was Lane’s cue for quick thinking—but nothing came. His excuses had run dry.
“Tomo?”
Maddie jumped in. “Where did you go, TJ? Where are the others?”
He looked at Lane curiously. “Just had a meeting. They drove back to their place afterward. I walked from there.”
She snuck Lane a glance, a plea for him to act natural. “So, the meeting. What was that about?”
TJ’s attention traveled between him and Maddie in calculating progression. “Shooting the enemy,” he replied, distracted. A struggle between denial and the obvious escalated in his eyes. His shoulders lifted an inch.
In light of all that was happening, Lane couldn’t do this anymore. They needed to protect one another. And that couldn’t happen until he fessed up.
“Lane was actually just leaving,” Maddie said. “He has to see about his family. Isn’t that right?”
A beat dragged past before Lane could push out the words. “TJ, I think we need to talk.”
“Lane,” Maddie breathed. “Please.”
TJ’s gaze lowered, sharply halting at the ring on Lane’s finger. His jaw visibly tightened. “What have you done?”
Something plummeted and landed hard in Lane’s chest. “We should go inside.”
“No,” he said. “You tell me now.”
Maddie’s arms closed over her chest, her neck drawn. She appeared ready for an earthquake. Clearly she had forgotten, as had Lane until this moment, that he and TJ were blood brothers. Two pricks of a sewing needle had sealed their bond in the storage room of Mr. Kern’s shop. They were eight, but their pact held no expiration. Nothing could divide them.
Not even this.
Lane closed the car door. He faced TJ before speaking. “Months ago, Maddie and I, we started dating. We were afraid how you might feel about that, really about her dating anyone. So, we thought it’d be better not to say anything—just at first, though.”
TJ broke in with a slow, raw voice: “Did. You. Marry her?”
No amount of padding would cushion the truth. Lane took a weary breath and answered. “Yes.”
Disappointment carved its way into TJ’s face. It was then that Lane imagined how it would feel, down the road, if some guy ran off and married Emma. Let alone his best pal.
Maddie attempted a voice of reason, which TJ shut down by trudging toward the house.
“Hold on.” Lane followed him. “I know it looks terrible. And I’m sorry, honest I am. But you have to let me explain.”
The air turned electric as TJ reached the stairs. A single spark could set off an explosion. Still, Lane couldn’t let him think the worst.
“Buddy, listen to me,” he said, catching TJ’s elbow.
In an instant, TJ swung around and grabbed him by the shirt, cinched it up under Lane’s chin. “I’m not listening to anything from you! I ought to kill you, you piece of shit!”
“Stop it,” Maddie shrieked. She worked to restrain her brother, his right arm poised for a punch.
“Go on,” Lane yelled back. “Hit me.” And he meant it, wanted the redemption found in a rightful punishment. “Do it!”
“That’s enough,” Maddie said.
TJ’s fist quavered, as did his reddened face. Releasing his grip, he shoved Lane back several feet. “You were supposed to be my friend.”
Lane’s hand rose to his gathered collar. “I am your friend.”
“No, you’re not. You’re a filthy liar,” he seethed. “Paul was right. You’re just another dirty yellow Jap.”
Maddie protectively held Lane’s arm. “TJ, you don’t mean that.”
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте
