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"Okay, Deuce," Zane agreed He liked him already; he seemed like a friendlier version of Ty "Nice to"Come on in," he invited as he turned and threw his ar," he said to his brother, trying unsuccessfully not to laugh
"As long as she’s cooking while she’s doing it," Ty ain?"
"You like it?" Deuce asked
"No," Ty answered candidly with a shake of his head and a glance back at the Lexus
"It has Bluetooth," Deuce answered with a grin, unperturbed Ty groaned and shook his head
Zane walked up the steps behind the chill He’d pulled the jacket off when they’d gotten in the truck at the last rest stop He’d known it would be cooler up here, but it had to be a good twenty degrees cooler here than in DC He spared another look around and shook his head It was so totally different froton, LA, Baltimore, New York Texas Especially Miami
Ty stopped at the door and looked back at hiinia," hebacon and fresh bread wafted out to them
Zane nodded and followed Ty inside, where it was quite a bit warrowl "Oh Lord Fresh-baked bread"
Ty sniffed at the air as he tro rooreeted as he stepped into the kitchen
The woman at the stove turned and sed her close, kissing her on the cheek as she patted his back without letting go of the spatula in her hand She was a tall wo past Ty’s broad shoulders, and her round face was al hair had once been the sareen
She stepped back froainst his teot here," she said to hiain "You must be Zane," she said as she unceremoniously pushed Ty aside She went up to Zane and pulled hi as well, just like he was another son she hadn’t seen in some time
Zane’s eyes widened in surprise, and after a beat he halfway closed his arms around her, not sure what to do "Uh Hi," he said weakly, patting her shoulder gently
"Zane Garrett, Mara Grady," Ty introduced with a smirk as he met Zane’s eyes
"Nice to meet you," Zane said as she patted his back, oblivious to his discomfort Then she turned away and bopped Ty in the head with her spatula
"Ow!" Ty protested with a surprised laugh
"Shoulda been hoo," she scolded "Sit down, Zane dear, breakfast is almost ready," she said in a h he didn’t even try to hide his s out a chair on the far side of the table next to the wall so he’d be out of the way
Ty sat down opposite hirease in my hair," he said to his ht," Mara responded She tossed the spatula into the sink and fished out another from a nearby drawer
Deuce sat next to Zane and plopped an e softly and avoidinghis brother’s eyes
"Where’s Dad?" Ty asked as he roider
"Went up to the ; soates," Deuce answered At the mention of the mine, Ty tensed visibly, and he nodded and looked toward the back door uncoer," his o fetch him"
"Yes, ma’am," both brothers answered in automatic response Zane had seen Ty snap to attention for Dick Burns before He’d always assu But it clearly went back further than that
He also noticed Ty’s reaction to hearing about the rowing up here Ty had always been scared of theto his father while he was there, and terrified of being trapped in the buried in a dark hole where he thought he’d never see light again, the thought of going into thoseZane had to ad with biscuits, ware links Then she set down a bowl of grits, two jars of what looked like hoe juice Last cas
She tapped Ty in the back of the head as he reached for a piece of bacon "Manners," she re to untie it "You go ahead and load up, Zane, you’re going to need a full stomach to deal with these two all day," Mara advised
Zane nodded but stood up "I need to take a quick break first We didn’t stopthe drive," he explained
"Out that door and first tree to the left," Deuce told him as he pointed at the back door
"Put a sock in it, Deacon," Mara scolded "It’s the door under the stairs, dear," she told Zane as she sat at the head of the table
As he walked out of the kitchen in the direction she’d pointed, Zane got a better glimpse of the rest of the house It was a typical old far rugs The plaster walls were covered with neatly fraraphs; some of them had to be a hundred years old, and so his FBI windbreaker in one
Zane looked at a few of theer when he found a photo of Ty in uniforer, and while it was the sa face he’d seen in every Marine’s photo, there was a hint of so in the hazel eyes that Zane didn’t think he’d seen in Ty before He couldn’t quite place it The ood in a unifor ti to find the staircase
"Grandpa!" Zane heard Ty exclaim in a pleased voice from the kitchen
Zane shut the door with a smile About five ain An oldhis hand and patting it affectionately
"Grandpa, this is my partner, Zane," Ty said as soon as Zane sat "Zane, Chester Grady"