Just One Look (Castleton Hearts)

We were putting things in a bag when there was a knock at the door.

“Hello?” A voice said, and I recognized Theo’s uncle Ralph.

“Hey,” Theo said as he walked in with a stack of metal baking trays in his arms. She took them from him and set them on the counter.

“I started cooking as soon as I heard the baby was on the way,” he said, smiling. He had wrinkles next to his eyes from constant smiling. Ralph was such a nice guy. You couldn’t help but feel at ease around him.

“Awesome, I’ll put those in the deep freezer,” Theo said. “I have the feeling that more is coming.”

Ralph nodded. “How are you doing, Kendra? You enjoying those tables and chairs?”

“I’m good. All the furniture is perfect, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Theo,” I said, and I could see her blushing. She really needed to learn how to take compliments better.

Theo came back from putting away the meals in the garage deep freezer and we walked outside with Ralph.

“I’m headed over to the hospital to meet my little grand-nephew, so I’ll see you later.” He squeezed Theo’s shoulder and got in his truck.

“Let’s go home and shower real quick,” Theo said and I was starting to worry that she had been going since yesterday.

“Why don’t we go drop this off and then come back and shower and sleep?” I asked. “Clint seems to have things under control, and so do Kim’s parents. And Ralph will be there,” I said. “You can take a nap.”

Theo looked like she was going to argue with me, but then she rubbed her eyes, as if they ached.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”

There was a whole crowd at the hospital, so we dropped off the supplies to Kim’s dad and said we’d be back later when we’d had some time to sleep.

Theo was almost dead on her feet when we got back to her house and I shoved her directly toward the bed. Shower could happen later.

She was asleep a few seconds after she laid down and I followed her shortly after.

The next time I awoke, it was dark and Theo and I had slept for hours. I sat up and went to the bathroom and when I came back, Theo was rubbing her eyes.

“Shit. Visiting hours are basically over. I guess we’ll just go tomorrow. Since she didn’t have a C-section, she’ll probably be discharged.” Theo yawned and stretched her magnificent shoulders.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“It’s what happened last time with Mia. I assume it’s usually the same.” She checked her phone and nodded. “Yup. Discharge tomorrow afternoon. We can stop by and see them before they go home.”

“I can’t believe how tired I am, and I didn’t even have the baby,” I said, yawning again.

“Yeah, the exhausting part comes later. The sleep deprivation is real. Clint is lucky he can take a little bit of time off to help, and Kim’s mom lives close and is retired, so she’s always on call,” Theo said as she got out of bed and winced.

“Ready for a shower?” she asked.

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” I said, and she dragged me into the shower and washed my hair for me.

We got out and went to the kitchen in search of something easy and quick, so Theo threw some chicken strips and tater tots in the air fryer.

“How do you feel about babies?” she asked me as we sat on the couch together. My hair was still damp from the shower.

“Oh, are we talking about that now?” I asked.

“Why not? You want to be in my future, right?” Theo asked. “I think it’s an important conversation to have. Get all our cards on the table.”

I set my plate down on the coffee table.

“Don’t you think we need to talk about something else first?” I asked.

“Marriage?” Theo asked.

“Before that,” I said, hoping she would start picking up what I was putting down.

She blinked at me for a second. “Oh, you mean the fact that I haven’t told you that I love you yet?”

I gasped. “Yeah, I guess I mean that.”

“I do, Kendra. I love you,” she said, pulling me into her lap. “I was waiting for the right time, but then my sister went into labor.”

“Oh,” I said. “That makes sense.”

Theo looked at me as if she was waiting.

“I guess I love you too,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’re okay.”

Theo growled and pulled my face down to hers for a searing kiss that made my entire body feel weak.

“Don’t love me halfway, princess,” she said, kissing her way down my neck.

“I don’t do things halfway,” I said as she pulled my tank top over my head.

“Neither do I,” she said. “Which is why I’m going to fuck you until you come at least twice on this couch.”

I moaned. “Oh, I definitely love you, Theo.”