Page 47 of Where We Call Home

Stepping aside, I felt Theo close behind me, following me toward the pickup area.

“First of all, Iwillbe paying you back. I don’t like to take handouts. Second, do you realize you just tipped them like fifty percent?”

“First, it wasn’t a handout. This wasmyidea. Second, you’d better get used to my niceness.” I slipped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. Her arms were tucked in tight, clearly still cold. “And third, I’m a big tipper.”

“See? A good boy,” Theo teased, leaning into my side. She was practically tucked under my arm now, like she belonged there. Hearing those words from her sent warmth rushing through me, banishing the cold.

“One cone, one cup!” called the girl from behind the counter, holding up our desserts.

Theo and I stepped forward in sync. I grabbed my cup, and she grabbed her cone. Without hesitation, Theo brought her ice cream to her lips, her tongue slowly tracing the side in a way that felt far too intentional.

Watching her was pure torture. Ice cream was a bad idea. I should’ve taken her somewhere less... enticing.

Her movements stirred thoughts I had no business having, and I had to shake my head to clear them.

Focus, Rhodes. Get your head out of the gutter.

“Can we sit on your truck bed?” Theo asked, snapping me out of my spiral. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“You’ve never eaten ice cream in a truck bed? What kind of small-town girl are you?” I teased as we walked toward the door.

“The kind who avoided everyone except Aspen and Penny,” she said, her voice softening at the mention of her friends, a shadow crossing her face. It was clear she hadn’t spoken to them yet.

“Well, let’s make your dreams come true,” I said while holding the door open for her.

When we reached the truck, I dropped the tailgate but realized she was too short to climb up.

“Here, hold this and face me,” I said, handing her my cup. She took it without question. I placed my hands under her arms and lifted her up to place her on the tailgate.

“You threw me up here like a rag doll,” Theo said, laughing as she settled herself.

I flexed my bicep in response. Thank you to the years of hard, manual labor.

“Please don’t do that again,” Theo teased, nudging me with her shoulder.

“You don’t like it when I flex?”

“Oh, it’s not that. Cocky isn’t a good look on you.”

I smirked.I could show her cocky.

She dangled her legs over the edge, kicking them lightly. It brought me back to the night of Aspen’s party, when she sat on the edge of the pool. Theo was magnetic, and the more time I spent with her, the harder it became to resist her pull.

“I think I should rip the Band-Aid off,” Theo said suddenly. I looked up from my ice cream, meeting her eyes. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what the ‘right’ choice is,” she continued. “And I don’t think there’s a definite answer.”

Bullshit. There is a right answer–her moving in with me.

“I have to disagree,” I interjected, scooping a bit of my ice cream and bringing it to my lips. “People move in together without knowing their roommate all the time. Plus, I don’t get much sleep?—”

“You didn’t let me finish,” she said, cutting me off.

I kept my eyes on my dessert, not wanting to look up and have to face her.

“But there’s one answer I feel confident in. Logically, moving in with you is what’s right. I trust you. It’s weird—you feel familiar. So, if we’re doing this, we need ground rules.”

“Let’s hear them.”

“Ihaveto pay you something. I can’t not.”

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