Page 22 of August Lane
“I just do.” Luke fixed his brother with a hard stare. “Don’t argue with her about it. I can take care of myself.”
“You let her spit on you.”
Luke’s skin flashed hot. He didn’t regret being honest with Ethan, but his brother’s black-and-white way of viewing things didn’t make it easy. “I didn’tlether do anything.”
“You didn’t fight back.”
“How? By spittin’ back? You want me to hit her?”
Ethan fell silent, and Luke instantly regretted his sharp tone. Although Ethan had seen the worst sides of Ava, her fury had never been pointed in his direction. His little brother didn’t understand whythey were treated differently and often blamed Luke for not standing up for himself.
Luke knew exactly why the sight of her youngest son was a sigh of relief, while the sight of her oldest sent Ava into a rage. At nineteen, she’d gotten pregnant by Jason Randall, a pitch-black cattle farmer, which had infuriated her rich Creole parents. They’d cut her off and refused to acknowledge their grandson. When Jason died unexpectedly, Ava had packed their things and driven to Baton Rouge, ready to be welcomed back with open arms. But according to his mother, they took one look at Luke and slammed the door in her face. “My people are weird about some things” was her only explanation.
Luke became a reminder of her loss. He represented a choice she regretted and the man who convinced her to make it. Ethan, the unexpected child of a roaming white folk musician she met at the Delta Music Festival, became her humanity. Loving him was the only reason she hadn’t given up on life completely.
“How’s school?” Luke asked. He wanted to rescue the morning since they rarely had much time alone during the school year. “Did you ace that chemistry quiz you were stressed about?”
“That was last week, and yes.” Ethan tried to look grumpy but failed because he loved bragging about being an eighth grader earning perfect scores in senior level classes. “It was multiple choice, so I memorized a lot of that stuff for nothing.”
“Not for nothing, Dr. Randall,” Luke said. “You’ll use it in college or medical school.”
“Pretty sure those will be a lot harder.”
Luke grinned. “For you? Nah. You’ll be whining about it being too easy on the first day.”
Ethan smiled down at his food, moving it around his plate. He’d barely touched it. Luke tapped the table and motioned for him to tuck in. “Don’t want to be late.”
“Because you want to see August Lane?”
Luke frowned. “How do you know August?”
Ethan turned red again. “Don’t be mad. I borrowed your iPod without asking and was trying to sneak it back into your room when I sawher notebook open on your bed.” He bit into a piece of bacon and spoke while chewing. “Y’all would make a cute couple. Have you met her mother yet? You should play her your music.”
“Hold on. One, don’t steal my shit. Two, I’m still with Jessica. August and I are just friends.”
“August doesn’t have friends.”
Luke started to argue but couldn’t think of a shred of evidence to the contrary. “I thoughtyoudidn’t have friends,” Luke said instead. “Who’s telling you all this stuff?”
“I have friends, jerk. Ever heard of study dates?”
“You’re dating now?” Luke leaned back and tried to look at his brother with clearer eyes. A dark smudge dotted his cheek, threatening stubble. How had he missed it? “What’s his name?”
Ethan’s eyes shot to the door out of habit. No one else knew he was gay. Their mother, a lapsed Catholic, had become a lot more devout since she’d started dating Don, a Southern Baptist who wouldn’t hesitate to send Ethan to some “pray the gay away” church camp.
“I’m not—he isn’t—it’s new, so I don’t want to talk about it yet.” Ethan’s face was the color of ripe cherries. “Anyway, you’ll get tired of Jessica. She never talks about anything interesting. Plus, you don’t play guitar for her. You play for everyone you love.”
Jessica cringed and shuddered whenever country played on the radio. She called it redneck music. Anytime he thought about her stumbling over his copy ofLearn to Live, his stomach sank at the prospect of her ridicule. “How could anyone actually like Darius Rucker?” she’d probably ask. Meanwhile, the thought of playing “It Won’t Be Like This for Long” for August made him light enough to float.
“It isn’t fair to compare them,” Luke said, for his own benefit as much as his brother’s. “Jess isn’t a music person. Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m not August’s type.” He pictured Richard, who looked and smelled like a men’s magazine ad.
“Well, if she’s your friend, ask her aboutCountry Star. I heard they’re doing auditions in Nashville next month. She might know something.”
Luke took both their plates to the sink. “What’sCountry Star?”
“A talent competition.American Idolfor country singers.”
“Sounds corny.”
