“A few more days, just till Daddy’s got his feet back under him again.” It was the same response he’d given everyone who’d asked. Now that he was right here with Melissa in front of him, though, he wondered if she might not be the one person who could change his mind.

At the mention of his father, her expression immediately filled with concern. “It must be horrible for him.”

“It is.”

“And the rest of you?”

“We’re doing okay. Mostly we’re worried about Daddy. He adored Mother. It’s going to be lonely as hell for him with her gone.”

“I’m surprised you’re not staying, then.”

He shook his head. “There’s nothing for me here anymore,” he said automatically, refusing to concede that he had evidence to the contrary in the tightening of his groin at the first sight of her.

She actually blanched at his harsh words. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking shaken. “What about White Pines? You always loved it. You were building your whole future around running that ranch.”

She was right about that. He’d fought tooth and nail to get Harlan to trust him with the running of the ranch. He’d spent his spare time building his own house on the property just to make the point that, unlike Luke or Jordan, he never intended to leave. Then in a matter of seconds after catching Melissa with Brian, he’d thrown it all away.

Now, rather than addressing his longing to be working that land again, he shoved those feelings aside and clung instead to the bitterness that had sent him away.

“There’s no way I can stay here now,” he said, unable to prevent the accusing note that had crept into his voice. “You ruined it for me.”

Melissa swallowed hard, but she kept her gaze on him steady. Some part of him admired her for not backing down.

“Maybe we should talk about what happened, Cody. Maybe if we could put it behind us, you’d change your mind about staying. Your decision to stay or go shouldn’t have anything to do with me.”

Talk about finding her in the arms of his best friend? Analyze it and pick it apart, until his emotions were raw? Cody practically choked on the idea. Once he got started on that subject, he doubted the conversation would remain polite or quiet. Eli would be bolting out from behind the prescription counter and Mabel, whom he’d spotted lurking over toward the cosmetics, would get a blistering earful.

No, he absolutely did not want to talk about the past. Or the present. And most definitely not about the bleak, lonely future he’d carved out for himself.