Unaware, as Cody had been, that it was Sharon Lynn’s universal name for any adult male, Harlan beamed at her. “Damn, but you’re a smart one,” he praised. “You and I need to have ourselves a little talk. What other words do you know?”

“Ma and bye-bye,” Melissa offered. “It limits the conversations tremendously.”

Cody noticed that his father didn’t seem to mind. He seemed perfectly content to carry on a one-sided conversation with his granddaughter. It was probably the first time in years someone hadn’t talked back to him.

The distraction also kept Harlan from touching the eggs and bacon he normally couldn’t wait to eat on the weekends. Possibly that was the most telling indication of all of Sharon Lynn’s power over this new male in her life.

“So, Sharon Lynn, have you ever seen a horse?” Harlan inquired.

Cody chuckled as his daughter tilted her head, a quizzical expression on her face as she appeared to give the question serious consideration.

“I’ll take that for a no,” Harlan said. “In that case, I think it’s about time to fix that. Can’t have a rancher’s baby who doesn’t know about horses. Maybe we’ll even go for a little ride.”

Cody glanced at Melissa to check her reaction to the instantaneous bonding between Sharon Lynn and his father. To his astonishment, the color had drained out of her face. Clearly the idea of Sharon Lynn going off with Harlan panicked her in some way. What he couldn’t figure was why.

“Harlan, I really don’t think—” she began.

“Don’t worry about a thing,” Harlan reassured her, cutting off her words. “I had every one of my boys up on horseback when they were no bigger than this. She’ll fit right on the saddle in front of me. She’ll be just fine. I guarantee I won’t let her tumble off.”

Harlan and the baby were out the door before Melissa could offer the firmer protest that was clearly on the tip of her tongue. Cody knew better than to argue with Harlan. He also knew that Sharon Lynn would be perfectly safe with his father. However, he could see that Melissa wouldn’t believe it unless she witnessed their adventure on horseback with her own eyes. He put down his fork.

“Come on,” he said. “You’ll be worrying yourself sick, if you’re not right alongside them.”

“She’s too little to be riding a horse,” Melissa complained, her complexion still pale as she followed him outside. “She’ll be terrified.”

“I doubt that,” Cody said. “You’re projecting your feelings onto her. You never were much for horses. I guess you were more of a city girl than I realized.”

She shot him a wry look. “Hardly that.”