Still lost in thought, she drove home. She found the house quiet, her father gone, her mother in her studio, and Daniel at the kitchen table, munching cookies and poring over the Texas Driver Handbook.

“Aren’t you home early?” she asked.

“My shoulder was hurting a little. Sam, my new boss, drove me home. He told me to rest until tomorrow. He’s a really nice guy.”

“Yes, I had that impression when I met him.” Megan remembered the man—not only handsome, but with a good job. If he wasn’t spoken for, Branding Iron’s single ladies would already be taking notice.

“How was the party?” Daniel asked.

“Fine.” Megan remembered Katy’s surprise announcement. She sat down across the table from him. “Daniel, have you and Katy made plans to get married?”

“Sure, we have.”

“So you’ve already asked her?”

“I asked her a long time ago. She said yes.”

“But how will you manage? You’ll need a place to live.”

“Katy’s folks want her to stay close. When we get married, we can live in their basement. It’s got a bathroom and a little kitchen and everything we need. But I want to get a car first. Katy says maybe her dad can fix up an old one for us. But first I need to pass this test.”

“So you’ve got it all figured out.” Megan shook her head. “How do Katy’s parents feel about all this?”

“They’re worried about us. But they want Katy to be happy. Her mom talked to a doctor. It’s pretty much for sure that we can’t have babies, so it’ll be just us—Katy and me and her kitty.” He looked up from the pages of the driver’s manual, his dark eyes full of purpose. “I know Mom and Dad want to keep me here. But I’m a man, Megan. Katy’s a woman. We love each other. We have the right to be together.”

Megan blinked away a tear. Her brother was right. Their parents protected Daniel because they loved him. But that didn’t make it fair to treat him like a child. He was a man, and as far as his limitations would allow, he wanted to live a man’s life.

Here, in this family, he needed an ally. She would be that ally, Megan resolved. She would do it out of respect for his loving heart and for the man he wanted to become.