Zane nodded slowly as he picked up one of the bags and hung it on his right arm before picking up another. “It’s great that you still have him.”
“He’s still here most of the time,” Ty responded with a sigh. “Sometimes I think he’s putting on just so he don’t have to deal with us,” he added with a smirk.
“Like I haven’t seen that before,” Zane said, nudging Ty in the ribs with this elbow.
“I don’t play at crazy,” Ty warned with a smirk he couldn’t quite hide. He reached into the Bronco and dragged out one last bag, throwing it over his shoulder. Zane fixed a look of disbelief on his partner. “What?” Ty asked angelically as he picked up the first bag and began heading for the house.
“You don’t play at being an ass**le either,” Zane informed him as he followed him.
“No, I don’t,” Ty agreed happily as he tromped across the yard with the bags.
“Oh, the things I could say,” Zane muttered, reminding himself Ty’s family was around.
“What was that?” Ty asked with a look over his shoulder. He was grinning widely, his hazel eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
“You heard me,” Zane drawled, his heart skipping a beat or two. Ty was rarely in this mood lately. Not since New York, in fact. Ty winked at him and thumped up the steps.
“Hey, sonny,” Chester said to him as he rocked. “How far’s the trek this time?”
“Too far for you, old man,” Ty grunted with a smirk.
“Damn straight,” Chester said happily as he looked back out at the mountain and patted his shovel lovingly.
“Maybe I’ll stay here and keep him company,” Zane suggested. “He can protect me from the snakes.”
“Ain’t no snakes this time of year,” Chester scoffed. “Damn fool federal agents,” he muttered sorrowfully with a shake of his head.
Zane chuckled. “Sorry. There’s snakes year-round in Texas.”
“Garrett,” Ty warned under his breath, shaking his head.
“Does this look like Texas to you, son?” Chester asked irritably. He easily picked up the weighty shovel with one gnarled hand and waved it in Zane’s direction.
“No, sir,” Zane answered smartly, stepping a bit behind Ty. “I’ll be sure to pay better attention.”
“Smartass,” Chester muttered as he returned his attention back to the view and began rocking again.
Ty reached behind him and patted Zane’s hip, urging him to get inside as they sidestepped past. Zane cleared his throat as he allowed Ty to shuffle him inside. Ty just shook his head again and dropped the heavy bags inside the living room. “Don’t piss him off,” he warned in a low voice as he headed for the kitchen.
“I think he puts on being pissed off to keep you in line.”
“It works,” Ty returned immediately.
Zane chuckled, trying to keep it quiet. “Wow,” he observed.
“What?” Ty asked defensively.
“It just explains so much about you.”
Ty turned to look at him, circling the kitchen table warily. “How?” he asked in confusion.
Zane braced both hands on the tabletop and leaned toward him. “It’s not just you. Your whole family’s cracked, but somehow, you all make it work. That’s so unfair.” A hand slapped him hard on the back of the head just as he finished speaking. “Ow!” His hand flew up to rub the sore spot.
Mara whisked past with a bushel of apples on her hip. “Be nice,” she chastised distractedly.
“It was a compliment!” Zane protested as Ty laughed.
“I know bullshit when I hear it, kiddo. I raised that one,” Mara told him with a jerk of her thumb at Ty as she plunked the apples down on the table. “Get out of my kitchen or help me,” she ordered as she wiped her hands on her apron.
Ty went to the nearest cabinet and opened it, extracted a white tub labeled “Flour” from the highest shelf, and set it on the nearest counter. He gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and then promptly headed for the door. That was apparently all the help she’d get.
Zane trailed after Ty into the living room. Ty flopped onto the couch and looked at him critically. “Shut up,” Zane said as he sat opposite him in an armchair.
“You really think I’m crazy?” Ty asked him curiously.
“Crazy, yes. Cuckoo off your rocker, no. There’s a difference,” Zane answered. “Ask your brother,” he tacked on. Ty raised an eyebrow at him.
“Ask your brother what?” Deuce called as he thumped down the stairs into the living room. He had changed clothes into something more appropriate for the mountains rather than driving from Philadelphia in a Lexus.
“Whether I’m crazy,” Ty answered as he leaned back and slumped into the soft cushions.
“Completely certifiable,” Deuce provided without looking at either of them as he examined a bowl full of peanuts on the coffee table.
“There’s a difference between crazy and cuckoo off your rocker,” Zane repeated.
“That’s true,” Deuce agreed as he looked up at Ty and nodded. “Are these Dad’s?” he whispered as he pointed at the peanuts. Ty merely nodded, not looking away from Deuce. Zane glanced between the two, interested in watching them interact. There didn’t appear to be any rivalry. In fact, they seemed to be truly at ease with each other. Deuce deflated a little and abandoned the peanuts. He sat in the old wooden rocking chair near the fireplace and sighed heavily.
“Zane thinks we’re all crazy,” Ty told him with a smirk.
Deuce was nodding even before Ty finished speaking. “Right on, brother,” he said to Zane as he held his hand up in a fist and then smacked it down on the arm of the rocking chair.
“See?” Zane shrugged. “I said it was a compliment. Deuce understands.”
“I wouldn’t call it a compliment,” Deuce argued. “Doesn’t mean it ain’t true!” he added cheerfully.
Zane couldn’t help but laugh and relax a little into the armchair. “Refreshing.”
Deuce cocked his head and studied Zane. He looked remarkably like Ty when he did it. The whole family, even Chester, was capable of the same expression, like they knew something about you and didn’t plan on telling. The longer Deuce peered at him, the more Zane wondered what was up. “Something on your mind, Deuce?”
“Not usually,” Deuce responded with a grin. “I’m just sort of curious,” he added thoughtfully as he looked over at Ty. “About you two,” he clarified.