“DiPasquali’s is fine,” Melissa soothed. “I’ll feed her first. She can chew on a slice of bread while we eat. She’ll be perfectly content. She loves to eat out. She gets a lot of attention.”

“Fine, whatever,” he murmured distractedly, already thinking ahead to what he needed to accomplish between now and dinnertime.

He wanted to buy an engagement ring. And that book on parenting, of course. If he couldn’t find one in town, maybe Luke or Jordan would have one he could borrow. He needed to call Lance Treethorn and tell him he wouldn’t be returning to Wyoming. And he should sit down with his father and work out an arrangement for taking over his old duties at White Pines. Harlan would probably be relieved to be sharing the workload again.

“Cody?”

“Hmm?” He glanced up and caught Melissa’s serious expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just glad you want to be part of your daughter’s life.”

He stared at her, uncertain what would have made her ever suspect he’d do otherwise. “Well, of course, I do.”

Melissa shrugged. “I wasn’t sure how you were going to feel. And Mother, well, she had this crazy idea you were going to fight me for custody.”

Cody couldn’t imagine why he would have to fight for custody. He was going to claim his daughter and Melissa. If he’d known about the baby eighteen months ago, he would never have left for Wyoming in the first place. The incident with Brian might never have happened. He and Melissa would have been married. Custody arrangements would never have become an issue. At least, he finally understood Velma’s reaction to him.

“That explains why she’s been looking at me as if I’m about to steal the silver,” he said.

“Yes.”

“Well, she can stop worrying. We’ll settle everything tonight.” He leaned down and dropped a kiss on Melissa’s lips. “See you later.”

“Settle everything?” she repeated, a note of anxiety in her voice. “Cody!”

He turned back.

“What does that mean, we’re going to settle everything?”

He smiled. “Not to worry, darlin’. We’ll talk about it tonight.”

“Exactly what did he say?” Velma fretted as Melissa bathed her daughter and got her ready for their evening with Cody.

“He said we’d settle everything tonight.” She grabbed Sharon Lynn’s rubber duck in midair as her daughter hurled it from the tub.

“What does that mean?”

Melissa sighed. “I don’t know what it means, Mother. I suppose I’ll find out shortly.”

“I don’t like it. I think your father and I should be there to protect your interests.”

“I doubt Cody intends to pluck Sharon Lynn out of her high chair at the restaurant and carry her off into the night,” she said as she toweled her daughter dry. “Anything other than that, I can cope with just fine on my own.”