BooksBarbecue
Back First Comes Love
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

As I bring the mug to my lips, it feels like everyone is watching me. Like one of those slow motion moments in sitcoms where all the actors are holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. My eyes finally focus on the black writing on the side of the mug: USP ALCATRAZ. I lower the cup, aghast, and everyone starts laughing. They were watching me. That’s also when Indira spins in her chair, showing the front of her bright orange T-shirt. It spells, “I want to be your prison wife.”

My entire body heats. Not just my face, but my neck and shoulders all flare bright red. Everything makes sense now. The oranges, the mug, the suspense… they know I’ve been in jail. Damn Richard, I’m going to strangle him!

“Very funny,” I say. And the laughter doubles.

I have to endure half an hour of prison jokes before Richard appears. “How are our two inmates doing today?” he greets Chevron and me.

I scowl at him.

“Still ruffled, are we?”

“I’d like to see how happy you’d be after being unjustly arrested and made to apologize for it,” I reply pettily.

“You should write an article about police brutality,” Indira suggests, unable to hide the amusement in her voice.

“Nice shirt,” Richard tells her.

She winks. “Thanks, boss.”

I roll my eyes and hide under my desk to pat Chevron, who promptly nudges my calves in support.

“So.” Richard squats down next to us, eyes level with mine.

For a moment, all the air leaves my lungs. Finding myself almost nose-to-nose with Richard is giving me heart palpitations. When will he stop having this effect on me?

“Want to check out the clinic?” the boss asks, scratching Chevron behind the ears.

The treacherous dog forgets all about me and goes to nuzzle Richard’s face. And for the first time in my life, I’m jealous of a quadruped.

***

The veterinary clinic is only a ten-minute walk from the office, but as our trio strolls down the streets of Brooklyn, I can’t help noticing the seething looks of envy New Yorker women send my way. Walking with Richard and a happy puppy, I must look like I’m living the dream. If only the ladies knew how far from picture-perfect my life really is.

Needless to say, the vet is female. Not only that, she greets us with a perfect smile worthy of a toothpaste commercial. Actually, her general wholesomeness would play well in a family friendly advert. With big blue eyes, chestnut hair, and rosy cheeks, she’s an image of friendly beauty—particularly friendly toward Richard.