Where We Call Home (Faircloud #2)

Prologue

Rhodes (Three Months Earlier)

E very Thursday night was the same.

I’d leave work, hit the grocery store late enough to avoid the crowds, grab some takeout, and head home to eat in front of the TV—alone.

It was the part of my routine I liked best.

First, because I didn’t have to spend half my time helping little old ladies reach the top shelf—not that I minded, but after a long day, I craved peace and quiet. Second, because it minimized the chance of running into particular people, which did wonders for my sanity.

This Thursday was no different. I moved through the aisles on autopilot, mentally checking off my list. I used to write things down, but nine times out of ten, I’d leave the list at home anyway. Eventually, I just stopped bothering.

At the register, the same teenage girl rang me up. Indie , her name tag read. We’d never introduced ourselves, but over time, we’d settled into an unspoken rhythm—her faint, practiced smile, mirrored by mine, and only the necessary words exchanged.

She took my money, counted out my change, and I did what I always did: tilted my head back, pretending to admire the fluorescent lights while the soft hum of country music drifted through the empty store.

It was late. Quiet. Just the way I liked it.

Indie held out my change, waiting for me to notice. A simple here you go might’ve been nice, but that wasn’t how we did things.

This was our thing, it was silent, steady, predictable.

And I wasn’t one to mess with routine.

Bag in hand, I gave her my usual closed-lip smile and stepped outside into the sticky May heat.

Summer was coming fast, and before long, I’d be sweating through my days on the ranch. Not that I minded. The hard work was good for burning off excess energy and emotions. My therapist swore by physical exertion as a tool for mental clarity. Lucky for me, I had a built-in outlet.

Pausing beside my truck, I drew in a deep breath and glanced up at the sky. The sunset stretched in soft golds and pinks, the last light of the day clinging to the horizon.

Main Street lay in front of me, a familiar stretch of small-town life—the hardware store, coffee shop, a handful of restaurants, the grocery store, and The Tequila Cowboy. Everything within walking distance.

One of the many perks of Faircloud.

One of the many reasons I stayed.

Before climbing into my truck, movement down the cobblestone sidewalk caught my eye.

I turned, squinting to get a better look.

A woman in the distance wrestled with a large cardboard box, trying and failing to shove it into the passenger seat of a classic Camaro.

Curiosity piqued, I tilted my head like a puzzled puppy.

Whoever she was, I didn’t recognize her, and in a town as small as Faircloud, that was rare.

She had split-dyed hair—jet black on one side, golden blonde on the other, with a few highlights weaving between. Overalls and cowboy boots completed the look, her tattooed arms flexing as she struggled with the box. I couldn’t make out the designs from here, but her entire presence was striking . Different.

And I couldn’t seem to look away.

She clearly needed help, so being the gentleman my mama raised me to be, I set my groceries in the truck and approached her cautiously. The last thing I wanted was to startle her and send her running.

“Excuse me, do you need a hand?” I asked, my voice calm, easy.

She turned sharply, blowing a stray strand of hair from her face with an exasperated sigh.

And holy shit.

Theo Matthews.

It had been years, but damn.

Hazel eyes, full lips, and those damn pigtails framing her round face. She was stunning . My heart thudded against my ribs, my pulse kicking up faster than I cared to admit.

“No, thank you. I’m okay,” she said, polite but distant. There wasn’t even a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

Heat crept up my neck.

“I, uh, didn’t realize it was you,” I fumbled, feeling like an idiot. “Nice to see you again.”

Smooth, Rhodes. Real smooth.

Theo and I had gone to school together, but we ran in completely different circles. She and her two best friends had always kept to themselves, never bothering much with the rest of us. From what I remembered, she wasn’t a Faircloud native. Theo moved here later and never fully assimilated into the small-town culture. She gave off a don’t fuck with me energy that kept most people at a distance.

She had one of those faces you didn’t forget, though: naturally gorgeous, fair skin dusted with freckles, a button nose, and those hazel eyes flecked with specks of brown and blue.

Theo stared at me, expression blank.

I braced myself for the sting of embarrassment—until her gaze softened.

“You too,” she said, her eyes scanning me from boots to ball cap. “It’s been a while.”

So… she did recognize me.

“Yeah, it has.”

I hoped she liked what she saw, because I sure as hell did.

“I’m sorry to hear about you and Jess.”

The shock must’ve shown on my face because she smirked, clearly amused.

Everyone in high school had known about Jess Cunningham and me. We’d been the couple—inseparable, the kind of love people bet on lasting forever. Most Likely to Get Married in the yearbook. Homecoming King and Queen.

And when we broke up? Yeah, that had been the talk of the town, too.

“It is what it is,” I said, pulling out the same rehearsed line I’d used a hundred times before.

Theo scoffed, like she saw straight through the bullshit.

“You didn’t recognize me until you got closer, huh?” she teased, popping her hip out with an infuriating little smirk. “Do I really look that different?”

“It’s the hair,” I admitted, motioning toward it. “How’d you get it like that?”

The second the words left my mouth, I cringed. Seriously?

“I mean—it looks great. You look great. Really great.”

And there it was. Full-blown crash and burn.

Heat crawled up my neck, my cheeks going red-hot. If I weren’t standing in front of the most beautiful woman I’d seen in years, I probably would’ve face-palmed. Instead, I debated fainting. Just right here. Right now.

But Theo only laughed, throwing her head back, her throat glowing in the fading sunlight.

God, I was so screwed.

“Rhodes Dunn,” she said, grinning, “are you trying to flirt with me?”

“Is it working?” I asked, half-joking, fully mortified.

“Actually, yes,” she teased. “The awkward country boy thing kinda suits you.”

Awkward country boy. Awesome.

Desperate for a distraction, I pointed to the box. “Let me help. My mom would kill me if she knew I left you struggling.”

Theo hesitated, clearly torn. She looked at the box, then at her car, then back at me before finally sighing.

“Fine,” she said. “I’m sweating, and I hate sweating.”

I bent down, easily maneuvering the box into the passenger seat. Mission accomplished.

And now?

Now, I stood there like an absolute fool, wanting to say something— anything —but coming up completely blank.

“Well… I’ll see you around?” Theo offered, taking a small step back.

I nodded, forcing a smile as I watched her slide into her car. Then because my brain hated me, I gave her a pathetic little wave as she drove off.

The second she was out of sight, I groaned and dragged a hand down my face.

What the hell was wrong with me?

One look into those hazel eyes and I’d turned into a bumbling idiot. I’d had an opening. I could’ve asked for her number. Asked if she was free to catch up. Something .

Instead, my brain had short-circuited, leaving me standing there like some love-struck moron.

Shaking my head, I pivoted on my heels and walked back toward my truck.

Maybe I wasn’t as ready to get back out there as I thought.

Because tonight?

Tonight, I’d completely crumbled.