“Yeah. I do. And I get it now, Dane. I don’t know how you didn’t kill me when you found out about what I did.”
His eyes widen in surprise, and to my astonishment, he laughs. It’s a low, rumble of a laugh that seems to vibrate from his chest.
“Man, you really do love her.”
It’s almost painful to look back at all the time I wasted thinking I was in love with Rain. It’s easy to get confused, but after you’ve had a taste of the real thing, there’s no mistaking it ever again.
“Yeah, well, I haven’t told her that yet. Her dad just died five days ago, so I don’t think it’s the best time.”
Dane nods slowly, and then he reaches into his back pocket to extract the envelope that is hanging out. He hands it to me, and I read the messy handwriting on the front that has my girl’s name on it.
“What’s this?”
“Edward wrote a letter to Tria, Eleanor, and Rain. I told Eleanor I would deliver Tria’s. It gave me an excuse to come talk to you about this beehive you stirred. But if you seriously love her, then I’m not going to say anything other than… What the fuck? You hated Tria worse than anyone.”
His lips curl up in a smile, and for the first time in too long, I feel like my brother is looking at me with something other than hatred. I just laugh, unable to help myself.
“Wish I knew. Dale says I got sucker punched.” I rub my jaw to feign a hit I didn’t see coming, and Dane laughs hard—harder than I’ve heard him laugh in so damn long.
As his laughter tapers off, he stares at the picture of Tria and me on the wall. He studies it for a moment, probably noting the stupid smiles on our faces.
“Corbin said he knew you were serious when you mentioned telling Rain about the letter.”
The others have spoken about this since Dane and I had this fight, but we’ve never talked about it. Not since the day he shoved his fist into my face.
“Yeah. I still want to, but I want to wait until after the wedding.”
He frowns while continuing to study the picture. “The wedding has been moved back two weeks. It was a pain in the ass to do, but Rain didn’t want her father’s death messing with our day. She feels that will be sufficient time for people to get over the son of a bitch. Personally, I don’t understand grieving him at all.”
That has me tightening my lips and trying not to piss him off when we’re finally starting to be on good terms again. I thought this thing with Tria would tear us apart, not push us closer.
“That’s because he treated Rain like shit from day one. Tria knew him as a father for eighteen years of her life. Eleanor loved him for a really long time, even when he tried to make her hate him. Any idea what’s in these letters?”
He shakes his head. “Rain wasn’t ready to read hers just yet. She wanted to wait until she had some liquor. Eleanor retreated to her room after giving me Tria’s, and Rain hugged her goodbye. I figured I’d give her space to get drunk and read it.”
I nod, because there’s nothing to really say. Bashing the guy now that he’s dead seems pointless.
“I don’t think we should tell the truth. Rain will be devastated. I don’t want her to lose her best friend. Would you want Tria to lose someone she has thought of as her best friend for six years?”
Looking down shamefully, I stare at my feet, unable to even face the picture of Tria now.
“I was only her best friend because I knocked you out of the picture.”
Dane sighs long and loud. “No, Kode. You didn’t do that on your own. You provided a speed bump. That’s all it should have been. She and I were ridiculous by letting our pride get in the way. But we were eighteen. And sometimes, as you
know, you make stupid decisions when you’re young based on immature emotions, and then you stick with them because you rationalize the reasons in your mind. It’s a hell of a lot harder to swallow your pride and face something after time begins to pass.”
That’s the fucking truth.
“I wish I had never gone back out to the car that day.”
Dane laughs humorlessly. “That makes two of us.”
The door opens and closes, silencing us as Tria walks in, her eyes wide. Apparently she has already seen Dane’s car in the driveway.
“Tria,” Dane says, standing and fidgeting nervously before pocketing his hands again.
“Dane.” She stands taller, keeping his gaze. I’m pretty sure she’s on the defensive right now, considering she won’t let anyone run their mouths about us. She knows how real we are, and she’s got my back.