BooksBarbecue
Back First Comes Love Save as PDF
Chapters (92)
  1. First
  2. Love Connection
  3. Zero
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. One Month Later
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Six Months Later
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-one
  27. Twenty-two
  28. Twenty-three
  29. Twenty-four
  30. Six Months Later
  31. Twenty-five
  32. Twenty-six
  33. Twenty-seven
  34. Twenty-eight
  35. Twenty-nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-one
  38. Thirty-two
  39. Thirty-three
  40. I Have Never
  41. One
  42. Two
  43. Three
  44. Four
  45. Five
  46. Six
  47. Seven
  48. Eight
  49. Nine
  50. Ten
  51. Eleven
  52. Twelve
  53. Thirteen
  54. Fourteen
  55. Fifteen
  56. Sixteen
  57. Seventeen
  58. Eighteen
  59. Nineteen
  60. Twenty
  61. Twenty-one
  62. Twenty-two
  63. A Christmas Date
  64. One
  65. Two
  66. Three
  67. Four
  68. Five
  69. Six
  70. Seven
  71. Eight
  72. Nine
  73. Ten
  74. Eleven
  75. Twelve
  76. Thirteen
  77. Fourteen
  78. Fifteen
  79. Sixteen
  80. Seventeen
  81. Eighteen
  82. Nineteen
  83. Twenty
  84. Twenty-one
  85. Twenty-two
  86. Note from the Author
  87. Sneak Peek – To the Stars and Back
  88. Two
  89. Three
  90. Four
  91. Also by Camilla Isley
  92. About the Author

On my wedding day, I wake up when it’s still dark outside. It takes me a couple of blinks to remember why my heart’s beating so fast and why my entire body seems to be sparking with electricity. I’m marrying Jake today. I savor the thought, snuggling under the warm blankets in a cocoon of sheer happiness.

My solitary bliss is short-lived. A few minutes later, alarm clocks come to life around the house and everything seems to explode in a bustling mayhem. Neighbors and friends scamper in and out of the house like little ants along with makeup and hair professionals. It’s as if the entire block’s celebrating. I glide through everything with a smile on my lips until it’s time to drive to the lake.

The inside of the lake cabin has been reserved for my entourage. When Mom pulls up the zipper of my gown, I twirl in little jumps, hands tucked in the delicious pockets of my skirt. And Kassandra and Amelia both clap and hug me.

There’s a knock on the door and Jake’s mom pokes her head in. “You look radiant,” she says. “Jake has arrived; we’re ready whenever you are.”

I smile and nod. “I’m ready. Can you send my dad in?”

“Sure.” Susan winks and she’s gone.

“You.” I point at the others. “Go.”

“We’ll see you outside.” Amelia hugs me again before exiting.

My dad comes in next. “All right, pie. Let’s do this.”

He offers me his arm and I take it. Outside, it takes a minute for my eyes to adjust to the bright, mid-afternoon sun, and a little longer for my heart to recover from the sight of Jake in a tux, waiting for me under an arch of white roses. We make our way down the beach along the pretend aisle delineated by two rows of white flowers and green leaves. Until we’re there. My dad gives my hand to Jake, and the ceremony begins.

I have trouble following what the minister’s saying, as I’m lost in the sea of mountain mist and snowstorm of Jake’s gray eyes. I notice we’ve reached the vows part when Jake gently relieves me of the bouquet, passing it to Amelia, to take my hands into his.

“Gemma, I love you. There isn’t a time when I can remember not loving you. As someone once said at another wedding, you are my life.”

Edward, Jake’s brother, cheers at his quote from my wedding-crashing speech and the crowd gives a chuckle or two. Heads turn as those who know what the quote is about, tell the ones who don’t.

I fight back the tears as I listen to the rest of Jake’s vow.