Page 82 of Where We Call Home

Once we were on the road, she finally let loose.

“I don’t need your money.”

“I know.”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“I know.”

“I can do it on my own.”

“I know.”

Theo let out an exasperated groan, throwing her head back against the seat.

“Then why do you insist on helping me? Doing things for me without asking?”

I glanced at her, my voice steady. “Is it really that hard to see, Honey?”

Thirty

Iwas falling for Rhodes Dunn, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. I was gone—long,longgone—for those green eyes and that big, unyielding heart.

The kiss in the store had been playing on a loop in my mind. It had caught me completely off guard; when I turned around and found him so close, I’d been stunned. But I didn’t mind. Truthfully, I’d been waiting for that moment. Every night when he came home from work, telling me about his day, I fought the urge to wrap my arms around him and melt into his warmth.

I was starting to love the little world we’d built together. It wasn’t flashy or complicated—just Rhodes and me, existing in an easy kind of bliss. He’d come home, I’d have dinner ready, and we’d spend the evening enjoying each other’s company. I had to admit, my cooking skills had come a long way. On his days off, I’d watch him work magic in the kitchen, always eager to learn his tricks.

There was no external noise, no chaos. Just us, savoring the quiet joy of our own little bubble.

If I was being honest, the intensity of it all scared me sometimes. I’d never imagined this kind of life for myself. I was supposed to be a free bird, untethered, flying wherever the wind took me. Settling down was never part of the plan. Yet here I was—happy. Happier than I’d been in years. And falling hard for Rhodes.

I avoided thinking about the future, about the inevitable end to this arrangement. Moving out after the baby was born wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on. Rhodes never brought it up, and I wasn’t going to either. For weeks now, I’d felt myself falling for him, and honestly, how could anyone not?

I thought about Jess sometimes—about how she’d left him. It gutted me to know how deeply it had hurt him, that the kind, steady man I knew now had once been so broken. Every now and then, a nagging doubt crept in, making me wonder if there was something I didn’t know about him, some piece of the puzzle I was missing. I trusted my instincts. I trusted who Rhodes was.

Was it foolish, getting this attached when I was about to bring a baby into the picture? Maybe. However, the way Rhodes cared for me told me everything I needed to know. He would care for my daughter the same way—with unwavering devotion.

I needed to talk this out, to sort through my feelings with someone who’d listen, maybe two someones.

Since Halloween, Aspen and Penny had been checking in more often, which I was grateful for. Today, they’d suggested a spa day—pedicures, mimosas for them, and sparkling grape juice for me.

It felt good to get out of the house, to clear my head and process what I was feeling. Processing wasn’t something I was used to doing, it was becoming part of this new chapter in my life. Not only was I learning to embrace someone else’s presence without running, but I was also allowing myself to feel. And, more importantly, to accept those feelings.

The emotions came in waves. Sometimes anger, sometimes sadness, but also moments of pure happiness. And through it all, Rhodes was there. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed.

If I cried, he’d wrap me in a hug and press a kiss to the top of my head. If I was angry, he’d listen patiently while I vented—whether I was railing about a real problem or something trivial, like pumpkin spice only being available once a year. When that anger dissolved into sadness, he’d be right there, holding me again.

After receiving the results from my doctor’s appointment and finding out the glucose test came back normal, I’d thrown myself into his arms. He handled the happiness, too.

“The warm water is heavenly,” Penny sighed, leaning back in her chair.

“I second that,” Aspen agreed, lazily swishing her feet in the basin.

I smiled, clicking the buttons on my chair to activate the back massager. These chairs were the best part of pedicures, hands down.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a pedicure,” I said, turning my head to look at the girls. “Probably Italy. Or maybe France?”

“Ugh, I bet that was amazing,” Penny sighed wistfully. “I’dloveto go to France someday. It’s on my ‘must-travel-before-I-die’ bucket list.”

---