Chapter 37
Thirty-Seven
T he couch had become my best friend. Since that night in the hospital a couple days ago, I’d barely moved from this spot.
When Rhodes was here, I never wanted for anything. He catered to my every wish, my every need without hesitation.
I was hungry? He was in the kitchen, whipping up something to eat.
Had to use the bathroom? He was there, helping me get there.
Cold? He’d drape an extra blanket over me without a word.
Normally, I’d feel overwhelmed by someone hovering over me like that. Suffocated, even. But Rhodes had this way of making it feel natural, seamless like caring for me wasn’t a burden but something he wanted to do.
The morning we came home from the clinic, I was so exhausted from the poking and prodding that I passed out on the couch almost immediately. While I slept, he found my phone and called my mom, letting her know what had happened and that everything was okay. The next day, she came over, and we spent time together.
Today was the first day I was completely alone since the scare. It was also the first day I started to feel like myself again. The doctors had made it clear we were playing a waiting game now—keeping the baby comfortable for as long as possible until it was time.
Any day now, I thought. The idea filled me with equal parts excitement and anxiety.
I kept things simple and easy: watching TV, preparing light meals, and napping when my body demanded it. With the quiet came thoughts I couldn’t escape.
Over the last few days, I’d been stuck on how Rhodes had reacted at the hospital, the memory of his face etched into my mind.
I’d never seen him like that before—pure, unfiltered fear in his eyes. Every word he spoke was laced heavy with concern. The way he moved, the way he carried me, it was like the world around him didn’t exist. In that moment, I knew there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep me safe and to protect the baby.
And that’s what I think I needed to know. Before this, there had been doubt, small but persistent, about letting someone into my baby’s life.
Would they truly have her best interests at heart? Would they leave when things got hard? Would they love her as much as she deserved to be loved?
After all, she wasn’t even his. Rhodes had no obligation, no expectation to stay or to care for her, yet he had already attached himself. The way he cared for me, the way his hands would instinctively cradle my belly like he was holding something precious. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Rhodes not only cared deeply for me but for her, too.
I stretched out, my body sore from too much stillness. My muscles needed movement, a reminder they still served a purpose. For the first time today, hunger pricked at me. Lately, I'd felt off. I had no energy, no motivation to eat properly, let alone consume a balanced meal. Not ideal, but my body wasn’t interested in cooperating.
Before I could rise, the front door creaked open, the hinges groaning like they were in desperate need of some TLC. My head snapped toward the noise just as the unmistakable beat of My Humps blasted through the house.
“What the—?” I scanned the room, heart racing. No one was in sight as the door stood wide open with the absurd song echoed loudly.
“Hello?” I called, sitting up straighter, equal parts curious and alarmed.
Then I saw Boone. He shimmied into the room, perfectly in sync with the song’s beat, his body moving in hilariously awkward rolls and exaggerated hip sways. My jaw dropped, and laughter bubbled out of me as I clapped in delight. Boone’s grin stretched wide as he danced his way toward me, stopping in front of the couch to drop low and shake his ass.
“Are you serious right now?” I managed between fits of laughter, wiping at the tears pricking my eyes.
Without breaking rhythm, Boone handed me a hot chocolate from the farmstand, complete with a festive bow. Before I could ask what on earth was happening, movement at the door caught my attention again.
This time, it was Mac, and he was dancing to My Humps , a sight I never thought I’d see.
If Boone’s moves were endearingly awkward, Mac’s were like a poorly rehearsed male stripper audition. He spun, pumped his arms, and threw in a chest pop that looked like it belonged on Jersey Shore . I lost it, laughter overtaking me until my sides hurt.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” I yelled over the obnoxiously loud bass, my cheeks aching from smiling so much.
Mac sauntered toward me with exaggerated seduction, placing a finger over my lips to silence me. Then, still in character, he handed me a takeout box and winked before retreating to stand beside Boone.
I stared at them in disbelief, my expression a mix of amusement and shock. It was like the Chippendales dancers had invaded the living room.
Just when I thought the ridiculousness had peaked, the door thudded shut behind me.
Enter Rhodes.
As the final verse of the song blared, Rhodes rolled his hips, his hand resting behind his back like a cowboy in a dance-off. Unlike the others, his moves had an irresistible swagger, his brawny frame teasing me with every sway and roll. My mouth went dry as my eyes trailed down his body, lingering on the way his jeans clung to his hips. I bit my lip, thoroughly entranced.
Suddenly, my appetite roared back to life.
Rhodes approached, his movements deliberate and confident, until he stood directly in front of me. He dipped low, rolling his hips in a slow circle that had me gripping the couch cushion for stability. Then, with a flourish, he produced a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and offered them to me.
I gasped, my bottom lip trembling as I took the familiar bouquet—the same flowers he’d brought on our first dinner together. The laughter faded, replaced by an ache in my chest as I blinked back the happy tears threatening to spill.
Rhodes stepped back, blowing me a kiss before all three men lined up in front of me. As if they’d rehearsed this minutes before, they launched into a coordinated routine. Body rolls, waves, and spins—they moved in perfect sync until Mac fumbled the body wave, earning a round of groans and laughter. Boone ended the routine with an overly dramatic move, dropping to the floor to hump the air like his life depended on it.
The music cut off, leaving the guys panting and a bit sweaty from their impromptu performance.
“Well,” I said, shaking my head, “that’s one hell of a way to deliver food.”
“Did we seriously miss it?” A familiar female voice called from the front door. I turned to see Aspen and Penny stepping inside.
Penny let out a dramatic groan, stomping her foot. “We told you doofuses to wait ! Ugh!”
Boone shrugged, utterly unapologetic. “We couldn’t help it. Mac was nervous and wanted to ‘get it over with.’”
“I wasn’t nervous, you asshole,” Mac shot back, dropping onto the couch by my feet with a huff. “I just wanted to get it over with, because unlike some people, I’m not much of a dancer.”
“I could tell,” I teased, giving him a soft smile. “But hey, you gave it your all.”
I sat up, pulling my feet beneath me. Whatever just happened here would live rent-free in my brain forever. There was no way I’d forget the way Rhodes could move those hips.
Bow wow.
“Not that I don’t love seeing you all,” I said, looking around at my unexpected audience, “but why are you here?”
“Rhodes had this idea to brighten your spirits,” Aspen explained, settling cross-legged on the floor. She placed a box, muffins, if my guess was right, on the coffee table.
“We thought we’d bring the fun to you this time,” Penny added, sliding onto the couch beside me. She leaned her head on my shoulder, her familiar warmth an unspoken comfort.
I glanced up and caught Rhodes leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen, his arms crossed casually over his chest. Our eyes locked, and my heart gave a little kick, as if it had just noticed what my brain had been processing for a while now. His smirk deepened, the corners of his eyes crinkling in that way that made me feel like I was the only person in the room.
Warmth and joy spreading through me like the first sip of hot chocolate on a cold day.
These were my people, my messy, wonderful, mismatched family. They listened when I spoke, cared when I needed it most, and showed up in ways I hadn’t realized I needed.
Even with the room full of laughter and love, my focus stayed on the man leaning in the doorway. The one who made all of this happen, who orchestrated this ridiculous, perfect moment, because he knew exactly what I needed, even when I didn’t.
By the time the sun had dipped below the trees, casting the world in darkness, my friends finally decided it was time to leave. My body felt heavy with exhaustion, but my heart was full, brimming with joy and the warmth of their company. After lingering goodbyes and promises to see each other soon, the house grew quiet, leaving just Rhodes and me to recount the day.
“Thank you,” I murmured, snuggling into his side. His arm wrapped around me, pulling me closer, his body radiating warmth. Rhodes’ thumb traced soft circles on my side, a soothing rhythm that matched the peaceful quiet settling over us.
“I’m glad it turned out well,” he replied with a chuckle. “Trying to teach Mac to dance, though, that might go down as one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
I laughed, the memory of their hilarious attempts to dance flashing in my mind.
“I can’t believe you pulled it off. What did you bribe them with?” I teased, glancing up at him.
“Nothing,” Rhodes said simply, his voice steady and sincere. “I just asked if they wanted to do something to make you feel better, and they were all in.”
His confession struck me silent. My throat tightened as a wave of emotion washed over me.
“I—we love you, ya know,” Rhodes added, his hand moving to my hair, his fingers combing through it with gentle affection. That single slip-up hung in the air, heavy and meaningful.
“I know,” I whispered, my voice thick with the effort to hold back everything I wanted to say but couldn’t yet bring myself to admit.
He shifted, his tone soft yet firm. “I’ve been thinking. I think you should sleep in my room. After the other night, I’d feel better keeping a closer eye on you, at least until the baby comes.”
His confidence left no room for argument. It wasn’t a suggestion; it was his way of protecting me, of easing his own worries.
I tilted my head to look up at him, our eyes locking. “I’m just down the hall, Rhodes. You know that.”
“I haven’t slept through the night since,” he admitted quietly, his voice raw with vulnerability. His words settled over me, making my skin prickle.
I swallowed hard, the intensity of the moment wrapping around us like a cocoon. His gaze didn’t waver, and neither did mine.
“Consider it you doing me a favor,” he added, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver through me. “I need to know you and the baby are okay.” He reached up, his hand cupping my jaw as his thumb brushed against my bottom lip. The tender touch undid me.
“Okay,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper as I gave in quickly. My heart was overwhelmed by the depth of his outward concern.
He leaned down, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that was soft and unhurried. I melted into him, letting his touch and his warmth drown out everything else. His kiss was all-consuming, a quiet promise that I could stay wrapped in this feeling forever.
Time stretched as we sat there, lips moving together in a dance that felt both endless and fleeting. When we finally parted, my lips tingled. The moment left me breathless, my thoughts spinning in a haze of him.
Eventually, we decided it was time to head to bed. For the first night of many, I fell asleep wrapped in Rhodes’s sheets, surrounded by the rich, clean scent of him.
Safe, warm, and utterly content, I drifted into a peaceful sleep, cradled by the man who made me feel cherished in a way I never thought possible.