Kiss Me (Fool's Gold 17)

She couldn’t be more different, he thought. He lived in a world where emotions were irrelevant.

Tommy slid closer to Chase. “Do you write other kinds of programs?”

“Sure.” Chase ruffled the boy’s hair. “But programs are easy. Right now a buddy and me are working on a robotic cat.”

Tommy’s eyes widened. “Whatta ya mean?”

“You know those robot dogs you can buy? You teach ’em tricks and stuff?”

Tommy nodded.

“We’re building a cat, only way more sophisticated than that.” Chase’s face lit with excitement. “We’ve got some software bugs. I want the cat to chase mice.”

“Real ones?” the kid asked

“Yeah. We’ve started with little stuffed mice we’ve rigged up to move, but so far the cat’s not interested.”

Lucy moved next to her brother. “It won’t hurt the mice, will it?”

He shook his head. “Nah. We just want the cat to be able to catch them.”

He continued talking, explaining about the various programs, the problem of building custom parts. The adults didn’t pay attention, but Tommy and Lucy were riveted.

Zane had heard it all before. How many times had his brother talked through dinner, gesturing, making sketches on napkins and explaining technical details until his meal got cold? Zane had listened, but he’d never understood what Chase saw in it all. To him it was just mechanical parts—only interesting because of what they could do. He didn’t get the fun in putting them all together.

But he wasn’t Chase, and Chase wasn’t him.

“When do you think you’re gonna get it working?” Tommy asked.

Chase’s animated expression went flat. “I don’t know. We had a pretty serious crash and burn last week. I’d wanted to get it fixed this summer but...” He poked at the ground. “I have a lot of chores.”

“Too bad,” Tommy said.

Zane watched his brother. The chores in question were ranch work—both to pull his weight and to pay off the extra cost for the saddles and tents needed for the cattle drive.

While he knew it was important that Chase learn about responsibility and consequences, for the first time he realized that Chase’s interest in computers wasn’t a passing phase. It was what he wanted to do with his life.

Maybe he’d always known the truth, but he hadn’t wanted to see it. Maybe he’d hoped his brother would stick around for a while. But that wasn’t going to happen. Chase would never be happy at a small agriculture college. Instead he wanted to head east to attend MIT. Given his skills with and love of computers, Zane couldn’t blame him.

Thad checked his watch and rose. “Okay, kids. Time for bed.”

Tommy scrambled to his feet. “Thad, no. Give us a few more minutes. I want to hear more about Chase’s robot cat.”

“You can hear about it in the morning.”

“He’s right,” C.J. said.

Tommy looked at her, then smiled. “Okay.”

Lucy hugged C.J. before standing and following her brother toward the tents.

Zane had seen the evolution of C.J. and Thad’s relationship with the kids but hadn’t realized they’d gotten so close. He wasn’t sure how it had happened but figured it beat the palpable hostility he’d felt between them earlier in the week.

Everyone else followed the kids’ example. Andrea and Martin excused themselves, followed by Eddie and Gladys. Maya paused to have a word with Cookie while Phoebe stood and wiped off her rear.

“’Night,” she said to no one in particular.

As Zane watched, she took a step, then turned and glanced at him. Her mouth curved into a full smile that made his gut ache.

“’Night, Zane,” she murmured.

He winked.

The gesture surprised them both, but he wasn’t the one who stumbled slightly, caught her breath, then waved before disappearing into the darkness. He had a moment’s regret that he hadn’t given in to instinct and simply started undressing her when he’d had the chance. He didn’t doubt she’d been as ready and willing as he had been.

“Stupid principles,” he muttered under his breath.

He finished his coffee and rose. As Chase walked by, Zane grabbed his brother’s arm.

“Got a second?” he asked, dropping his hand to his side.

Chase looked wary, but nodded. “Sure.”

“I’ve been thinking. We’re probably going to break even on the cattle drive. So there’s no reason for you to work extra hours to pay off the saddles and the tents. When we get back, you still need to do your regular chores, but that’s all. You can spend the rest of your time with your computers and your robotic cat.”

Chase stared at him. “I don’t get it.”

Zane grinned. “I figured you for the smart one in the family. Guess I was wrong.”

Chase blinked a couple of times as understanding dawned. “You mean it, Zane? You’re not gonna make me work a sixty-hour week in the barns?”

Zane set his mug on the table by Cookie’s wagon. “When have I ever done that?”

Chase smiled. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do. Like I said, just do your regular chores. I’ll handle the rest. And when we get back, give me a list of everything you’re going to need to make the cat work and what it’s all going to cost. Paying for it myself is a whole lot cheaper than any scheme you’ll come up with.”