Where We Call Home (Faircloud #2)

Chapter 34

Thirty-Four

30 weeks pregnant

Baby is the size of a head of broccoli

“ T heo, Honey, we are going to be late,” Rhodes shouted from the living room as I worked tirelessly to pick an outfit that actually fit.

Finding cute or even remotely presentable clothes to wear in public at thirty weeks pregnant was a challenge. Tonight, Rhodes and I were meeting our friends at Faircloud’s Annual Fall Fest. I hadn’t been to the festival in years—probably not since high school. Other than the summer block party, this would be the first time I’d be surrounded by most of the town. With that came an unavoidable pressure to look halfway decent, a pressure that normally wouldn’t faze me.

After what happened between Rhodes and me in the nursery—the whole “hands on the wall, now” moment—we’d slipped into this unspoken rhythm. The more we saw each other, naked and vulnerable, the more we just... meshed. Things were flowing.

Subconsciously, I wondered if I was obsessing over how I looked because I wanted to prove to the town that I deserved Rhodes' attention.

Finally satisfied that I looked presentable, I shut off the bathroom light and headed to the living room. I’d settled on a pair of maternity jeans, my favorite boots, and a flowy sweater—perfect for when the evening chill set in. Instead of my usual pigtails, I’d gone for a half-up, messy bun perched on the crown of my head.

“You look pretty,” Rhodes said, his voice warm. He stood there looking effortlessly gorgeous in his jeans and backward hat, like he hadn’t even tried.

Ever since that moment in the nursery, my desire for him had been relentless. It was like a switch had flipped inside me, and my once-manageable libido was now in overdrive. His hands. That smile. It all drove me to the brink of distraction.

I bit my lip, letting my gaze travel from his boots to his hat, my imagination running wild with ideas of how we could spend the evening without ever leaving the house.

“Down, girl.” He chuckled, stepping closer and wrapping his large, rugged hands around my biceps. His touch sent a shiver through me. “I can practically see what you’re thinking.” He leaned down and brushed a soft, teasing kiss across my lips. “As tempting as that is, we promised them we’d be there.”

When he pulled away, I groaned dramatically and stomped my foot like a tantruming toddler.

“Why do you always have to be so responsible?” I grumbled, grabbing my purse and turning away from his grip.

“One of us has to be,” he said with a knowing wink. “Besides, by me being responsible, you get to keep having all those dirty thoughts. Isn’t that more fun?”

A laugh escaped me. He wasn’t wrong. As we headed out the front door, my mind filled with images of Rhodes doing all kinds of deliciously inappropriate things to me.

“Oh, it’s fun, all right,” I teased, sighing dramatically. “The things you’re doing to me in my head right now…”

Rhodes let out a deep laugh. “You think this is funny? I’m soaking?—”

“Please don’t finish that sentence,” he interrupted, shooting me a pointed look as he opened the passenger door of his truck.

I climbed in, but before he could shut the door, I grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him in for a slow, lingering kiss. When we finally broke apart, his eyes darkened with restraint.

“Theo,” he said, his tone half-scolding.

I grinned, unapologetically asking, “What?” in a timid tone.

“You’re trouble.”

Rhodes shut the truck door and rounded the front as I pulled my camera from my purse. Lately, I’d been trying to take more pictures, capturing moments I never wanted to forget.

Flipping through the camera’s gallery, I got lost in the memories. There were so many photos of Rhodes. Despite the distraction the other day, we’d finally finished the baby’s room. I let Rhodes do most of the work—truthfully, I wasn’t much help and mostly got in the way. Instead, I stayed off to the side, documenting the day in snapshots. One shot showed him standing with his back to me, paintbrush in hand, shoulders tense with focus. Another was from when I’d called his name, catching him off guard. He’d turned to me with a smirk, his expression soft, raw, and so completely unposed. Seeing him look at me like that—with joy—tugged at something deep inside me.

The more I saw him smile, the more he gave me pieces of his heart, the harder I fell for him.

I thought back to the other night, when he’d been buried inside me, cherishing my body. He told me, more like demanded that I was his. Even though I didn’t say anything out loud, in my head I agreed.

Old Theo would’ve ran. She’d have packed her bags and fled to another city or even another country. This version of me didn’t want to bolt. Instead, I wanted to dig my roots deeper into Faircloud. Because of him.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t even notice Rhodes had climbed into the driver’s seat. When I came back to myself, we were already on the road.

“Where’d you go?” he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

He always knew when I checked out, could sense when my mind wandered. I wasn’t ready to share my thoughts, not yet. I knew he felt something too. For now, I wanted to hold onto this quiet peace a little longer. Who knew what would happen when the simplicity of us was replaced by rules and titles?

“I was just looking at some photos I took,” I said casually, clicking through a few more. One flashed on the screen—a shot of my bare belly, framed by a bra and low-hanging pajama pants. I’d been taking progress photos, wanting to document my pregnancy so one day I could show my daughter what it was like when she was in Mommy’s belly.

“Can I see?” Rhodes asked, slowing to a stop at an intersection.

I nodded and turned the camera toward him. He leaned in closer, one hand resting on the steering wheel and the other draped over the center console.

“I can’t wait to meet her,” he murmured, a small, tender smile forming on his lips.

I couldn’t wait either. The thought filled me with an ache so sweet, I almost blurted it out. But I held back—I wasn’t ready to say it aloud yet. Instead, I shifted the conversation.

“So, how are we going to act around everyone tonight?” I asked, my tone light but my question loaded.

“What do you mean?” Rhodes responded, his brows knitting together slightly as he kept his eyes on the road.

“Oh, come on. You know what I mean. We’ve clearly fallen into… whatever this is. We can’t be kissing or hugging or touching like we do at home.”

Rhodes nodded slowly, processing. “I guess you’re right. I hadn’t really thought about it like that. Everything’s just felt so…” He trailed off, searching for the right word.

“Natural,” I supplied softly, because I felt it, too.

“Exactly.” He hummed in agreement, the sound low and warm. Then he sighed, glancing at me briefly. Our eyes met, and for a second, the truck felt smaller, the air heavier. “Theo, I think we should talk?—”

“Please, not right now,” I cut him off, my voice dipping into a quiet plea as I leaned my head back against the seat. “Not here. Not before we spend the night with our friends.”

He nodded again, his jaw tightening as he swallowed hard, the tension in his throat betraying how much he wanted to say.

I knew we needed to talk about whatever was happening between us—about what we were becoming—but I couldn’t handle it right now. Not here. It had to happen at home, where I’d have the space to cry, to feel, to try to untangle the overwhelming knot of emotions Rhodes had tied around my heart.

I felt so much for him that I didn’t even know where to begin.

We pulled up to the parking lot; Boone, Aspen, Penny, Mac, and Logan all gathered around the bed of Boone’s truck, clearly waiting for us. We weren’t that late. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and grounded myself, counting back from five like Rhodes has often told me. I had to center myself, get these emotions out of my head, and enjoy the time with my friends. Things have been going well; I wanted to keep them that way.

Smiling, I opened the passenger door and swung my feet over the seat.

“Don’t you dare,” Rhodes whispered, catching my attention before I could hop down. I knew what he meant. I hadn’t opened a door as long as I was with him, but it was too late. I’d wait and at least let him help me down.

Rhodes came around and helped me out before we made our way over to where our friends stood.

“It’s about time,” Mac joked, half his lips turning into a smirk. “We’ve been waiting for ages.” Penny reached out, smacking Mac on the chest. He gasped and rubbed his skin like he was in real pain.

“Don’t listen to him,” Boone said, rolling his eyes. “He got here probably a minute ago. His truck’s still warm.”

“Now that we are all here,” Aspen said. “Where did we want to start?”

Faircloud came alive whenever there was some kind of festival or activity. The streets were lined with string lights, attaching at each lamppost wrapped in red and orange leafed garlands. Laughter echoed through the streets as children darted between booths, their faces painted, high on candied apples. The sound of chatter blended with the soft strumming of a local band playing under the gazebo in the middle of Faircloud Park. An acoustic guitar, a violin, and a mandolin weaving a familiar tune of old-time folk and country.

I let out a breath, a sense of pride rushing through me. Seeing the scene before me thrilled me to raise my daughter in a town like this.

“What if we got some apple cider first?” I suggested, hanging the camera around my neck.

The crowd agreed, and we wandered across the street, walking under the arched entrance surrounded by pumpkins and cornstalks. We were greeted by rows of booths and local vendors popping up to sell their creations. Knowing Aspen, she probably took out a small loan to come here. If there was a small business she could support, she was there, no questions asked.

“What about this one?” Logan asked, pointing to a booth called The Cider Press . He was the first to approach the booth, and we all filed in line behind.

Rhodes stood behind me, and we were at the back of the line. I could feel him step closer, the heat from his body radiating off and seeping into me. The urge to step into him, lay my head back, and soak in his comfort was so strong, but I kept forward. I decided to bring the camera to my face, snapping a few pictures of all my friends in line, the shop’s name in the background.

To break the spell of Rhodes' closeness, I called out, “Okay! Everyone, look here and smile!”

Our friends turned around in unison, their faces lighting up for the camera. Penny threw up double peace signs while Mac stuck his tongue out like a fool. Boone, the romantic, kissed Aspen’s temple, making her smile stretch wide enough to reach ear to ear.

I pulled the camera back to check the shots. The image was perfect—the twinkling lights framed them beautifully, and the blurred trees in the background added just the right touch of atmosphere.

“Alright, now it’s your turn,” Rhodes whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

“Me?” I scoffed, lowering the camera. “No way. I’m the photographer.”

He gave me a knowing look. “I know my way around a camera. Remember?”

Of course, I remembered. I’d printed the photos he’d taken and placed them on my nightstand—a little secret I didn’t plan to share.

“Go on,” he urged, holding his hand out for the camera.

With a dramatic eye roll, I handed it over and stepped into the frame next to Mac. He wrapped one arm around me and the other around Penny.

“Don’t blink,” Mac teased, his smile mischievous.

“Thanks, genius. Now I’m definitely going to blink,” Penny quipped, nudging him with her hip.

Laughing, I grinned fully at the camera, a real smile I hadn’t felt in what seemed like ages. Rhodes snapped several photos, adjusting the angles as he went. Finally, he lowered the camera and gave an approving nod.

“How’d I do?” he asked, tilting the screen toward me.

I leaned in, my heart warming at the sight. The photo was perfect—natural, happy, and genuine. It felt like seeing a piece of myself I hadn’t recognized in a while.

“Want one of just you two?” Mac offered, holding his hand out for the camera.

I looked at Rhodes, who met my gaze with a shrug. With a small nod, I handed the camera to Mac.

“Alright, lovebirds, arms around each other,” Mac said with a grin.

I stepped closer to Rhodes, wrapping my arms around his middle. He pulled me under his arm, his embrace solid and warm. As Mac snapped the picture, a single word whispered through my mind: home .

The evening drifted on as we wandered from booth to booth, soaking in the festive atmosphere. Events peppered the night—a wood-cutting contest, sack races, and, my favorite, bobbing for apples. While I’d usually dominate an apple-bobbing contest anywhere else, there was no way I was risking my dignity in front of half the town.

Boone, on the other hand, couldn’t resist. “Let’s do it!” he called, pointing at the lineup of bins. “I bet I’ll win.”

“Doubt it,” Mac shot back, rolling up his sleeves. “You’ve got about as much chance of winning as wrestling a hog in the mud.”

My face scrunched, and I looked at Penny and Aspen, who looked back at me with the same confused expression. Mac spoke in his own language most of the time; no one understood it but him.

“Game on!” Boone declared, tossing his cowboy hat onto Aspen’s head. “You two in?” He nodded toward Logan and Rhodes.

“Hell yeah,” Logan said, pulling off his hat and hesitating, unsure where to put it. I held out my hand, and he grinned, handing it over.

I looked up at Rhodes, who seemed hesitant to join in. Leaning closer, I nudged him with my elbow. “Do it. I want to see you win, it’ll be hot.”

That did the trick. “Say less,” he replied, pulling off his baseball cap. “I’d put this on your head, but it doesn’t have the same meaning.”

Laughing, I took the hat and teased, “Go show them who the real man is.”

Rhodes chuckled and followed the guys to the lineup. Each of them knelt in front of a bin filled with water and apples, ready to compete. Aspen, Penny, and I stood together, watching from the sidelines. I couldn’t help smiling like a fool as Rhodes leaned forward, the light catching on his profile.

Watching him like this, so effortlessly confident and playful, I knew one thing for sure: I was absolutely gone for this man.

At the older man’s call, everyone dove in, heads plunging into the water as they scrambled to grab apples with their teeth. The challenge was simple: the first to clear their bucket won.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Rhodes. His head dipped into the water, and he quickly came up with an apple clenched between his teeth. Water streamed down his face, his soaked hair falling messily across his forehead. He shook his head to fling off the droplets, sending a small spray around him.

“Keep going!” I cheered, a little too enthusiastically. A few people glanced my way, and I cleared my throat, reining in my excitement as I shifted to quieter clapping.

Penny was next to yell. “Let’s go!” she called, her voice carrying over the crowd.

Aspen joined in, jumping up and down as she cheered for Boone. “Come on, Boone! You’ve got this!”

The three of us laughed as we watched the guys on their knees, water splashing everywhere as they struggled to snag the apples. The ridiculousness of it all made it even more entertaining.

I brought my camera up and started snapping away, taking photos of everyone around us as well as the contest.

Finally, Logan shot to his feet, arms raised in triumph, an apple still dangling from his mouth. “Victory!” he declared, his muffled voice earning a round of cheers from the crowd.

I waved his hat in the air and cheered with the rest of the spectators. Around us, the guys were coming up for air, shaking water from their faces and grinning through their defeat. The whole scene was pure chaos and hilarity, and I loved every second of it.

The judge handed Logan something; it looked like little pieces of paper. It occurred to me none of the guys knew what they were trying to win except for bragging rights to stoke their pride.

Logan jogged up to Rhodes, conversing about something I couldn’t quite interpret. I turned my attention away, trying not to seem like I was prying or listening in.

“How was that?” Rhodes asked when he joined me, using the hem of his shirt to dry his face. The move exposed a sliver of his stomach, and I couldn’t help but notice how the water clung to his skin.

“Pretty hot,” I replied, giving him a playful nudge with my shoulder.

The rest of the evening was spent indulging in deep-fried apple slices drizzled with caramel—sweet, sticky, and utterly delicious. As the festival began winding down, the crowd started thinning, and it felt like the perfect time to call it a night.

After saying our goodbyes to everyone, Rhodes helped me climb into his truck. We headed home, the quiet hum of the drive soothing after the noise of the festival.

But curiosity was gnawing at me. I couldn’t shake the memory of Logan and Rhodes talking earlier.

“So, what was Logan saying to you after the contest?” I asked, glancing at him.

Rhodes cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the road. “He gave me the tickets he won,” he said casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

I frowned. “Why would he do that?”

“He didn’t think he’d use them,” Rhodes replied, his tone maddeningly vague.

I laughed lightly, though it wasn’t because I found it funny. “You’re being cryptic.”

Exhaling, Rhodes glanced at me briefly before focusing back on the road. “They’re tickets for a weekend getaway,” he admitted. “Logan doesn’t have anyone to go with, so he gave them to me.”

My breath caught. My cheeks flushed with heat. “But… you do?”

Rhodes’s hand tightened slightly on the steering wheel. “I took them because I thought you might like them,” he said quietly. “After the baby’s born. As a gift. I figured it might be a chance for you to take a break—if you wanted to.”

His confession hit me hard, like a wave crashing over me, leaving me unsteady and breathless. My heart swelled, and my mind raced to process what he’d just said. I stared ahead, blinking rapidly, as I tried to string together a response that didn’t sound as shaken as I felt.

If I ever took a weekend getaway, the only person I’d want there with me would be him. But instead of saying that, I nodded and quietly murmured my thanks.

Rhodes and I were treading into dangerous territory. I didn’t know how much longer I could go without addressing the big, fat elephant in the room. I’d never felt love like this before, and the urge to scream it, to shout it from the rooftops, was all-consuming.

No wonder all the movies always have an epic love confession because I was bursting at the seams. I was moments away from standing outside of his window with a radio, blasting old-time country love songs.