Covering the Carolinas (23 page)

“
Mar, you need to sing more often,” I say as
the song ends. As she blushes, I say it again. “I’ve never heard a
sound as sweet as that in my life. Well, except maybe your laugh.”
She shakes her head, and then she asks what we are going to do
until next week. I shake my head and tell her I haven’t planned a
thing.

Chapter 47

MARLEIGH

It’s odd having Gunnison at my place without Gunner.
It’s like we aren’t complete. My sisters greet us, and we tell them
about Gunner’s appointment. Gunnison stays with me, but then heads
back to his place Friday morning. He seems a little odd, but we
have been together a lot lately so I brush it off thinking maybe he
needs some alone time.

My sisters and I decide to spend the day at the
beach. With the sun shining brightly in the sky, it warms our skin
even with the cool ocean breeze. Soaking in the vitamin D is
exactly the perfect way to spend my day. I wish Gunnison were
beside me.

As the sun begins to lower in the sky, my phone
rings, it’s Gunnison. He’s informing me we have a date tonight and
for some reason, I can’t shake the feeling he’s got something up
his sleeve. Tinleigh and Carleigh cut their eyes toward me seeking
information. I give them a smile and shrug my shoulders like it’s
nothing out of the normal, then I lie back in my chair and absorb
the sun.

GUNNISON

Hanging up from Marleigh, my heart begins to beat
out of my chest because tonight, our world changes again. I just
pray she’s ready for what I’m about to ask. Gunner’s appointment
led to a conversation with her father that I’ve wanted to have
since the day she walked into my life.

Stepping into the shower, I close my eyes and try to
predict the future. As the water turns cold, I’m brought back to
the present. I spend a little more time on my look than normal. I
want tonight to be a night she never forgets.

Chapter 48

MARLEIGH

As I get ready for my date with Gunnison, I
have no clue where we’re going or what we are doing. I don’t know
what I should wear. Are we going to dinner and a movie? Dancing?
Something fancy? I’m freakin’ clueless. After staring at my closet
for too long, I decide to just shower and get my sisters’ opinions.
While I’m standing there in my towel, they look through my closet.
Carleigh looks like she wants to say something but is keeping
quiet.
When does that happen?
Checking the weather, Tinleigh believes I need to look
“southern chic.” Pulling my Walk Away Joe tunic dress from my
closet, Tinleigh gasps. “It’s perfect. Hold on,” she says as she
leaves my room. She returns with suede fringe boots, and she’s
right, these are perfect together. “Oh my gosh!” Carleigh says as
she leaves and returns with a teal belt and accessories that accent
the bright pink beautifully. Hurrying to do my hair and makeup,
they leave me alone. I sing as I straighten my light brown hair,
and as the songs continues to play, I slide the dress on, add the
belt and accessories, and slide on the boots. After a splash of
perfume, I look in the mirror and there are no words as I look at
my reflection.

“
You look gorgeous, Mar,” Tin whispers as they
watch me staring. “Actually, gorgeous doesn’t do you justice.”
Smiling her way, she informs me that Gunnison is here, and all of
the sudden I’m sweating like a hooker in church.

Making my way to the living room, I’m caught off
guard by my Yankee Cowboy. He’s standing there in a pair of dark
denim jeans with a fitted pearl snap. As his naturally sun kissed
skin peeks beneath his rolled sleeves, my heart stops. Glancing
over my shoulder, I realize my sisters are nowhere to be found.

“
Mar…” He pauses and appears to be at a loss
of words. I step toward him and take him by the hand.

“
Gunnison Cyrus, you’ve left me speechless as
well,” I say as I push up on my tip-toes and kiss his
cheek.

“
Mar, there aren’t words to explain my feeling
for you in this moment.”

He takes me by the hand and leads me to his truck,
which has obviously been detailed today. Opening the door, I
carefully slide in, making sure not to flash him as I take a seat.
As he makes his way around, he looks at me with yearning in his
eyes. “Mar, you might want to stay on that side of the truck if you
want to make it through this date.” I giggle, and that’s when
Gunnison loses it. He unbuckles his seatbelt, moves toward me, and
pulls me onto his lap and kisses the hell outta me. I. Love. It.
When neither of us can catch our breath, he pulls back and brushes
my hair out of my face.

“
Okay, I think I can make it through this date
now,” he says and as I begin to giggle again, he gives me a look of
warning. I kiss him slowly and then move from his lap. He moves
back to his seat, fastens his seat belt yet again, and then puts
the truck in reverse as he grins ear to ear.

GUNNISON

Drive, GC, drive.
That girl has my head spinning. Damn. Marleigh is beautiful
in cutoffs and a tank, but holy moly, it’s like she took all of her
qualities and wrapped them up in one perfect southern
package.
Focus,
GC
.

Trying to keep my eyes off that short dress that
shows just enough of those long legs is nearly impossible. She
looks in my direction and I want to fast-forward the date and just
go straight to dessert. Thank goodness, Sara J’s is right down the
road.

Pulling into the parking lot, she smiles at me.
Shrugging my shoulders, I say, “I heard it was your favorite.”

“
No, you are my favorite,” she says with a
hint of sassiness.

Making our way inside, we are seated on the deck
above the marsh. The sun has set, but there isn’t the slightest
chill in the air, and I’m sitting across from the definition of
perfection.

Watching Marleigh slowly devour her food makes me
want to be those shrimp. Never in my life has eating looked so
sexy. As we finish, I ask her what she would like to do. She swears
she doesn’t care, but there’s something in those eyes that say
something differently. It’s evident she doesn’t want to call it a
night. After dinner, I know exactly where I plan on taking her… the
pier.

Riding the short distance from Sara J’s toward the
beach, she looks at me with questioning eyes. Turning at the Garden
City stoplight, I then find a parking spot. Hurrying around, I help
her out of the truck as the sound of the ocean and a local band
fill the night air. She intertwines her fingers in mine as we climb
the old wooden steps.

As I hold open the door to the indoor arcade at the
base of the pier, we’re met by sounds of arcade games as we hurry
to the other side to the pier entrance. Walking outside, music from
a small band greets us. She looks at me and it’s as if I’m
transported back to Spring Break four years ago.

Pausing to listen to them for a moment, I wrap
her in my arms and as they take a break, we walk hand in hand to
the opposite end of the pier. As we approach the spot where we
kissed all those years ago, she asks me if I remember.
How could I forget?
Standing here
watching her walk toward me was the moment I knew this wasn’t just
a normal summer fling, but little did I know this girl would be my
future.

Making our way to the bar at the end of the pier, we
show our ID’s as we enter. We take a seat at a table that overlooks
the water and listen to the amazing band. They play anything from
Lynyrd Skynyrd to John Legend. Watching Marleigh in this element
makes my heart stop. She’s breathtaking. She gives with her whole
heart, and she’s the perfect mother to my son. Just as I’m about to
tell her how I truly feel, she stands and asks me to dance. How in
the hell can I tell her no?

She leads me to the dance floor as the band begins
to cover Kip Moore’s, “Young Love”. As I bring her into my arms and
we sway to the beat of the music, I can’t help but listen to the
words and how they match our story perfectly. Our love is true,
good, and we can’t get close enough. She places her head on my
chest and when the song ends, I pull her lips to mine as the next
song begins.

Chapter 49

MARLEIGH

After swaying with Gunnison to the beat of the music
our lips continue to dance together, I feel closer to him that I
ever have. I’m not sure if it’s time, location, or just being with
him. Regardless, I can’t get enough of this man in front of me.

When the music picks up the beat again, I look to
Gunnison to see what he would like to do. He grins toward me, takes
me by the hand, and we make our way from the pier. I don’t question
where we are going because I already know.

As my feet meet the sand, I pause to kick off my
shoes. Taking them in my right hand, I never let go of Gunnison
with my left. Stealing glances at him, I can’t help but wonder if
his thoughts meet mine. Then he pulls me faster and faster down the
beach as the worn out house comes into view.

I pause and I can see the apprehension in his eyes.
He pulls me to him. “Mar, what’s wrong?”

“
Nothing, Gunnison Cyrus, just got lost in a
memory.” Then I smile, take his hand, and pull him toward that
house just as I did four years ago. When we make it across the
sandy path to the house, Gunnison stops quickly, letting go of my
hand, and I’m unsure why. Pausing, I don’t move, I just listen to
his voice.

“
Mar, four years ago you walked into my life
and I knew that my life was going to be changed for the better,
even if it was just for a week. Little did I know, that week would
lead me down a road of hope and heartbreak, but it made me the man
I am today.”
Clenching my chest, it hurts to hear him
say I broke him. Turning to face him, tears begin to pool in my
eyes as he makes his way to me.

“
Gunnison… I never meant to hurt you.” Taking
his thumb, he wipes my tears away then kisses my lips
sweetly.

“
Mar, I know that, and I wouldn’t change our
path. It helped us both to grow and become who we are today.”
Pausing, he takes his hand and pulls something from his pocket. As
I realize it’s a small jewelry box, my breath hitches, and my eyes
fall toward the sand and I see him on one knee. “Marleigh Anderson,
I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that you were different.
I knew that somehow you were more than just a girl I met one week
at the beach. You have made me understand what love is. You have
also showed me what it’s like not to have love in my life. Now that
you’ve walked back into my life, I never want you to walk away
unless we are walking together. Mar, will you do me the honor of
becoming my wife?”

“
Yes, Gunnison Cyrus, I’ll marry you.” As the
waves of emotions hit me like the roaring ocean behind us, I can’t
control the tears that pour from my eyes. Gunnison stands and
slides a solitaire diamond on my ring finger, then wraps his hand
around my neck and pulls my lips to his.

Epilogue

GUNNISON

This year has been the best year of my life. Not
only has my son entered my life, he’s now a daily part of it.
Marleigh and I said “I do” on the sand of Garden City Beach before
the start of our senior year. I’ve given up my apartment, and we
all live in their beach house. It’s a little odd living with your
sister-in-laws, but it’s what we needed to do for Gunner’s sake. It
has been the perfect balance of normal for all of us. Not to
mention there’s always someone to watch him between all of our
classes and practice.

Before graduation, I knew that I had to take a
chance on my dream, the NBA, with the help of Marleigh, both of our
parents, and the support of Coach. I’ve stayed in the weight room,
continued to practice, and prayed that this is the path my life is
about to take. As July approaches, I pray harder and harder each
day. If this is what’s meant for our happily ever after, I want to
stay true to my promise and make any transition easier on Gunner. I
don’t want to move him across the country because he’s already
moved once in a years time. If so, I might give up my childhood
dream for the only dream that matters in life—my family.

MARLEIGH

Picking out a dress has made me crazy! I mean what
do you wear to the freakin’ NBA draft? Gunner runs into my
room.

“
Mommy, when do we go see Daddy on the big
stage?” he questions.

I smile. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning. Are you
excited? Just remember, he might not get on the big stage.”

“
Yes, he is! He’s the bestest point guard. My
daddy is going to get to play ball with Trevor Booker!”

I run my fingers through his hair. “Gunner, he
might, but then again, he might not. Plus, he’s not at Clemson
anymore. He’s in Utah and that’s far away from Pap and Mimi.” He
looks at me extremely confused. “Sweet boy, whatever happens
tomorrow will be okay. Just know that your daddy and I love you
very much.”

“
Does that mean Daddy might leave
us?”

Bending down, I look Gunner in the eyes. “Gunner,
this is new for all of us, but I can promise you that your daddy
and I aren’t going anywhere.” He doesn’t wait; he hugs my neck and
in this moment, holding him tighter, I feel someone’s presence.
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Gunnison propped against the door
frame with his perfectly sculpted arms crossed over his chest,
watching us. At six foot three with the most perfectly toned body,
he is the most handsome man I’ve ever laid my eyes on and to think,
I almost let him go.

Gunner notices my movement and quickly lets go
of me to run to his daddy. “Daddy, I’m ready! I packed my suitcase
all by myself. Come on!” He smiles and takes Gunnison by the hand
and pulls him from our bedroom to his. Gunnison looks my way and
then follows him out. I stand and begin to contemplate between
three dresses.
I just don’t know which one
is right.
Deciding not to worry about it for a few
minutes, I finish packing everyday clothes and necessities for our
flight to New York. When I hear my sisters in the kitchen, I make
my way toward them.