Chapters (92)
- First
- Love Connection
- Zero
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- One Month Later
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Six Months Later
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Six Months Later
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- I Have Never
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- A Christmas Date
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Note from the Author
- Sneak Peek – To the Stars and Back
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Also by Camilla Isley
- About the Author
“Years, Gemma… years!” Shakes head. Starts pacing.
Stops. Looks. Speaks.
“Not a word…” Shakes head. Starts pacing.
Stops. Looks. Speaks.
“You’re crazy.”
He’s finally standing still. Umm. I’m tempted to ask if he thinks I’m crazy in a you’re-so-cute-because-you’re-crazy-romantic way or if it’s more of an I-want-them-to-shut-you-in-an-asylum-and-throw-away-the-keys crazy. I make to stand up and join him, but he shows me his index again.
“Down.”
“Can’t we talk if I stand?”
“No Gemma, we can’t. Right now, I need you there at a safe distance. I’m still too mad at you to have you in my air.”
“Okay, I’m going to sit down.” I feel like Chris Pratt talking to Blue in Jurassic World. I’m not sure if Jake is going to tear me to pieces or join #TeamGemma. “But please say something.”
“Three years, Gemma. Three. Years.” He finally seems able to streamline his thoughts in a more articulate way. “Not a word from you in three years, and you choose my wedding day to have a chat?”
“I’m sorry, Jake; I know my timing’s bad…”
“Bad timing, she says. Ah! Your timing isn’t bad, it’s awful. Why did you wait until I was at the altar?”
“Well, my plan was to catch you before the ceremony started,” I explain. “Then there was this rude lady at the airport who wouldn’t rent me a car because my driving license was expired, but she maxed out my credit card with the stupid deposit anyway so I didn’t have any money left for a cab. I took like five different trains and buses to get to Yountville, and from there the only way I could get here was on the back of a tractor filled with hay. Then bouncer guy wouldn’t let me in, so I had to cook up a distraction. I sacrificed my bag, I threw it down the moat, and I ran past security. By the time I was inside, it was too late. The ceremony had already started, so it was sort of a now-or-never moment.”
“You came here riding on a hay tractor?” He’s trying to keep a straight face, but I can see the corners of his mouth twitch. And for the first time since I got here, hope rises in my chest.
“I did.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I am a bit.”
“And I’m crazy.”
“Are you?” I ask.
He’s looking at me with such intensity, I might pass out. I want to throw myself at him and hug him, kiss him. But I’m afraid I’m going to get the sit-down finger again, so I stick to my chair.