Cody relinquished his hold on her with obvious reluctance. He stood patiently by as she was kissed and congratulated by all the others. Harlan grabbed a paper cup and filled it with lukewarm water from the tap.

“A toast, everyone,” he announced.

When they all had their own cups of water, he lifted his cup. “To Cody and Melissa. This marriage was a long time coming. There were times I despaired of the two of you ever realizing that you belong together. Now that you have, we wish you every happiness for all the years to come.”

“Hear, hear,” Jordan and Luke echoed. “Much happiness, baby brother.”

“Now it’s my turn to kiss the bride,” Harlan declared, giving her a resounding smack on the cheek.

Cody stole between them. “Get your own bride, old man. This one is mine.”

“Maybe I will,” Harlan said, startling them all.

Cody, Jordan and Luke stared at him in openmouthed astonishment while their wives all chuckled with delight.

“Do it,” Melissa whispered in his ear, standing on tiptoe to give him a kiss. “Find a bride and live happily ever after. No one deserves it more. Mary would want that for you.”

She had a feeling that when Harlan Adams set his mind to finding a woman to share his life, he was going to set all of Texas on its ear. And his sons were going to have the time of their lives getting even for all the grief he’d given them over their own love lives. Melissa was thrilled that she was going to be right in the thick of it all, where she’d always dreamed of being.

Her mother and father came over to her then. “You happy, ladybug?” her father asked.

She clung tightly to Cody’s hand and never took her gaze from his as she whispered, “Happier than I thought possible.”

“About time,” her mother huffed.

Cody leaned down and kissed her soundly. “Stop fussing, Velma.” He grinned unrepentantly at her mother’s expression of shock. “One of these days you’re going to admit it,” he taunted.

“Admit what?”

“That you’re crazy about me.”

Her mother scowled. “You’re too sure of yourself, Cody Adams. Somebody’s got to keep you in line.”

He turned his gaze on Melissa then. “And I know just the woman to do it,” he said softly.

“What if I don’t want to keep you in line?” Melissa asked. “I kind of like your roguish ways.”

“Told you she didn’t have a lick of sense where that boy was concerned,” Velma announced loudly.

Melissa glanced at her mother just then and winked. After a startled instant, her mother chuckled despite herself and winked right back. She tucked her arm through her husband’s and added, “Married one just like him myself.”

“Then I guess Cody and I are going to be okay, aren’t we, Mother?”