Page 10 of Where We Call Home

Then, something brushed against my ankle.

I jolted, my head snapping toward the water, heart pounding, only to find Rhodes smiling up at me.

His hat was gone, wet black curls clinging to his neck, curling behind his ears.

“Your pants were in the water,” he said, voice low, lips tilting into a smirk as he reached for the cuffs of my overalls, rolling them up until they were safe.

What the hell was he doing?

Better question—whythe hell was he doing that?

My face twisted into some bizarre expression of confusion, mild embarrassment, and a bad case of heartburn all mixed together.

“Um… thanks?” I mumbled, shifting my gaze toward the others in the pool.

Rhodes didn’t move far.

He stayed close, floating lazily, his broad shoulders just above the waterline, his back resting against the pool’s edge.

The silence between us dragged on until, finally, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Why aren’t you over there with the rest of them?”

Rhodes took another slow sip of his beer, then cleared his throat. “Games aren’t my thing,” he muttered, still not looking at me.

I studied the back of his head, the unruly curls brushing just above the bump of his spine.

Scoffing, I dragged my gaze away from him and back to the chaos in the pool. “Same. People who like games are… weird. Most of them are pointless anyway.”

“Right?” Rhodes laughed, turning his head slightly toward me. “Plus, who actually enjoys losing?”

I adjusted, leaning back on my hands for support, when suddenly, a familiar sensation fluttered in my belly.

My breath hitched, my muscles tensing.

Instinctively, my hand flew to my stomach, pressing against the strange movement beneath my skin.

Every time she moved like that, it startled me a little.

Still, I liked it.

It was a reminder that she wasthriving, growing, and becoming more real with every passing day.

Rhodes noticed immediately. His head snapped in my direction, and he adjusted his position in the water, turning to face me fully.

“You okay?” he asked, green eyes wide with concern. His hands hovered just in front of him, ready to catch me if I toppled over.

I let out a soft laugh, the discomfort passing as quickly as it came. “Yeah, I’m fine. She’s just practicing her gymnastics routine in there.”

Rhodes’ tense expression softened, relief washing over his face as he nodded. His gaze drifted to my belly, lingering there for a beat longer than expected.

Seeing himrelaxlike that was… kind of cute.

“How’s it going?” he asked, tipping his bottle toward my bump.

I exhaled, tilting my head slightly. “If I’m being honest? It’s getting harder every day. I cried this morning because I couldn’t tie my boots.”

His lips twitched into a slight grin. “How far along are you?”

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