“What?” Abby asks, jerking back a little in shock.
“Theo said I did it right.”
“The code you were working on?” she asks.
He nods several times in quick succession. “Yeah. I sent it to him, and he just said it’s perfect.” His smile is so wide with a mix of pride and pure joy.
“Good job, bud,” Abby says, leaning over to squeeze his knee.
I am kind of amazed this kid is coding. Kane said he’s only seven, even though he’s in third grade with Oliver. Obviously, he’s smart… but dang.
Coding isn’t easy… at all. It took me years to figure it out on my own. I’m nowhere near an expert, but I can hold my own.
“What are you working on coding?” I ask.
“My uncle and I are making a website that leads you to videos, articles, and whatever else we can find about my favorite kinds of animals.”
Well, shit…
“And what kind of animal is that?” I ask.
“Snakes, mostly, but other reptiles will be included, too.”
“That’s pretty cool. Can I see the code you wrote?” I ask, pointing to his computer.
“Oh, sure.” He eagerly grabs it, handing it over. My eyes roam over the sequencing, trying to pinpoint what aspect he is working on.
“You actually know what you’re looking at, don’t you?” Abby asks.
I give a small shrug. “Yeah.”
“Really?” Maverick asks excitedly.
I nod. “I like to code sometimes. It’s not a job or anything. I just do it for fun.”
“That’s so cool,” Maverick says as I hand him back his laptop.
“The big, tough biker is also a closeted nerd,” Abby says, quirking a brow.
I shrug again. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Not at all.” Her eyes shine with something that looks a hell of a lot like lust. “Quite the opposite, actually.”
“Mom doesn’t know anything about coding,” Maverick speaks up.
All three of us start laughing.
I get a text from Duke saying he’s on his way to relieve me. He’ll be here for most of the night, camping out in his truck so the snow won’t bother him.
I probably should have driven Kane’s truck over here tonight, but I’m not regretting how I ended up spending the evening with Abby and Maverick.
Abby wandered down the hall a few minutes ago into what I assume is her bedroom. I don’t want to just walk into her room, but I also don’t want to shout across the house that I’m leaving.
Maverick’s room is upstairs, and I don’t want to wake him up. I know how hard it can be to get Oliver to sleep sometimes. I don’t want to open that can of worms for Abby.
In the entryway, I put on my now-dry jacket and slide back into my boots. I am just finishing tying them when Abby steps in beside me.
I stand to my full height, taking in the Christmas pajamas she’s wearing.
