Page 31 of Little Lies

Fine. If he wanted it so badly. She gave him the most disgustingly sarcastic, all-teeth-showing smile she could muster. “Happy?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “There it is.”

They finished their tumultuous journey in the open doorway of her French class. Madame Fredrick sat at her desk and the students inside peered their way.

She had a nagging realization that she would have to get used to the stares following her everywhere—hopefully only until the gossip started to die down. A feeling reminiscent of stage fright tightened her chest.

Nathan’s arm finally lowered, and she was able to relax when not being touched. She would have to get used to that too, she supposed.

He leaned against the doorway, still acting. “You’re coming over tonight, right?”

It was a careful question.

She recognized it for what it was: a reminder that their first tutoring session was that night at his house.

To others, it held a much more mysterious connotation.

What exactly would Nathan Rondeau and his girlfriend be doing at his house tonight?They all wondered.

Her eyes almost rolled on their own, but she kept them steadily locked to Nathan’s amusement. She needed to be strategic with her answer as well. Keep them curious, keep them guessing. She tilted her head and gave him a flirtatious smile that contrasted the sarcastic one from earlier. “As always.”

He raised a brow, pleasantly surprised by her contribution to the act. “Have fun in class, angel.” He gave her one final wink and left, going back the way he came to the opposite side of school where his class was.

People pretended they weren’t paying attention to her as she walked to her desk in the front row and settled in for the lecture with her books and notebook.

At least from up here, she wouldn’t have to fake a smile when all they could see was the back of her head.

Not that she would have to pretend. Her lips turned slightly up at the corners all on their own.

* * *

This was her second time at Nathan Rondeau’s house.

It felt like the first.

The place had a different vibe to it in the daytime. That and the lack of drunk teenagers made it appear bigger than it already was. The nerves didn’t help.

She was nervous the last time she came too, but this time she actually had to knock on the closed front door, which she did three times.

She held her books tightly against her chest and waited for the door to open.

The hitch unlocked and in a few seconds, a woman stood in front of her. She had brown hair, just like Nathan’s, but lighter eyes. The same straight nose though, distinct enough to not miss.

The kind grin on her face made Tully relax. “Hi there. Are you here for Nathan?”

Tully nodded, and gave her a polite simper. “Yes. I guess he told you I was coming.”

“Oh no, not at all. But I can make an educated guess,” she joked, and her laugh was light and high-pitched. Tully gave a small chuckle. “Come on in, dear.”

Even the entryway was bigger when she didn’t have to squeeze past people. Her eyes drifted to the staircase she had sprinted down last Friday.

“Nathan, honey, you have a guest.”

A door rattled open upstairs, followed by some footsteps, and then Nathan appeared at the top of the stairs. “Oh hey, you’re here.” He pointed out the obvious and descended until he was in front of her.

His mother stood on the sideline and her gaze flickered back and forth between them. “What are you kids up to?” she asked, but Tully could tell from her raised brows she was curious about much more.

“Mom, this is Tully—my . . . tutor. Tully, this is my mom, Sandy.”

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