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Back All You Need Is Love Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. OCTOBER
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. Acknowledgments
  53. More from Jessica Redland
  54. About the Author
  55. Also by Jessica Redland
  56. About Boldwood Books

I was aware of them all staring at me, questioning the relevance of the date. Because they didn’t know. Nobody knew. I hadn’t told anyone and I should have done. They’d had a right to know.

I scrambled to my feet, swallowing down the rising nausea. ‘Sorry, I need to go.’

‘Sammy! What is it?’ Mum cried.

‘Uncle Sammy!’ Isla shouted.

But I was already at the door. Slamming it closed, I sprinted down the street. I didn’t know where I was going but I needed to get out of there. The news was hard enough but that date? Three hundred and sixty five days in a year. Three hundred and sixty fucking five days. And it had to be that one.

34

Jemma

‘It’s the right decision,’ Karen assured me as I re-read my text again and again. It was Sunday afternoon and we were in the kitchen diner at Bear’s Pad, catching up over lattes and a sneaky shortbread or three.

‘It’s not too soon?’

‘What’s time got to do with it? Scott cheated on you, abandoned you, begged forgiveness, then abandoned you again. If you’d started seeing someone that very evening, it wouldn’t have been too soon. Just send it, will you? Or I will.’ She tried to snatch the phone off me but my reflexes were too quick.

‘Seriously, Jem. It’s a no brainer. I can tell you really like him and he’s obviously besotted with you. And he’s honest. He’s told you how he feels about you with no pressure to reciprocate it. You know he’s got no girlfriend hidden away. Send it!’

I read the message once more, then grinned at Karen. ‘It’s gone.’

‘About bloody time too.’

✉︎ To Sam

How does Tuesday at 6pm sound for a consultation with my mum? And how does tonight at 7pm sound for a date with me? A proper one. I’m a bit scared at the thought of a new relationship but I know I can trust you not to hurt me like Scott did. I may be a little cautious and want to take it slowly, but I think there’s the potential for something that will be worth the wait xx

An hour later, Karen had to go but I hadn’t heard from Sam.

‘He’ll get in touch,’ Karen said, hugging me at the door. ‘Stop worrying. He won’t have changed his mind overnight.’

‘He was going to his brother’s for Sunday lunch.’

‘There you go, then. He’s with his family. He’ll reply when he can.’

I cleared away our mugs and made a cup of tea for Mum, which I took up to her workshop where she was finishing off the Ju-Sea Bear for the unknown customer.