Chapter 24 - GUNTHER WAS LOOKING AT HOUSES IN SEATTLE, AND KAYLA THOUGHT HE WAS PLANNING HER FUTURE AGAIN
Gunther froze when he saw Kayla.
She stood across the street.
Coffee in hand.
Expression unreadable.
He looked at the real-estate office behind him.
This looked bad.
Kayla crossed.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing?”
Gunther could have lied.
Didn’t.
“Looking at houses.”
Her face changed.
“For me?”
“No.”
“For you?”
“Yes.”
She stared.
“I was considering spending half the month here.”
Kayla became quiet.
Gunther continued quickly.
“I haven’t bought anything.”
“Good.”
“I wasn’t going to until we talked.”
“Then why are you touring?”
“I wanted to know if the idea was practical before bringing it to you.”
There.
Again.
Planning first.
Asking second.
Kayla’s frustration rose.
“Do you hear yourself?”
“Yes.”
He did now.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked away.
Gunther said, “I thought this was different.”
“How?”
“It’s my house.”
“In my city.”
“Near my work.”
“Built around a relationship decision you haven’t discussed with me.”
He absorbed that.
“You’re right.”
Kayla rubbed her forehead.
“I don’t want to punish every attempt you make to stay close.”
“You aren’t.”
“But I also don’t want to wake up one day and realize my entire life has been quietly optimized around your presence.”
Gunther almost smiled.
“Optimized sounds evil when you say it.”
“It is when I didn’t ask.”
Fair.
They walked.
Rain started lightly.
Gunther did not open an umbrella.
Kayla did.
They shared it.
“What would you have preferred?”
She thought.
“You call me.”
“Say, ‘I miss you.’”
“Then say, ‘I’m thinking about being here more. How would that feel?’”
“That simple?”
“Yes.”
Gunther stared ahead.
“My childhood did not prepare me for basic communication.”
“No.”
They walked another block.
Then he said, “I miss you.”
Kayla smiled despite herself.
“I know.”
“I’m thinking about being here more.”
“How would that feel?”
She looked at him.
“Good.”
He stopped.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
“But?”
“No but.”
Gunther stared.
Kayla laughed.
“You wasted three days with a realtor instead of asking one sentence.”
“That is upsetting.”
“Very.”
He canceled tours.
Not because Seattle was wrong.
Because process mattered.
Two weeks later, they chose a solution together.
Gunther rented a small furnished apartment.
One bedroom.
No staff.
No permanent security inside building.
He stayed ten days a month.
Kayla kept her own place.
Ridiculous for a wealthy man.
Perfect for them.
Then Elias complicated everything again.
Not intentionally.
During a late meeting, Kayla mentioned Gunther’s apartment.
Elias said, “That’s serious.”
“Yes.”
“You ever think about marriage?”
Kayla froze.
“With Gunther?”
“Unless there’s another billionaire I missed.”
She smiled.
“I don’t know.”
“Why?”
Kayla looked at the dark windows.
“Because loving him feels like a choice.”
“Marriage sometimes feels like architecture around choice.”
Elias nodded.
“You’re afraid commitment turns into ownership.”
“Yes.”
“You should tell him.”
“I will.”
But she didn’t.
Not immediately.
Three days later, Gunther overheard Elias joking with another administrator.
“Kayla would rather move to Alaska than marry into a family trust.”
Gunther stopped.
He said nothing.
That night, he removed the engagement ring he had been carrying for four months from his suitcase.
Placed it in a safe.
May you like
And decided not to ask.
Another misunderstanding had begun.
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