous person, but seeing her sister about to kiss the boy shejustrealized she had a crush on . . . there’s a reason it’s called a crush.
It felt like someone was hugging her chest as tight as they could and not letting go.
The door slammed and echoed off the bathroom acoustics. The couple jumped.
Well, Nathan jumped. His hands shoved Joliet back and she stumbled a few steps. “The hell!” he blustered, his mouth contorted in disgust.
That was when he saw Tully standing there, and the disgust on his face turned into terror.
She didn’t want to see it. Shecouldn’tsee it. Not without it stinging.
She averted her gaze to the back of Joliet’s perfect hair.
“Tully,” he said, but it was a whisper she barely heard.
Joliet turned then, and Tully was acutely aware of how unsurprised she was. Joliet smirked.
Theexact same wayshe did when Tully found her with Erik: arrogant and aware and scheming.
Tully was a fool to assume that Joliet wouldn’t take every last chance she could to get back at her. It wasn’t aboutwantingNathan anymore. It was aboutneedingto spite TullyusingNathan.
Joliet didn’t realize how perfect her timing was.
A week ago, this would have annoyed her. Now it broke her a tiny bit.
Tully turned and left the bathroom. Tricia was laughing outside when she pushed out, but she spared her no ounce of attention.
“Wait. Tully.” Nathan’s calls were cut off by the bathroom door, but he kept coming. Her feet carried her halfway down the hallway when Nathan trampled in after her, calling her name. “Wait. Please wait. It’s not what it looks like.”
She couldn’t look at his face, so she kept walking while he ran. She was almost to the gym door when he reached her and caught her hand in his. He forced her to look at him. “You have to listen to me.”
“Nathan, please.”
“I promise.” His hold on her hand tightened. “She threw herself at me. I barely had time to react.” His eyes flicked desperately between hers, his brows were high with concern. Tully blinked, then looked away from his face to a random chess club poster on the wall behind him that didn’t make her heart race.
“I believe you.”
His touch faltered. “What?”
“I believe you, I do. But right now I really,reallyneed to be alone. Okay?” Keeping her breath steady in front of him was exhausting.
“Let me drive you home.”
“No!” She snapped too quickly. She was being too obvious. Being in a car alone with Nathan was the last thing she needed. She regretted her outburst and backtracked softer. “No. I’ll be okay.”
Nathan studied her expression for anything, and she prayed and prayed and prayed that he couldn’t see clearly. Then, he dropped her hand and took a step back. Tully rubbed her tingling hand on the side of her skirt. “Okay. If you need anything—”
“Thank you.” She didn’t let him finish and continued her escape into the gym. Stephanie was swaying alone by the refreshments with a lemon bar in hand. She saw Tully and raised her brows and grinned, then she saw her face and her mouth dropped. Stephanie set the unfinished refreshment onto the tablecloth.
“What happened?”
“Can your dad come pick us up?”
“What about Rondeau?”
I can’t ride in the same car as Nathan right now because I just realized I have a huge crush on him and being in close proximity is not a good idea. But I can’t tell you that because if I say it aloud then it makes it too real and it can’t be real. I’m not allowed to like Nathan Rondeau.“He’s busy.”
