Page 90 of Little Lies

He flinched every time her foot stepped, and if need be, he was ready to drop all her stuff to catch her if she fell. But that didn’t happen and in a couple minutes, they were both safely planted on the ground.

They snuck across the lawn, and Nathan glanced over to Tully. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her impish grin and her childish giggle that sent his blood racing. She didn’t do this very often. Nathan was thrilled over the fact that it was all because of him.

He opened the back door and tossed everything in after her. They rushed in, starting the car and tearing away from the curb.

The night had barely begun, and it was already vibrant.

Nathan couldn’t stop chuckling, and turned his stereo up, blasting Bowie. If it were warmer, he would roll the windows down too. He peeked in the rearview mirror and saw Tully shifting around in the back seat. She fidgeted and moved her shirt upwards.

It all happened so fast that he didn’t have a chance to even process it fully. Nathan’s heart stalled the second he saw her grab the hem of her shirt and start to lift. He swallowed. He was being a creep, heshouldhave looked away, but he couldn’t. His eyes were fixated on the skin of her stomach that got higher and higher. He recalled a moment in time when his fingers briefly touched that skin. His blood rushed.

As if she could sense him, Tully’s eyes met his and widened.

“Hey,” she snapped. Nathan jumped. He was damn lucky that she was in such a good mood. She didn’t get angry, just shook her head and laughed. “Keep your eyes on the road, Rondeau,” Tully’s light voice said, followed by the brush of fabric as she started grabbing the dress.

His eyes snapped back to the road and he cleared his throat, embarrassed that he was caught. He nodded and turned up “Obsession” by Animotion so he couldn’t hear her moving and removing clothes. “Yes, ma’am.”

forty-four

tully

This was her Cinderella moment—with a twist.

Her Prince charming was also her fairy godmother and her pumpkin carriage was a BMW where she was splayed on the backseat, struggling to bippity-boppity-boo herself into her purple, satin ball gown. All while making sure her Prince Charming didn’t sneak any peeks.

It took some work, but Tully managed without any torn stitches. She played with her curls, pushing them this way or that to make them presentable through her reflection in the window. She could live without the makeup and accessories. The dress and shoes and date were all she needed.

Nathan pulled into the school parking lot and cleared his throat.

Tully smiled—he had been careful not to peek without her permission. “You can look now.”

Nathan glanced through the mirror and when he saw she had replaced her home clothes with her dress, he relaxed. “You ready?”

She opened her door. “Let’s go make an entrance.”

Nathan came out and extended his arm. “Yes or no?”

Tully linked with him before answering. “Yes.” Nathan grinned down at her and together they walked into the school.

The gym was invaded by pink, blue, and green streamers. Loud music echoed off the gym floor and the lighting made the area look like a different room than where Tully had watched Nathan play basketball. Tully scanned the crowd and faltered when she saw her best friend dressed in blue frills coming towards her.

“You made it!” Stephanie exclaimed. Tully stopped walking. Last night when she told Stephanie she was grounded her friend said there was no way in hell she would endure homecoming without her. So seeing her there came as a mild shock, which Stephanie could see on her face. “Nathan called and said he’d get you here.”

Nathan shrugged nonchalantly, and Tully shook her head astounded. He’d thought of everything.

“Tully! Nathan!” She knew Kimmy’s yell by now, it was the only way she’d greeted her since they’d become acquainted. She pulled Tommy after her. Her hair was in a frizzy updo with two long ringlets pulled in front with her bangs, and Tommy wore a light blue blazer that contrasted her glam red dress. The colors didn’t complement each other at all, but that didn’t bother either of them who looked like they snuck a flask or two into the gym. “My God, you total babe! I don’t ever want to see you wear anything but purple. It’s perfect for you.” Her fingers pinched the puffed sleeve of Tully’s dress.

“Thank you.”

“What about me?” Nathan used the arm Tully wasn’t holding to gesture to his black suit. “Did I have to wear a dress to get any compliments?”

“Is that dirt on your knee?” Kimmy narrowed her eyes at a tainted gray smudge on the black of Nathan’s dress pants.

“Show up lateanddirty? What the hell have you two been up to?” Tommy smirked at them. Tully flashed back to Nathan kneeling on her roof and sneaking into her room, catching her dress as she threw it out her window. Tommy would never guess what they were doing.

Nathan smacked the dirt off his knee and Tully, thankful that he managed to catch her dress without any humiliation, covered for him.

“I think you look very handsome,” she said, and Nathan snapped his head to her in surprise. She kept the teasing in her tone just for him, and his face softened.

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