Page 79 of Where We Call Home

Ouch.

“Thank you,” Rhodes replied smoothly, placing a hand on my thigh. “We’re just so excited to welcome our little girl into the world.”

Play along, Theo. It’s all pretend.

“Oh, yes!” I chimed in, probably too enthusiastically. “We can’t wait.” My hand rested instinctively on my belly, and a pang of longing surged through me.

“When are you due?” the woman asked.

“January 18th,” I said with a soft smile.

“I hope you two make beautiful memories together. I’ll keep your baby girl in my prayers.”

Outward affection from strangers made me uncomfortable, so I nodded politely and redirected my attention to the TV in the corner. Judge Judy blared, and I feigned intense interest.

Rhodes chuckled beside me, his hand remaining on my thigh long after the interaction ended.

“Theo Matthews,” a nurse called from the doorway. I stood, and Rhodes’s hand slipped away.

“I’ll be right here,” he assured me with a soft smile, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. His fingers brushed mine briefly, sending a jolt through me.

“Would you... want to come?” I asked quietly, leaning closer to keep the older woman from overhearing.

Rhodes studied my expression, his brow furrowing slightly. After a moment, he nodded and stood, falling into step beside me.

Why I’d asked him to come back was beyond me. Maybe I just didn’t want to be alone for once.

I reached for his hand, and after a brief hesitation, he intertwined his fingers with mine. Together, we walked down the hallway to the exam room.

Once inside, I perched on the examination table, my feet dangling nervously over the edge.

The nurse returned to take more blood. My stomach churned at the thought. They’d already done this once, and the idea of repeating it multiple times made my skin crawl.

“Here we go, Ms. Matthews,” the nurse said kindly. She looked young, fresh out of school, with a sweetness in her tone that eased some of my dread.

I extended my arm but turned my head away, focusing on Rhodes. He held out his hand, and I reached for it gratefully.

His thumb traced soothing circles over my knuckles, grounding me as I braced for the needle.

That small, tender gesture released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn’t facing this alone.

Twenty-Nine

After the amount of blood Theo had drawn, you’d think she’d be wiped out for the day. But when it came to shopping, she somehow found a second wind.

This morning, I’d seen her at her most vulnerable—upset, angry, and detached. The heartbreak in her eyes was palpable, and all I wanted was to put a smile back on her face.

Taking a look at her car had made sense to me. Why wait for Gus to come back, only to have him sit on it for who knows how long? I had enough knowledge from tinkering with ranch vehicles alongside Boone to make an educated guess. Once I had the part, I could fix it today without Gus’ help.

Theo didn’t realize it yet, but she’d have to accept my help, whether she liked it or not.

Now, I followed her through aisle after aisle as she navigated the store. We’d come for paint, but the cart was steadily filling with other items.

Theo stood in front of the wall of paint swatches, her hand resting on her belly. The array of colors before her looked like a rainbow, each hue blending into the next.

Earlier, while we waited in the exam room at the doctor’s office, she’d shown me her Pinterest board for the nursery. She wanted neutrals, a dark accent wall, and Western-inspired decor. She’d mentioned she didn’t want to go overboard since living with me wasn’t “permanent.”

I wasn’t thinking of temporary solutions. My goal was to give her exactly what she envisioned because who knew what the future might hold?

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