The Manning Sisters (32 page)

“Sorry, no.”

Her mother drooped against the back of the sofa and reached for a fresh tissue. She wadded it up and pressed it over her eyes as if to block out this horrible scene.

“Cody's the sheriff,” Christy said, wanting to impress both of her parents with the fact that he was a responsible citizen. “We'll be living in Miles City once he's installed.”

“A sheriff should please them,” Jason said under his breath, speaking to his two brothers.

“I think they prefer an attorney over a sheriff,” Rich concluded when neither parent responded to Christy's announcement.

“I recognize that this is all rather abrupt,” Cody said in a reasonable voice. “I don't blame you for being shocked. I can't even blame you for being concerned. You wouldn't have raised a daughter as wonderful as Christy if you weren't the kind of people who'd care about her happiness.”

“That's good,” Paul whispered to Jason. “He's going to win them over with flattery.”

“Will you three shut up,” Eric yelled, infuriated with his sons and not bothering to disguise it.

“Dad, please try to understand,” Christy tried again. “I fell in love with Cody.”

“Falling in love is one thing, but marrying him on the sly is another.”

“While she was engaged to James, I might add.” Rich apparently didn't know when to keep his mouth closed. Both Eric and Cody sent daggers his way. Guarding his face with his hands, Rich pretended to ward off their attack.

“I can only say I love you both,” Christy said. “I'd never intentionally do anything to hurt you. In fact, most of my life I've done everything I can to please you, right down to becoming engaged to James.”

“I can't believe I'm hearing this,” Eric said to his wife. “We raised her the best we knew how, and now this.”

“Darling, we thought you loved James,” her mother pleaded.

“I thought I did, too, until I met Cody.” Her hand clasped Cody's, and she smiled down at him. “I know I made mistakes, lots of them.”

“
We
made mistakes,” Cody corrected, his gaze holding hers.

“No one's making a list,” her father mumbled, “but if I were—”

“Nothing on this earth will ever convince me I made a mistake marrying Cody.” Her father obviously wasn't willing to accept what they'd done. As Christy suspected, her family would need time to come to terms with her marriage and the fact that she'd be leaving the Seattle area.

“I gave my week's notice when I returned from vacation,” Christy said. It had been one of the low points of her life, telling Marcia she was quitting her job in order to prepare for her wedding. The lie had all but choked her.

“You're leaving your job?”

“She couldn't very well continue working with James,” Eric muttered to his wife. “And from the sounds of it, she intends to live in Montana.”

“Poor James,” Elizabeth said with a regretful sigh. “He would've made such a good husband.”

“I'll make Christy a good husband, too,” Cody promised. “I love your daughter.”

An awkward silence followed Cody's words. “My daughter doesn't belong in Montana, and she deserves a decent wedding with her family around her. Christy's not the type of girl a man takes to a justice of the peace.”

“We were married by a minister.” Christy knew even before she spoke that there was little she could say to appease her father. He wasn't accustomed to having his authority challenged. Not even by a sheriff.

“It might be best if we gave your parents a chance to get used to the idea,” Cody suggested.

Christy agreed, but leaving her family home was one of the most difficult tasks of her life.

Paul, Jason and Rich followed them outside.

“They'll come around,” Paul said to Cody as they exchanged handshakes. Paul was tall and silver-blond, the only one in the family who'd inherited that coloring.

“Just give 'em a year or three,” Rich said with less than diplomatic cheer. “Grandkids will be sure to win 'em over. There
will
be children, won't there?” He was eyeing Christy as if a good stare would tell him if she was in the family way.

“Don't worry about a thing,” Jason said, throwing his arm over Cody's broad shoulders. “Mom and Dad will accept your marriage before you know it.”

“They've got two days,” Cody said darkly.

“Two days?” Christy echoed, a little stunned, although she shouldn't have been. Cody's life was in Miles City, and he'd recently taken three days of his vacation to spend with her. He couldn't afford to take off any more, not during this important period of transition.

“Is that too soon for you?” he asked, his eyes revealing his concern. “I figured that would give us enough time to get your things packed and shipped.”

She nodded, slipping her arms around his waist. Her life was linked to Cody's now, and there was no turning back.

 

They hadn't gone through airport security yet, but Christy delayed, glancing around the terminal building, certain if she stayed there long enough her parents would rush in and throw their arms around her, telling her how much they loved her and how they wished her and Cody well.

Only they hadn't come.

“Honey,” Cody said patiently. “They aren't coming. We have to go.”

“I know, but I'd hoped. I…thought they'd at least want to say goodbye.”

Christy hadn't heard from them in the two hectic days they'd spent packing up her apartment. She'd tried not to let it affect her, but she'd always been close to her parents, and being shunned this way hurt more than anything they could have said.

“Give them time,” Cody said—he'd been saying that a lot—and it seemed as if her pain belonged to him, too.

Christy offered him a brave smile and nodded.

They joined the security line, then hurried to their departure area, arriving just as their flight was called. Christy realized there was nothing left to do but board the plane that would take her away from everything that was familiar and bring her to a whole new life.

“You're not sorry, are you?” Cody asked once they were seated and about to take off.

“No.” Beyond a doubt Christy knew she was meant to be with Cody. She would've preferred to have her parents' blessing. But if she had to do without it, then she'd learn to accept that.

Cody was her love. And now he was her life.

Since Paul, Jason and Rich all worked days and hadn't been able to come to the airport to say their goodbyes, the three of them had taken Christy and Cody to dinner the night before.

Everyone had made an effort to have a good time, and they all had.

Only something vital had been missing. No one said anything. No one had to.

Eric and Elizabeth Manning weren't there. And what was missing was their love. Their blessing. Their approval.

Christy didn't know when she'd see her parents again.

 

“Oh, Cody,” Christy whispered, stepping back to study her husband in his full dress uniform. “You look…wonderful.”

They'd been in Miles City, Montana, a week. In that time they'd moved into their first home, unpacked their belongings and gone about making a place for themselves in the community.

“When will Russ and Taylor get here?”

“Oh,” she said, still a little awed by how handsome Cody looked. “I forgot to tell you Taylor phoned. They're going to meet us at the courthouse for the installation.”

“Good.” He straightened the sleeves of his crisp uniform jacket. “Well, I'm ready.”

“I'm not,” Christy told him. “In case you haven't noticed, I'm not dressed yet.”

Cody wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “All the better to seduce you, my dear.”

Christy giggled. “I do believe you've seduced me in every room of this house, Sheriff Franklin. More than once.”

“There's time—”

“There most certainly is not.” She scurried past him. She wasn't quick enough, and with little effort, Cody caught her in his arms.

“Cody,” she warned him. “We…can't. You don't want to be late for your own installation. And I don't want to arrive at the ceremony looking like a disheveled mess.”

Cody hesitated. “Well…”

She entwined her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

“Shameless hussy,” he said with a grin as he unwound her arms. “Get dressed before I change my mind.”

“Yes, sir.” Mockingly she saluted him.

A half hour later they entered the courthouse. Judge Carter would be doing the honors, and the room was filled to capacity. Christy was escorted to the front row of reserved seats. Many of the citizens of Cougar Point were in the audience.

The ceremony was about to begin when Taylor, carrying Eric, and Russ slipped into the chairs to her right. That left two empty seats on her left. Christy was so busy greeting her sister that she didn't notice the vacant chairs had been filled. She turned to smile and introduce herself to her seatmates, and to her astonishment saw her parents.

“Mom. Dad.” Without warning, tears flooded her eyes. She looked at Cody, who was standing at the podium with Judge Carter. When she nodded toward her family, Cody's face brightened.

“Are you willing to forgive your father for being a stubborn old cuss?” Eric asked in a low voice.

Christy nodded, shaken by the intensity of her relief. She hugged him and then her mother, who was as teary-eyed as Christy.

When the ceremony was over, Cody joined them. Christy's husband and father faced each other. Eric Manning offered his hand first, and the two exchanged a hearty shake.

Judge Carter came forward to introduce himself a few minutes after that, and soon they were all talking at once.

A small reception followed, and Cody held Christy's hand as he led the way.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “Honey, as much as I'd like to take credit for bringing your parents out here, I can't.”

“Not that,” she said, smiling up at him from the very depths of her soul. “Thank you for loving me.”

“That,” he said softly, “was the easiest thing I've ever done.”

“Eric Manning,” Christy could hear her father say over the din of raised voices. “I'm the sheriff's father-in-law. We're proud of the boy. Glad to have him in the family.”

“Not as glad as he is to be part of it,” Cody murmured, smiling at his wife.