Chapter 64

Tamia Larson.

As I sat in the dimly lit bedroom, Gunner’s eyes locked onto mine with a mix of nervousness and excitement. Apparently, Ophelia used her links to have him here so that we could talk. I didn’t say anything more to the girls about my concern regarding Gunner’s aloof behavior, but I guess they could still tell that I was worried.

He took a deep breath, his hand reaching for mine, and began to reveal the secret he’d been keeping for weeks. “Tamia, I have something important to tell you,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.

My heart skipped a beat as I felt a surge of curiosity. Finally, he is going to spill what he’s been so secretive about. I must admit that it made me nervous and I wanted to ask questions But before I could open my mouth and reply, he dropped the bombshell. “I bought a house for us, baby. I’ve been working on buying furniture and decorations, so when you come back from university, we can move in together and start our new life.”

I felt my jaw drop as I stared at him, trying to process the magnitude of his words. A house? For us? Together? I couldn’t believe it. We could finally live together.

Gunner’s face lit up with a warm smile, and he pulled out a small folder from behind his back. “Your brother has been helping me. When I was—away, I spoke to him about it and he helped me to find the perfect place for us,” he said, his eyes shining with excitement.

“I know you will love it there, babe. It’s not too big, not too small, and it’s in a great neighborhood. Plus, it’s got a backyard perfect for our future kids.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of having a little family growing up in this new home. Gunner and I have never talked about having children before, but now that he mentioned it, having maybe just one child doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

I looked at Gunner’s serious expression, and my laughter faltered. He was serious, and this was really happening. I’m a married woman and my husband bought us a house and is working on having it furnished. If he told me before, then I could have helped him with choosing furniture for the house. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, gazing into his blue eyes.

Gunner’s expression turned serious, and he took a deep breath before responding. “I was worried about how you’d react, Tamia. I knew this was a big decision, and I wanted to make sure you were on the same page as me. I didn’t want to get your hopes up, only to have them crushed if I didn’t get this house.” I felt a pang of guilt for not being more understanding. For thinking that this man would be doing something else behind my back. Why didn’t I think positive?

“I’m sorry, Gunner,” I said, my voice filled with sincerity. “And of course we would be on the same page. I couldn’t wait for you to get back here so that we could start a life together. It’s just a downer that you are here while I have to study in Cuba.”

Gunner’s face softened, and he pulled me into a tight hug. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll visit you whenever I can and whenever you get a break, then I will fly you out, okay, baby? We can work through this together.” As we held each other, I felt a sense of excitement and anticipation wash over me. We were taking the next step in our journey together, and I couldn’t wait to see what the future held. It felt amazing to no longer have to worry constantly about him like I used to when he was away at war.

As we pulled back, Gunner’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “So, do you want to take a look at the pictures?” He held out the folder, and I took it, feeling a sense of responsibility wash over me. I felt like a grown woman as I flipped through the pages, taking in the details of the house, the neighborhood, and the plans for our future.

It was all so... amazing. We now have our own house. A house that we will turn into a home.

I looked up at Gunner, and my heart skipped a beat. “I can’t wait to move in with you.” I said. “The possibility of this never even crossed my mind.” Thank you.”

Gunner’s face lit up with a radiant smile, and he pulled me into a crushing hug. “Anything for you, honey,” he exclaimed.

I laughed, feeling carefree and genuinely happy for the first time in weeks. As we sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, I couldn’t help thinking about how lucky I was to have met someone as amazing as Gunner. He thought of the things that I didn’t and made it happen.

“We can go and visit whenever you’re ready," Gunner tells me as I lay in his arms. "The house has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and as I said before huge backyard. We can have barbecues and invite our friends and family over. We can turn one of the rooms into a gym. I’ve already set up the space with all the equipment we need - heavy bags, speed bags, and even a ring for training. We can do some boxing together like old days."

I chuckle at Gunner’s words. “You say old days as if it was ages ago. We are still very young.”

He pinches my cheek before pecking it. “You know what I mean.”

I turn in his arms and throw my arms around my husband’s neck. “Oh my god, I can’t believe this!” I exclaimed, before repeatedly pecking his lips in a cute, playful way. “I was so worried about you, Gunner. I thought you were hiding something from me, that maybe you were seeing someone else. But this... this is incredible!”

I pulled back and gazed into his eyes. “You are amazing, my sweet hubby. All this time, you were just working on our future together. What did I do to deserve you?” Tears of relief and joy pricked at the corners of my eyes. “I’m so sorry I doubted you, Gunner. I was so wrong to think you would cheat on me.”

Gunner chuckled and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. Not like it was possible for us to be any closer. “Aw, baby, you were silly for thinking that,” he said, shaking his head. “Cheating on you is something I would never do. I love you too much. I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to start building our life together, and I think this is it. My desire is to settle down finally and create a home with you where we can pursue our passions and dreams together. That’s why I have been planning all this, because I am ready to take the next step with you. I promise to always be honest with you, to always communicate with you, and to always put our relationship first. I just wanted to surprise you, babe.”

The happy tears fall from my eyes as I gaze down at Gunner, my heart overflowing with love and gratitude. “I’m so sorry I doubted you,” I whispered again, my voice trembling. I was so ashamed for thinking something like that.

I should have known better. He would never do anything to hurt me. Gunner wasn’t just my husband, before we got married he was my best friend and he still is.

Gunner’s face softened as he wiped away my tears with his thumb. “You don’t have to apologize, baby. It’s okay. I should have explained to you why I was acting strange.”

“I love you,” he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear with every word as he rubbed my back gently.

“I love you too,” I replied, “So much. You have no idea.”

As I nestled deeper into Gunner’s embrace, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander to the future we would soon be building together. The thought of finally living under the same roof, waking up every morning with his warm presence by my side and growing together as a couple filled me with an overwhelming sense of joy and excitement. His gentle hands continued to rub my back in soothing circles, calming any lingering nerves and replacing them with a deep sense of contentment. I lay there quietly, savoring the moment, and allowing myself to consume the love and happiness that radiated from Gunner’s touch. I was truly in love, and I knew that this was just the beginning of our greatest adventure together.

My thoughts drifted to my mom. I raise my head from Gunner’s chest to look at him. “Does my mom know about this?”

There was a guilty look on his face before he replied, “She was the first one who I called and told about my idea. She was the one who suggested that your brother would be a great help.”

I pout, causing him to chuckle. “And here I was, so excited to tell her the good news.”

“I’m sorry, babe,” Gunner says before kissing my lips.