Page 31 of Not Because You Loved Me

Kat stopped walking, turning to face me completely. She looked up into my eyes, her hazel gaze clear, steady, and entirely sure of herself.

"Dating feels like too simple‌ a term," she said, a small, tentative smile touching her lips. "Considering how long we've known each other, everything we've been through... and how much I still love you."

My heart was beating wildly with excitement.

"So," Kat continued, reaching up to gently lay her hand flat against my chest, right over my hammering heart. "Do you want to be my boyfriend, Trent Prescott?"

A grin spread across my face as I cupped her cheek in my palm, leaning down until our foreheads rested together.

"I would be honoured to be your boyfriend, Katerina Sterling," I whispered.

I leaned in, giving her a slow, lingering kiss. It was soft and completely unhurried. Kat sighed into my lips as if she too was feeling like a missing piece falling into place.

When I pulled back, her eyes were shining in the twilight.

"Come on," I said, taking her hand again. "There's something I want to show you before it gets too dark."

"Where are we going?" She asked as I led her back toward my truck.

"A little detour."

I drove us five minutes down the road, pulling off the main strip into an older, tree-lined neighbourhood. The location was perfect: a short drive from the arena where she worked, and a nice walk or short bike ride from the university campus where she’d be starting her classes in the fall.

I pulled into the driveway of a charming, slightly rundown two-story brick house built in the 1920s. It needed a new roof, the front porch was sagging, and the yard was overgrown, but the structural bones were solid.

"This is… this is our place," Kat gasped softly, looking out the passenger window. "Trent... this house was tied up in an estate forever. What are we doing here?"

"It came on the market while you were away," I said, turning off the ignition and turning in my seat to look at her. "There was a ton of interest. Investors were lining up to tear it down or flip it into student apartments. I knew how much you loved it, so I put in an offer. I was so sure I would be outbid, so I didn’t want to get your hopes up."

Kat’s eyes widened, turning her head to look at me in shock. "You bought it?"

"I bought it," I confirmed quietly. "And I want to be one hundred percent transparent with you about why, and what it means."

I reached across the console, taking both of her hands in mine.

"I didn't buy this to corner you into moving in with me," I said, making sure my voice was steady. "And I didn't buy it as some grand gesture to demand a shortcut back to an engagement. I bought it because it's a project I believe in, and because it's in a perfect location."

Kat listened quietly, her eyes searching mine.

"Here's my proposal… a real one, with zero pressure attached," I continued, offering her a warm grin. "We are together now. We're going to go on proper dates, talk about everything, and build this relationship right. And while we're doing that, if you want, we can work on this house together. You pick the tile, the paint, the kitchen layout... and I'll do the heavy lifting."

"And when it's done?" She asked, a tender edge in her voice.

"When it's done, we'll decide together what comes next," I said honestly. "If we're ready, we'll move in together and start our life. If you aren't ready, or if you want your own space while you finish your degree, we can sell the house, split the profit from the flip fifty-fifty, and you can use your half for tuition or whatever you want."

Kat stared at the house through the windshield, then turned back to look at me, a tear spilling over her lash line, for once not from grief or stress, but from sheer, overwhelming love.

"Wow… I… This is incredible and so unexpected," she murmured with a watery laugh.

"I'm learning," I smiled, leaning across the console, wiping the tear away with my thumb before kissing her softly. "So... what do you think, partner?"

Kat reached out, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck and pulling me close.

"I think," she whispered into my ear, "we have a house to rebuild. And a future to figure out."

CHAPTER 19

Trent