Where We Call Home (Faircloud #2)

Chapter 30

Thirty

I was falling for Rhodes Dunn, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. I was gone—long, long gone—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’d love to go to France someday. It’s on my ‘must-travel-before-I-die’ bucket list.”

“We could go sometime,” I suggested, smiling at them. “A girl’s trip—I could show you two around.”

“Yes!” Aspen gasped, clapping her hands in excitement.

“I’m going to start planning. This will be my entire personality for the foreseeable future,” Penny declared. She was a planner to her core, always down to the smallest detail. Thank God for her because I was the opposite.

“Well, it’ll have to wait until after the baby comes,” I said, running a hand along my bump.

“She’s going to be here so soon!” Penny cheered, sipping her mimosa.

“I know! I can’t believe it.”

Time was ticking. Thanksgiving was just over a week away, which meant I was closing in on thirty weeks of pregnancy. Thinking back on everything that had happened since I returned to Faircloud—it was overwhelming.

Thirty weeks. Seven months. Two hundred and ten days.

“How’s it going, living with Rhodes?” Aspen asked, leaning forward slightly.

Luckily, the women doing our nails were occupied with manicures, leaving us free to chat without prying ears.

“Really good,” I admitted honestly, feeling the perfect segue to confide in my friends. “We get along well.”

I looked down at my nails, absently picking at my cuticles.

Aspen cleared her throat, drawing my attention back. She could always tell when I had more to say.

“You slept with him, didn’t you?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

I nodded, unable to hold back the laugh that bubbled up. I had proof , too. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out my phone and opened my photo gallery. These pictures were supposed to be for my eyes only, but Aspen and Penny didn’t count.

I handed my phone to Penny, the first photo pulled up. “Here’s your proof.”

Penny grabbed the phone, and Aspen leaned so far over I thought she might fall out of her chair. Penny zoomed in immediately—I’d bet good money it was on Rhodes’ abs.

“Oh, hell yeah,” she laughed, nodding appreciatively. “This is hot.”

“Keep swiping,” I encouraged.

“Was he good? I bet he’s so good,” Penny said, practically drooling. “I’d swallow him whole and make sure he knows I don’t have a gag reflex.”

“It was amazing,” I admitted with a grin. “I’d absolutely go back for seconds.”

The pictures had become my guilty pleasure. It was embarrassing how often I’d opened them just to stare.

“I want these framed, please and thank you,” Penny said, her eyes still glued to the screen.

“The smile on your face says it all,” Aspen added, her attention on me.

“I think I might be falling for him. Hard,” I confessed, cringing slightly. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

Saying it out loud felt strange. The truth was, Rhodes had become my person. He was the one I wanted to talk to after a tough day, the one I hoped would be there for my next doctor’s appointment. He was the constant in every scenario I pictured for my future.

“Oh, babes,” Penny said, handing my phone back and touching my arm gently. “Falling in love is scary, and you never see it coming.”

Aspen nodded. “That’s how I felt with Boone. Taking the job on the ranch wasn’t supposed to lead to a relationship, but now? I couldn’t be happier.”

“It’s weird for me,” I admitted. “I always thought I’d live my life on the go. But with Rhodes, he makes me want to stay. I want to settle down—have a family.”

“Have you told him?” Penny asked.

I laughed, though it sounded more like a dying animal. “Oh, God, no. I wouldn’t even know what to say.”

Did I want to tell Rhodes? Yesterday’s kiss made me believe he felt something , too. Would putting it into words make things... weird?

“How did you do it, Aspen?” I asked, searching for some guidance. Whatever she did clearly worked.

She laughed, shaking her head with a sly grin. “I was naked in his bed, wearing nothing but his cowboy hat.”

“I love that for you,” Penny giggled, reaching over to high-five her. “You know what you need to do.”

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. Penny’s ideas always came with a side of caution.

“It’s a good idea!” she insisted.

I sipped my sparkling juice, glancing at Aspen, who was clearly gearing up for whatever wild plan Penny was about to pitch.

“You should print the photo of you on top of him and put it in his wallet. Maybe print a few. Then put one in his truck.”

I nearly choked, the juice threatening to shoot out of my nose. The sound I made drew every eye in the salon, which only made the choking worse. My cheeks burned, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

“Wait!” Aspen exclaimed. “That is a good idea.”

“See?” Penny said, grinning triumphantly.

The woman doing my pedicure arrived just then, settling into the low chair in front of me and getting to work.

“What if someone else sees it?” I whispered.

“That’s the fun,” Penny replied with a wink.

I had to admit, it would be funny. It could break the ice, and if I didn’t make a move, who’s to say things would change?

“I’ve always been direct about what I want,” I mused, almost to myself. “Why stop now?”

“Exactly,” Penny said. “After this, let’s go get them printed. I want one for myself anyway.”

She winked again, and I couldn’t help but laugh.