Page 41 of Where We Call Home

The corner of my mouth twitched. He wasn’t wrong. However, at that moment, food and bed sounded like the only cure. Rhodes just knew what I needed, and I wasn’t sure if that comforted me or scared me.

Sixteen

**Rhodes2324 has won **

**TheoTheGreat09 Wants To Start A New Game With You**

**TheoTheGreat09 played CAZIQUES for 28 points**

**TheoTheGreat09: BOOM **

**Rhodes2324 played CHEATER for 12 points**

**Rhodes2324: Theo Matthews, did you finally resort to using Google?

**TheoTheGreat09: The world may never know. Just accept the loss.

**Rhodes2324 played NEVER as a triple word for 24 points

After striking out at both apartments yesterday, Theo was noticeably deflated. She barely spoke during dinner and stayed completely silent during the drive home. The weight of her disappointment was tangible.

I knew how badly she wanted to find a place. Time was running out, and getting settled was her top priority. It made sense—she needed stability before the baby arrived. With her upcoming appointment weighing on her mind, housing should’ve been the least of her worries.

That’s why, when she asked if I could help her look again today, I didn’t hesitate. If it gave her even a sliver of hope or happiness, I’d do whatever it took. That’s how I ended up spending my day off standing in a complete dump on the far side of town.

The neighborhood was isolated, with no stores nearby and her mom and friends a decent drive away. She was already hesitant to ask for help when her mom lived under the same roof. How could she possibly manage living this far out?

I practically begged her to let me turn around when we pulled up, but she’s worked her Theo magic and convinced me to give it a chance.

The pictures online had been misleading to say the least. If I had to guess, they were taken a decade ago back when the place might’ve beensomewhatlivable.

This time, we weren’t meeting Cassie. She’d officially parted ways with Theo after yesterday’s fiasco. Instead, we were greeted by Phil—a five-foot-five bald man in a grease-stained button-down that probably fit him about as long ago as the photos were taken.

“I love this guy,” Theo whispered to me, leaning closer.

“Of course you do,” I teased. “He’s not wearing a white pantsuit or driving a luxury car.”

“Exactly.”

It didn’t take long for my instincts to be proven right. The first red flag came as Phil struggled to get the front door open. He had to throw his whole weight into it, and when he finally jiggled the handle loose, I half-expected the lock to crumble into pieces. Safety was clearly not a concern here.

Inside, it only got worse. The cabinets were broken, the floors were peeling, and the entire space felt like a hazard zone. I imagined Theo juggling groceries or, worse, the baby, only to trip on the warped flooring. The thought alone made my chest tighten.

Then came the final straw: a cockroach crawled across my boot and I jumped so high I might’ve cleared Phil’s shiny bald head.

There wasno wayI was letting Theo move into this place.

“You see,” Phil began, clearly trying to salvage the sale, “with a little paint and some area rugs, this place would look brand new.”

Theo nodded enthusiastically, like he was onto something. “Ugh, you’re so right!”

I stared at her, stunned. It was going to take a hell of a lot more than paint and rugs to fix this disaster.

“Would the landlord be willing to paint before I move in?” she asked.

Phil chuckled, scratching his head. “Oh, um, any non-essential upgrades like that would be up to you. You could just move in as is.”

I didn’t like this guy.

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