Page 41 of Stand

Alyssa’s fair skin blushed scarlet. “Yes.”

“Thanks, hon,” Sam said. “This is my pain-in-the-butt brother. He takes care of us like Matt does you.”

“Not that you let me take care of you,” Kane said.

She pushed him. “I don’t need taking care of.”

“Now you do,” he said, bristling again.

“No.” They all turned to Ty. Sam thought she saw his Adam’s apple bob at the attention. “We’ve taken enough of your help. We’re going to head out as soon as I pack up the kids’ stuff.”

“Already?” Cat said. “But those guys outside—”

“Are they still there?” Ty said.

“I parked the car between them and the house,” Kane said with satisfaction. “My driver’ll see them off.”

“Your driver?” Sam asked, diverted. “Hark you, Mr. Billionaire.”

“Shut up.” Kane poked her. “I was at work when Cat called. Ellen made me hire him, given the hours I keep. And if I’m a billionaire, so are you, dumbass. Oops.”

For the first time, he looked unsure, but Alyssa and Sam both laughed. “Heisjust like Matt!” Alyssa exclaimed.

“Well, we still have to go,” Ty said. “Even more so if Sam is leaving tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome here as yourselves, not just because of Sam,” Cat interjected. “Matt’s Jake’s friend, so we’ll do whatever we have to to help him.”

“I appreciate that,” he said. “But we’re going to stay with my friend out of state for a little while until things die down.”

“Noah?” Sam said.

“Yeah!” Alyssa replied. “In New Mexico! So you see, we could go with you!”

Ty was already shaking his head. Sam hated to let the kid down. “You wouldn’t want to go with me,” she said, sitting down on a chair arm so she could talk to the girl face-to-face. “I’m driving. It takes three days.”

“Youdrove?” Ty said, forcing her attention up to him. “Why? Are you afraid to fly?”

“No. I like driving, and so does Cairo.” The dog, who was still on alert with all the shouting, cocked his head at his name. “I… haven’t been back up here for a while”—she pointedly ignored Cat’s “humph” of disapproval—“and I was out of the US for a bunch of years, so I drive a lot. I see more of the country that way.”

“You drove. For three days. By yourself.” Ty shook his head this time.

“With Cairo,” she corrected.

“Do you have sisters, Ty?” Kane said.

“No.”

“Good. Don’t get them. See these gray hairs?” He pointed to his temples. “Sam’s given me at least half of them.”

“Don’t be a doofus,” she said. “I told you, I can take care of myself. And it’s not like I go looking for problems. I stay at decent hotels, keep my car in shape. I’m not out of my mind.”

She stopped and chewed her lip. She couldn’t help but look at Ty, expecting a frown at the allusion to Julia. But he smiled—smiled! Probably at her embarrassment.

“Indiana Jones with AAA membership,” he said. Now she wanted to poke him. But she couldn’t touch him.

“So can we drive with her?” Alyssa said, oblivious to the charge running between the two adults. “Let’s do it, Dad! We could see the country too. We’ve never beenanywhere.”

“Sweetheart,no,” Ty said kindly.

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