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

“The way I see it,” Michael scratches his chin. “Worst-case scenario, the interview is a YouTube flop and you’ve made an enemy for life. Best-case scenario, it goes viral, and the IRS picks up the investigation where you left off.”

“You think that could really happen?” I ask.

Michael nods. “Half the government’s investigations start from anonymous or public tips.”

“Then why don’t we just tip off the IRS and let them do all the work?” Richard asks.

“Ah.” Michael sighs. “In that case, there’s no guarantee they’d follow up on the tip, but if you make a big public splash…”

Richard sighs. “I really have no choice here, do I?”

“Sorry, buddy,” Michael shrugs. “The girl has you cornered.”

Michael winks at me and I beam back. I can hardly sit in my chair.

“So the interview is a go?” I ask.

Richard looks at me and gives a resigned nod.

***

A week later, my phone starts vibrating on my desk. The caller ID—recently changed—shows, Billy Loomis. Okay, my ex-boyfriend isn’t exactly a serial killer, and he didn’t try to murder me and all my friends while wearing a stupid white mask. But still, I couldn’t keep Gerard as Edward Cullen.

I let the call go unanswered. Two minutes later the phone rings again, and again a third time. At the fourth call, I press ignore, letting Gerard know I’m willfully ignoring his calls. The phone goes silent after that.

Yay, he’s given up.

A mail banner flashes on the screen.

Nope.

Date: Thu, June 1 at 10:22 AM

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: I’m sorry, please don’t ruin my life

Blair,

please. I know you’re mad at me and that I behaved like a total bastard with you. There are no excuses for what I did and I’m so very sorry I threatened to sue you and for everything else. But I got scared and didn’t know what else to do. You can’t talk to the partners at my firm. It would destroy me. Annihilate me. Please, I’m willing to negotiate a settlement with your lawyer. Whatever you want, you can have. But please not a word to anyone at my firm. If you can find even the smallest shred of compassion in you, please try to forgive me.

Sincerely,

Gerard