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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

Oh gosh! No, this isn’t happening. Panic clutches my throat and my head starts spinning, for real this time. The entire room is swaying around me. I’m going to be sick. What’s Richard doing on one knee? Well, there aren’t many things a guy in a tux would do down on one knee in a Michelin-starred restaurant. The other patrons gasp, and the entire room stops to watch us.

I stare at Richard in horror. Is he really doing this? I watch in slow motion as he picks a blue velvet box out of his jacket pocket and opens it. Inside, there’s a ring.

“Gemma Dawson, will you marry me?”

I smile a nervous smile; tears prickle my eyes. Not because I’m overwhelmed by joy, but because now I’ll have to break up with him. I can’t marry him. Where did he get the idea that we’re marriage-ready at this point in our relationship? We’ve never even glossed over the topic. Tears stream down my cheeks. I try to speak, but I’m choked with emotions and I can’t.

“Look how happy she is,” a woman nearby says. “She can’t speak.”

If only you knew why, lady.

As I try to speak again, the crowd starts clapping and cheering in support. I look at Richard, his eyes warm with love, his forehead dotted with pearly beads of sweat, and his lips parted in a hopeful smile. I can’t break his heart. I just can’t.

“Yes, I’ll marry you,” I hear my voice say.

Richard slides a beautiful solitaire onto my finger and suddenly my hand feels heavier than it has ever been before.

Seventeen

Floating Memories

♥♥♥

Friday, March 2—London

“Oh, you’re home already.” I greet Jake with a kiss. “And you’re cooking?” The apartment smells of grilled meat.

Jake looks super cute in my pink ‘all about that bake’ apron. (Not that I actually bake, it was a present.)

“I’m making burgers,” he says.

“What’s the occasion?” I ask him, immediately afraid I’ve forgotten something important. I’m not the best with dates, anniversaries. Since the rise of smartphones, I manage birthdays well enough, but that’s about it.

“Oh, nothing special.” Jake comes over to take off my coat and guides me to the table. “Wine?”

“Sure.”

He pours me a glass.

“Mmm, this is good. What is it?”

“I thought you’d recognize it.”

“Should I?”

“It’s Fumé Blanc.”

“From Napa?”

“Meow.” Lucky comes brushing at my legs.

I put the wine glass back on the table and pick Lucky up. “Oh, and you had a makeover too.” He’s wearing a new red collar with a red bow tied to the top. “You look handsome.”

“Prrr, mrrr.”

“Are you sure nothing’s up?” I ask Jake.

“I’m just in the mood to celebrate. Now sit down, dinner’s ready.”