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

Her father’s voice drifted up the stairs as he asked Jake to join him on the porch for a quick chat. Oh gosh, her dad was giving Jake the you-are-dating-my-daughter-be-good speech. Gemma covered her face with her hands, hoping it’d be over soon. She waited five minutes before hopping down the stairs to join them on the porch. As expected, her dad was sporting his most intimidating scowl. Jake’s face was ashen, but his features were set on brave and determined. He looked so handsome in his football jacket.

“Hi.” Gemma’s eyes sparkled as they met with Jake’s. “Can we go, Dad?”

“I want her home by eleven, not a minute later,” Mr. Dawson said, still scowling at Jake.

“Yes, sir. We won’t be late.”

As they walked toward Mrs. Wilder’s car, Gemma could feel her father’s eyes still on them. Jake opened the passenger door for her, and she waited for him to get in the car with her before she spoke.

“Sorry about my dad. What did he say to you?”

“He—mmm, we’re cool.”

“Oh, okay. It’s great your mom let you borrow the car.”

“Yeah. By the way, if she asks, we went to see Harry Potter.”

“Okay—yeah, my dad wouldn’t be too happy about us watching Tarantino either. He doesn’t know I’ve seen the first Kill Bill. I still want to see Harry Potter, though. We could go another time.” At that instant, Gemma realized Jake hadn’t yet asked her on a second date. “I mean, not that we have to go together.”

“I’d love to go with you.” Jake placed a hand on her knee, sending Gemma’s nervous system into overdrive.

***

“For a moment there I thought she was going to forgive Bill,” Gemma said as they walked back to the movie theater’s parking lot.

“Nah. After all, the movie’s called Kill Bill.”

“You’re right.”

Jake opened the car door for her again and Gemma slipped in. They didn’t say much on the way home. Gemma’s palms kept getting sweatier and sweatier. The date had been perfect. Jake had bought her popcorn, and halfway through the movie, he’d wrapped one arm around her shoulders. But still no kiss.

Jake took a right turn, and Gemma wrinkled her nose. “We need to go left.”

“I’m not taking you home. Not yet.”

Gemma’s belly fluttered. “Oh.”