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A trace of dry amusement briefly glittered in the brown eyes as his smile deepened. “Nothing, if I can get away with it.”
The answer intrigued him. “What do you mean?”
“I want to take classes in everything—veterinary science, animal husbandry, land management, natural resources, some mechanical and engineering courses, accounting, psychology . . .” Ty paused, indicating the list was endless. “I want to learn something about everything.”
“A little knowledge can be dangerous,” Dyson warned while he made a closer study of the boy.
“I don’t look at it that way, Mr. Dyson,” he replied calmly.
“Make it E.J.,” he invited.
“E.J.” Ty nodded. “I’m only interested in learning. I don’t give a damn about getting a degree. If I have a grasp of the basics in a variety of areas, it’s going to be difficult for anyone to pull the wool over my eyes.”
“Or easier,” Dyson murmured.
The response drew a shrug and a faintly reckless grin. “As one of the old cowboys, Nate Moore, told me, common sense can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t. All the education in the world won’t make any difference if you don’t have the common sense to apply it wisely.”
“Smart man.”
“Nate Moore is the resident cowboy philosopher.” Ty smiled wryly. “He doesn’t talk much, but when he does say something, it’s usually worth remembering.”
“Most of the true cowboys I’ve met never thought too much of formal schooling.”
“Nearly all the kids in my high school were ranch kids. A few of them dropped out of school and went to work riding for somebody or helped full time at home. As far as I know, none of the others who graduated with me have enrolled in any college, unless it was a couple of the girls.” With all the chores he had to do at home, Ty had never gotten very close to any of his classmates who didn’t live on the Triple C. And on top of being an outsider to those who did, he was a Calder, so he’d never been real chummy with any of them either.
“You seem to be breaking the tradition,” Dyson observed.
The amusement that flashed in his eyes was almost sardonic. “Closer to shattering it.” Ty was too bitterly aware that his father still hadn’t become reconciled to his decision to attend college.
“I have great respect for your father.” Dyson had sensed Chase’s displeasure toward his son this weekend, but he hadn’t known the cause of it. After Ty’s remark, he knew the reason. “He’s a fair-dealing, down-to-earth man who isn’t above putting the screws to someone to get what he wants. He’s sharp, very sharp,” Dyson stated firmly, a glint of admiration appearing in his faded blue eyes. “But his attitude is sometimes archaic. The days of the cattle barons are over. A ranch has to be treated like any other big business. The operation must be streamlined and highly efficient and it has to make use of the most modern methods available if it’s going to survive and compete. Every available resource must be used to its capacity. Your father knows that, but he isn’t willing to admit it. I guess that’s one of the problems of growing older. You like doing things the way you are used to, positive it’s the best way because it’s the most familiar.” Dyson smiled crookedly, including himself in the comment. “But you have a head on your shoulders, Ty. What you’re doing will ultimately breathe new life into that ranch.”
This unexpected endorsement of his decision from someone of E. J. Dyson’s caliber, untainted by any personal prejudices or desires, washed the niggling doubts from Ty’s mind. He didn’t claim that he had looked at the situation in that light of Dyson’s reasoning. His motives were more selfish, centering on a desire to contribute something no one else could offer.
“I hope that happens.” Too many veteran cowboys had knocked him down a few pegs for Ty to express overconfidence. “That’s why I want to take any course that might benefit me in the long run.”
“You can’t study all the time. You be sure to leave some room in there for a little fun and some girls.” Dyson winked.
“I’ll make sure there’s room for the girls.” Ty grinned.
“Now you’re talkin’ like a Texan,” the man jested. “By the way, I meant what I said to your mother. While you’re going to college, you’re welcome in my home any weekend. Now, I’m not just saying that to hear myself talk. I’m expecting you to come.”
“I will,” he promised.
“Once you meet my daughter, I know you will,” Dyson declared.
That was a detail that had slipped Ty’s mind. He frowned as he tried to recall the discussion that had included mention of his daughter. “I remember that you said something about her once.”
“That was probably when I was telling you about the university. Tara Lee has enrolled as a freshman there, the same as you, although I doubt if she’s as serious about her education. She’s a bright girl; getting good grades comes too easy for her, I’m afraid.”
“It must be nice.” His school grades had always been above average, but he’d had to study to get them.
“A word of warning about my daughter—from one man to another,” Dyson said. “Tara Lee attracts boys like flies to a honey jar. She’ll be meeting the plane when we arrive, so keep in mind when you see her that she’s a regular butterfly, flittin’ from one boy to another.”
“I’ll try to remember that.” His curiosity was piqued. Ty simply couldn’t fit that image of a girl to this slight, bland man. She obviously didn’t look like her father; either that, or he was exaggerating her beauty out of paternal blindness.
The plane taxied to a stop in front of a private hangar lettered with a sign identifying it as Dy-Corp Development Ltd. Ty unbuckled his seat belt and waited for the older man to leave the plane first. Hot air rolled up from the concrete apron to envelop him in its stifling midst, heat shimmers putting waves in the nearby buildings. Ty felt the perspiration breaking out between his shoulder blades and above his lip. He was accustomed to Montana’s dry heat, not this humidity of a Texas summer.
He straightened to his full height, stretching muscles cramped from the long flight. A miniature tractor with a small trailer in tow came chugging out to meet the plane while the members of the ground crew that had put chocks behind the wheels hurried to open the baggage compartment. Ty took a step in that direction.
