Where We Call Home (Faircloud #2)

Chapter 38

Thirty-Eight

Penny: Theo, can you please describe in DEEP DETAIL how each of the guys looked dancing to my humps?

Aspen: I can’t believe we missed it!!!

Penny: I’ve had RAUNCHY dreams about it

Theo: a girl doesn’t kiss and tell…

Theo: just know, it was HOT

Penny: GASP!! ID TELL YOU

Aspen: SECRETS ARENT FUN THEO

*Penny changed the group chat to ‘GIRL CODE VIOLATION’*

“ I really don’t want a baby shower,” I groaned, folding a blue-printed onesie and adding it to the pile.

Sprawled out on my bed, I worked through the stack of baby clothes I’d collected so far. With the baby going to be here within the month, there was still so much to prepare. The mountain of stuff I already had felt overwhelming. I’d been chipping away at it since the beginning, trying to stay ahead of the chaos, but Penny’s latest suggestion was not helping.

“Come on, Theo, pleeease!” Penny begged, dragging out the last syllable as she clasped her hands dramatically.

“I’ve been planning this for ages!” Aspen chimed in from our three-way FaceTime call.

“Seriously?” I deadpanned into the camera. I hated being the center of attention, and outside of my two best friends, I didn’t have anyone I wanted to invite. Socializing with a bunch of near-strangers wasn’t exactly my idea of fun.

“Well, okay, maybe a couple of weeks,” Aspen admitted, glancing away. She was clearly at work—her background was unmistakably the Farmstand shelves.

I finished folding the clothes the baby wouldn’t fit into for a while and placed them in a labeled bin, sorting everything by size and season.

My plan was simple: store it all in the basement and retrieve each tote as needed. Rhodes was down there now, spending his day off reorganizing to make space for them. What kind of man cleans his basement on his day off? A good one. My good one.

“I really don’t want anything big and elaborate. The gender reveal was plenty, and while I loved it, it completely wiped me out.”

Penny leaned back in her chair, nodding. “Fine, fine, I get it. Nothing big, but I still—” she paused, her eyes going wide as someone walked into her office. She waved them off with a sharp nod toward the door.

“Who was that?” Aspen asked.

“No one,” Penny dismissed the question with a shrug. “Anyway, I still want to do something for you. You deserve it.”

For a moment, I wavered. Letting my friends have their fun was tempting, though the thought of hosting and entertaining made me feel instantly drained. I decided to stick to what felt right for me.

“I appreciate it, but really, I’m okay.” I smiled softly, setting a folded onesie aside for good measure. “Maybe we could just have a small get-together? No gifts, just the three of us and maybe the guys hanging out.”

Aspen’s face lit up. “I could bake some goodies!”

“I’ll bring the fun,” Penny added, grinning.

“Rhodes might be up for cooking something,” I said, making a mental note to ask him later.

“Speaking of Rhodes,” Aspen said with a sly smile, “how are things going?”

“Ooh, ooh, did he like the pictures?” Penny wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

I burst out laughing. “Yes, he did. He keeps it in his truck, actually. So... I guess you could say things are going great.” My cheeks warmed, and despite myself, a grin spread across my face. Just thinking about him made me feel giddy and warm all over.

“Hot!” Penny sighed dramatically, leaning back in her chair until she nearly disappeared from the screen. “That is every girl’s dream.”

When she sat back up, her attention was caught again by something off camera.

“You’re happy,” Aspen said softly, resting both hands on the counter as she peered at me.

I couldn’t deny it, I wasn’t going to deny it.

“I am,” I admitted, the words coming easily. “Rhodes has been so supportive, so kind. Being with him is... easy. I’ve always liked being alone, but being with him is better. He makes me feel understood, heard. He gives me a kind of comfort I haven’t felt in a long time.”

Penny and Aspen stayed quiet, their expressions tender as I confessed. My mind drifted back to the last few months, the time since Rhodes had walked into my life and quietly, steadily, changed everything. Who I was before, who I’d become, and who I wanted to be—these were different versions of myself I could barely reconcile.

Before Rhodes, before the baby, I was a lone wolf. No ties, no plans to settle. My life had always been about chasing the next adventure, the next country, the next thrill. I thrived on independence, visiting home only when the ache of missing my mom and my friends grew too sharp. Faircloud, Texas, had been nothing more than a pitstop, a place to refuel before I figured out my next destination.

I had sworn I would never get attached to anyone. Never again. Loss had taught me that. It had come too early, too fiercely, and it had left scars no one could see but me. It turned me cold, quiet, and detached, not cruel but guarded. I could take care of myself. I would take care of myself. No one would have to sacrifice for me, not ever again. Because sacrifice led to hurt, and I had carried enough of that for a lifetime.

When I met Rhodes, I was reluctant. Yet, something deep inside me whispered that I could trust him. I wasn’t a religious person, but the parallels between Rhodes and my dad were impossible to ignore. From the moment we sat outside the bathroom at The Tequila Cowboy, I felt it, felt like I’d known him my whole life. He was sent, put into my life for whatever cosmic reason.

Rhodes was gentle yet firm, steady and kind. Being with him was like stepping into a time capsule. It brought me back to the girl I used to be, the girl who once believed in love and connection and safety. I felt cherished, not just tolerated.

Somehow, without me realizing it, he became my center. He took a piece of my heart, and it didn’t stop there. That piece grew with every glance, every smirk, every quiet act of kindness. Until he didn’t just have a part of me. He owned it all.

“I have to go,” I mumbled, standing abruptly.

Before Penny or Aspen could respond, I ended the call and left my phone on the bed.

Their words and my internal reflection had sparked something in me.

I was done waiting. Done sidestepping labels and dodging the inevitable. I knew, deep down, that saying the words out loud wouldn’t change the life we had built. I also knew I needed to say them—not for him, but for me.

Because I was happy, and I wanted him to know.

My legs carried me down the hall and into the kitchen, my only thought was to find him. The basement door creaked as I opened it, and I descended the stairs slowly, one step at a time. The lights were on, but the silence was deafening.

“Rhodes?” I called softly, my voice trembling as I reached the bottom of the stairs.

I turned the corner and found him sitting on the floor with his back to me. His legs were crossed, a tote in front of him, its lid discarded to the side.

Quietly, I moved closer. That’s when I saw the tears streaming down his face. He held a picture frame in his hands, the dark wood encasing an old photo of him and Jess. The box before him was filled with remnants of their time together, a sweatshirt, a jar stuffed with folded notes, and other mementos of a love that had ended.

My chest tightened. I wanted to cry with him, to share his pain. Instead, I lowered myself down beside him, the swell of my belly making the motion slow and awkward. I rested my hand lightly on his arm.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. He didn’t deserve this—didn’t deserve what had happened to him. Rhodes was one of the best men I knew: kind, gentle, and a soul so pure it shone. He deserved love, real love, the kind that cherished him as fiercely as he cherished others.

“This box has been sitting down here since she walked away,” he said after a moment, his voice rough and broken. He scoffed, tossing the picture back into the box like it burned him. “I came down here ready to throw it all away. I didn’t even plan to open the stupid thing, my curiosity got the best of me. I thought I could look at it and be okay.”

I leaned into him, resting my head on his bicep. My fingers trailed down his arm until they found his, threading together, our warmth mingling in the stillness.

“I don’t regret the time I spent with her but I don’t miss her at all,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “When things were good, they were some of the best moments of my life. But seeing all this again?” He gestured to the box with his free hand, his head bowing in defeat. “It hurts. It brings back every thought, every doubt about myself I worked so hard to bury.”

“People come into our lives for a reason,” I said gently, my thumb stroking his hand in quiet reassurance. “They’re part of our journey, part of what shapes us into who we’re meant to be. Jess is a part of that for you—of why you’re the man you are today. The man who’s so kind and caring, who loves so deeply.”

He was quiet for a long moment, his chest rising and falling as he absorbed my words. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said, “I loved her. I loved her with everything I had. And it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t enough.”

My heart clenched. “Rhodes,” I said, shifting to kneel in front of him. I placed my hands gently on either side of his face, turning him away from the box filled with the weight of his past. “She made a choice, and she will regret that for the rest of her life. She’ll look back one day, angry at herself for giving up someone like you, for leaving you behind. That’s her burden to carry, not yours.”

I held his gaze, my thumbs brushing softly over his cheekbones. His eyes, red and raw from tears, searched mine, as if looking for some truth in what I was saying.

“You are more than enough,” I whispered, my voice steady. “And anyone who doesn’t see that? They’re the ones who don’t deserve you.”

The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing, and I watched as some of the tension eased from his shoulders. In that moment, I hoped he could see himself the way I saw him: a man worth every bit of love he had to give and so much more.

“This box is the past,” I said softly, my voice steady but gentle. “It’s proof of how far you’ve come. She doesn’t deserve your tears.”

I reached up, brushing away the tear that slipped down his cheek with the pad of my thumb. His eyes closed at the touch, and he drew in a deep inhale, holding it for a moment before releasing it, a long exhale that seemed to carry the weight he’d been carrying. I stayed quiet, patient, as he repeated the motion, each breath lighter than the last.

Quietly, I began to count backward from five, my voice calm and deliberate, letting him know I was here, that he was safe. His eyes shot open on the last count, locking onto mine. The intensity in his gaze rooted me to the spot, the stillness between us thick and consuming.

“Why did you come down here, Theo?” Rhodes asked, his voice low and curious. His head tilted slightly, and his hands moved to rest on the tops of my thighs.

He knew me too well. He could tell there was more to my presence than comfort. There was no avoiding or denying it, he needed to hear everything I’d been holding back.

“I—” I paused, searching for the right words, my throat tightening with the weight of what I wanted to say. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately. About who I’m becoming. About where the last few months have taken me and where I want to be in the months ahead.”

I shifted slightly closer, my knees pressing into him.

“I’ve experienced something I didn’t realize I was missing, a kind of love and support I didn’t know I craved until I finally felt it. For so long, I relied only on myself, out of fear. Fear of letting people in. Fear that they’d leave.”

Recognition flickered across Rhodes’s face, and I swallowed hard.

“You saw that. You felt it,” I continued, my voice trembling but resolute. “And instead of letting me drown in it, you taught me to swim. You didn’t just jump in and fix all my problems. You showed me the way, set an example, and gave me the space to figure it out for myself.”

Every word brought me closer to the truth I’d been skirting around, the confession that made my heart pound like thunder in my chest. It wasn’t easy. I wasn’t used to this kind of vulnerability, but I knew if I didn’t take the chance, nothing would change.

I shifted closer, leaning in until our faces were so close I could feel the warmth of his breath.

“Seeing this box, these memories…” My voice softened, heavy with emotion. “I know it might make you feel like you’re not enough, like you’re unworthy of love. But that’s not true. She didn’t leave because you were lacking. She left because she was a fool.”

Rhodes’ expression broke, his guarded vulnerability melting into something open and raw.

I leaned closer still, our lips separated by just a whisper of space. My heart raced as I finally let the words fall, the three words that had been building inside me, aching to be said.

“I love you.”

I pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips, and he melted into the touch. His arms came around me, pulling me closer, grounding me in the moment.

And in that quiet, intimate space, the weight of my confessions filled the air, weaving us together in a way that felt unshakable.

“I want you in every part of my life,” I said, my voice trembling with the weight of the confession. “You’ve broken down my walls and wiggled your way into my heart. I can’t imagine a time or place where you aren’t the center of my attention.”

Rhodes’s gaze softened, his eyes searching mine. “I came down here to get rid of this box,” he began, his voice low, the perfect balance of husky and tender. “It’s the last tie I had to her, and I needed to let it go. To throw it away and make space, make space for what’s right in front of me.”

He exhaled deeply, his shoulders relaxing as his words spilled out like a confession. “You’re that space, Theo. You’re the opportunity I didn’t know I was waiting for. You’re the one who showed me it was okay to leave that part of my history behind. Being with you, cherishing you, and receiving your care and love… it erased all the awful things I believed about myself. You’ve made me see I’m worthy of love.”

My heart clenched at his words, the sheer vulnerability of his declaration sinking into me. I smiled, the warmth of his love wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.

“I love you, too, if that wasn’t already clear,” Rhodes said, a teasing laugh escaping him. He leaned in, capturing my lips with his. The kiss wasn’t rushed or frantic—it was unhurried, deliberate, the kind that made me feel every ounce of his affection and devotion.

“Crystal,” I murmured against his lips, my smile pressing into his.

Rhodes pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his smirk lingering. “Thank you,” he said, his voice brimming with sincerity. “Thank you for trusting me enough to let those walls down. I promise I’ll take care of your heart and be the man your father would expect me to be.”

His words shattered me in the best way, the floodgates opening as tears spilled down my cheeks. My breath hitched, and Rhodes leaned in, kissing the wet trails with a tenderness that made my chest ache.

“You and that little girl in there,” he said, his hand sliding to rest on my growing belly, warm and steady, “will always be my number one priority.”

My stomach fluttered in perfect timing, and as if on cue, the baby shifted, brushing against Rhodes’s hand.

He stilled, his face lighting up with awe. “She loves you, too,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

“I have to tell you something,” I said, leaning closer to him. My lips brushed his ear as I whispered the secret I hadn’t told a soul.

Rhodes’s eyes widened for a split second before softening with understanding. His expression was gentle, a quiet acceptance radiating from him. He nodded, his lips finding mine again—once, twice, and then a third time, each kiss more certain than the last.

Then he stood, pulling me up with him in one smooth, effortless movement.

“This box,” he said, gesturing to the forgotten remnants of his past, “can wait. There’s something much more important I need to do first.”

His hand found mine, the warmth of his grip grounding me even as a spark of anticipation lit in my chest. He led me up the stairs, his steps purposeful, down the hallway to somewhere that only heightened the anticipation thrumming through me.

The promise in his touch sent a shiver down my spine, and as we walked, a rush of arousal bloomed, pooling low in my belly. Whatever awaited us, I knew it would be nothing short of unforgettable.

“I’m going to cherish you. Take my time devouring that sweet pussy while you cry out just how much you love me,” he purred against my lips before slamming the door to his bedroom shut.