“Hey, pumpkin, I could hear you all the way inside the house,” he teased the baby. “Your grandpa Harlan said you were loud enough to wake half the county. He’s thinking of getting you geared up for the hog-calling contest at the state fair. What do you think?”

Melissa noted he reported his father’s reaction with unmistakable pride. He glanced her way just then and the humor in his eyes darkened to something else, something she recognized from times past as powerful, compelling desire. Whatever was behind his proposal of marriage, the one thing she couldn’t doubt was Cody’s passion. He wanted her and he was doing nothing to hide that fact from her.

“Thank you for coming,” he said, his expression solemn.

“I told you I would.”

He shrugged. “You never know, though. Sometimes things come up.”

Suddenly, for the first time Melissa was able to pinpoint the most devastating problem between them. Neither of them had so much as a shred of trust left for the other.

She didn’t trust Cody not to leave again. She didn’t trust him not to rip her daughter away from her.

And worse, to her way of thinking because she knew he had a right to feel as he did, he didn’t trust her to keep her promises. She had kept the secret of his daughter from him. He had to wonder if he could trust her to be honest with him about anything.

All at once she was unbearably sad. Regrets for the open, honest relationship they had once shared tumbled through her, leaving her shaken.

Before she realized he’d even moved, Cody was beside her, Sharon Lynn in his arms.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his expression filled with concern.

“Of course. Why would you think I wasn’t?”

“Maybe it has something to do with the tears.”

She hadn’t even realized she was crying. She brushed impatiently at the telltale traces. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, for heaven’s sake. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“An attack of nostalgia,” she said, knowing it was only partially true. “Nothing to worry about.” She plastered a smile on her face. “Come on. Let’s go inside before Harlan falls out of that window he’s peeking through.”

Almost as if he’d heard the comment, the curtains fell back into place and a shadow moved away from the downstairs window. Cody grinned at her.

“He can’t wait to meet Sharon Lynn. If you think I’m bad, wait until you see the room he’s fixed up for her visits.”