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Chapter Eleven
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Island Kisses Chapter Twelve
The moment I laid my eyes on Dave, I knew that this was going to be a date that would result in an awesome blog post. He was standing next to his car in the parking lot of the bowling alley. The car looked like it probably belonged to his grandma. It was one of those giant olive-green boats that I would see old women driving while their white hair bounced just above the steering wheel.Dave, my date for the evening, was leaning against this car like it was the coolest thing on four wheels. He looked proud while wearing a two-tone bowling shirt and khaki-colored slacks, which actually made the car look pretty good in contrast. His blonde hair was combed over to the side and he smiled goofily as soon as I walked up.“You must be the lovely Harper,” he said, flashing me a friendly smile.“And you must be Dave.” I went for a handshake but he ignored it and pulled me in for a hug. My face hit his chest and a scent entered my nose. It was the smell of cheap cologne attempting to hide body o
Island Kisses Chapter Thirteen
Okay, Harper. Keep it together. It’s just a football game with a guy, I told myself. Your eyebrows don’t need to look perfect. Just take a breath.I was still in my car, checking myself out in the rear view mirror. I hadn’t felt this nervous for a date in a long time. Every time I looked in the mirror, I saw a little blemish on my skin or a hair out of place. I felt like I had lost my mind.“This is insane,” I whispered. “He’s not going to even notice my eyebrows.”It was time to meet him. I'd gotten here early and just sat in my car stressing for the past fifteen minutes and now I was technically late. It was my first second date in a very, very long time. I wasn't sure what the etiquette was.This must be how most people feel on first dates, I thought to myself.With a deep breath, I pulled my Blue Jays’ cap onto my head and stepped out of the car. I could already hear the crowd inside, roaring with excitement. This wasn’t just a regular game. This was one of the biggest games of th
Island Kisses Chapter Fourteen
Everything Gabe had promised me had come true. He had gotten an access pass from Oscar, which allowed us downstairs to an area just outside of the Blue Jay’s locker room. I was able to meet almost all of my favorite players and had even gotten my hat signed by Peyton Boyying.“I can’t believe the Jays were able to make a comeback,” I said, as Gabe walked me across the parking lot to my car. I held my signed hat in my hand, admiring the scribble of permanent ink that the quarterback had left on the bill.“I knew they’d come to play in the second half,” he replied. “They’re always stronger after halftime.”“I know, but it’s hard to put faith in that,” I said, tracing the signature with my finger. “I was pretty nervous until we threw that last touchdown.”We approached my car and I suddenly felt a sinking feeling. The date was coming to an end. I wasn’t ready for it to be over, though. I was still buzzing from an exciting evening. It wasn't even just the game. It was being with Gabe.“Do
Island Kisses Chapter Fifteen
“Harper, you sound awfully cheery this morning,” Mom said within thirty seconds of me answering the phone. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”“What do you mean, Mom?” I asked, trying to sound innocent. “I sound the same as I always do.”“Not true,” she disagreed. I could almost see her shaking her head through the phone.“Maybe it was the extra cup of coffee I had this morning,” I offered. “You know what caffeine does to me.”“Come on, Harper. I know you better than you know yourself,” she informed me. “Tell me everything.”It had to be mother’s intuition. She had the distinct ability to sense change in any and every inflection in my voice. No matter how hard I tried to sound “normal”, the fact remained that I actually was a little more cheery than I’d usually be at nine in the morning. The date with Gabe the night before still had me wired. All that I could think about was the incredible kiss we had shared in the stadium parking lot.“Harper, are you there?”My mom’s voice pulled me away
Island Kisses Chapter Sixteen
The GPS on my phone told me to take a right onto Vista Drive. I pulled over and looked at it again, just to make sure that I had typed in the address correctly. There was no way that this was the right Vista Drive.This is weird, I thought. There has to be something wrong.I had been driving for twenty minutes, following the directions to the address that Gabe had given me to come visit him at his home. My GPS had led me to the bridge that connected to one of the islands just outside of Miami, but there was no way this was the right bridge.“This can’t be right,” I said, as I checked the address for the second time.I looked out across the water to a small body of land called Virginia Key. Massive mansions decorated the top of the hills. It was by far the most prestigious area in all of Miami. This wasn’t just a well-to-do part of town. The people who lived on the Virginia Key were a different kind of rich. They weren’t millionaires. They were billionaires.The thought crossed my mind
Island Kisses Chapter Seventeen
I stepped up to the railing overlooking the view and Gabe came up next to me, placing a hand on my lower back. A small thrill went through me and my heart fluttered at his touch.“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked. “This view is the biggest reason I wanted this place.”“I love the ocean,” I said, taking in a deep breath of salty air.“Me too. I love it, because it’s a constant reminder of just how small we are in comparison to the world,” he said softly. “It’s humbling. It's honest and real.”I turned to face him. The setting sun fell across his face, lighting up his eyes and accentuating his gorgeous features. Not only was Gabe absolutely beautiful but it was becoming clear that he was also extremely deep and intelligent.“That was poetic,” I responded. “Did you write that yourself?”“No, but I have more.” He laughed and then put on his best serious expression again. “I’m small compared to the world. It’s just a fact. I just like to remind myself of it so that I can stay humble. Ev
Island Kisses Chapter Eighteen
“I'm sorry if he came across as a little...” Gabe paused to think of the word. “Protective? Intimidating?”“Protective is a good word,” I agreed. “I think he really cares about you. But I think he warmed up to me.”“I do too,” Gabe said with a nod. “I'm glad he didn't scare you away. He can be a bit much.”I looked out from one of the big windows overlooking the water. The sun was finally setting and from where we sat, I could see the sky outside as it began to turn orange. It looked to be a breathtaking sunset.“Can we watch the sunset?” I asked, already standing up.“Of course!” Gabe said, nearly knocking over his chair and taking my hand.I followed him out to the patio and we stepped up to the railing. The ocean sprawled out in front of us, all the way to the horizon, where the sun sat lonely on the water. The sky was on fire, making the incredible view from the island even more breathtaking. A warm breeze blew off of the sea, causing my hair to fall across my forehead. Gabe reach
Island Kisses Chapter Nineteen
I couldn’t remember the last time I had been this happy. It felt like I had been walking on a cloud and even two days after Gabe and I hooked up, there was still a smile on my face. Everything with him was going so well. He was exactly the type of gentleman I had always imagined, though never actually believed I could end up with.It wasn’t just Gabe that had me smiling, though. It was also my website and blog. My latest post about the amazing dates with Gabe had had a really good response, much better than I imagined they would. In fact, I was getting emails daily from readers, asking me if Gabe was real or just a made up person.The next Tuesday afternoon, I was sitting in my computer chair just casually looking at the comments on my blog, when I got a phone call from Cora. I hadn’t talked to her in a couple of days, so I jumped at the opportunity and answered the call.“Cora! How are you?” I asked, closing my browser to give her my full attention.“Fantastic,” she replied. “Althoug
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Island Kisses Epilogue
I never thought this day would come.Maybe when I was a little girl, I had hoped that someday it would. But I never actually believed it. It feels like a dream, but I know it’s not because it’s even better than anything I could have dreamt up.I’m marrying Gabe Honors. In just a few moments, I’ll be wed to the love of my life.I’m beyond nervous, but also ready. I’ve spent the last twenty minutes looking at myself in the mirror, making sure that my hair and makeup look absolutely perfect for him.“Hey, it’s almost time,” Cora says, as she steps beside me. “You look perfect, Harper. Seriously, you look gorgeous. Gabe is going to melt.”I hope she’s right.“Well, let’s do this,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m ready.”Just outside, my mom is standing there, holding my little nephew’s hand. He breaks away and runs up to give me a quick hug before she tells him to go take his seat. Mom looks almost more nervous than I am. She can’t keep her hands still and she’s tapping her t
Island Kisses Chapter Thirty-One
The following week I finally sat down to prepare for my final blog post. My decision was made. It was time to say goodbye and pass the reigns onto a new owner. It made sense and it felt right.Gabe had told me to sleep on the decision, and for most of the week I had made my home at his house, which made sleeping really easy. But the truth was that it really hadn’t taken much deliberation; the blog seemed like a thing of the past, something that opened the door to new writing feats, and I was ready to walk through that door.During our time together I had allowed the blog to slip even further off my mind, which was entirely okay with me. I had checked in periodically and had found a quick selection for Worst Wednesday. But besides that, and for the first time in a long time, I hadn’t paid it much attention. It seemed that the blog and I had finally begun to outgrow each other. At one time it had been my baby, but now it was moving out, and Cora was the perfect guide.If there was anyth
Island Kisses Chapter Thirty
I had been fairly sure that I would never see the inside of Gabe's house ever again, but now I was standing on the deck watching the ocean once more. Not that I was complaining, though. I was happy to be there. In fact, the view of the ocean with the sun overhead never looked so good.“I’m glad you came over today. We need to talk. I’m ready to work through this and make things right again. But first, we both have to come clean with each other,” Gabe said, leaning against the railing of his deck.“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” I agreed. My palms were sweating, but I felt calmer than I had in weeks.His surprise visit at the restaurant had happened just the night before and this was the first time we had really had a chance to hash things out. This conversation needed to happen. It had been a long time coming.“Where should we start?” he asked. The breeze from the ocean ruffled his dark hair.“I guess what I really don’t understand is why you hid it from me?” I asked, starting th
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Nine
“So all of your readers think you’re out with Brian right now?” Cora asked.I nodded. “Yep, I’ve duped them all into thinking Brian is a real person that loves me just the way I should be loved. It’s too bad I had to make all that up, though, isn’t it.”“Whatever. I think it’s fine.” Cora just shrugged. “But I have to ask you an important question, Harper.”“What is it?” I asked, a little nervous.Cora turned to the side and set her jaw, making a serious face. “Do I look like a Brian to you?”I busted out laughing. Her goofy antics got me every time.“You know, you actually do!” I exclaimed. “You make a perfect Brian! Wow, I’m one lucky girl to be on a date with such a handsome man.”“Aw, thanks!” she said, as she turned back to face me and grinned. “If I talk like this does it make me sound like a Brian, too?”She lowered her voice as much as possible and crinkled her eyebrows together. I was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face. The good kind of tears, though, not
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Eight
I sat down at my computer and clicked on the Internet. It was always the first step in starting a new blog post and I could almost feel the writer’s block start to set in as a blank window popped up on the screen and began loading.It had been just over two months since the breakup and about a month and a half since I had introduced Brian.Brian was a tall guy with a toned body, dark hair and eyes bluer than an open sky on a summer’s day. He was funny, smart, a hard worker in his career as a physical trainer, a huge sports fan and… completely fake.I had decided to create Brian in order to appease my Mother and to use as a marketing tool for the blog. After my readers had obsessed over my relationship with Gabe, Brian was designed to be Gabe 2.0 and to carry the burden of a new and passionate relationship. And completely fabricating a fake relationship was much easier than actually getting consumed by one.Brian took me on elaborate dates to all the exciting places around town without
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Seven
I took a break from watching my blog to make some belated dinner. I heated up some left over lasagna and made a milkshake with some of the ice cream still left in the fridge as post-breakup comfort food. I couldn’t help but make fun of myself and my current state of affairs. It felt only fitting to throw on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix.After about a half hour I heard the phone ring.Immediately my heart skipped a beat. I had posted my blog late at night and had done so purposefully to avoid an instant reaction from Rosie or my Mom. But with as late as it was, realistically they were the only ones that would be calling.I checked the caller I.D. on the phone before answering. It was Rosie, which was better than Mom. I took a deep breath and clicked to accept the call.“Hey, Rosie,” I attempted cheerfully.“Hey, Big Sis!” she exclaimed.“What are you doing up so late?” I asked.“I fell asleep kind of early, and then the baby woke me up. My sleep schedule is so crazy now, thi
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Six
Well, the time has come. Every beginning has an end, and my relationship has found its end. Two weeks ago, Mr. Perfect Match and I broke up and it is time for the corresponding blog post (because blogging about breakups is the best way to move on, right??)It’s not the typical kind of post I’m used to writing. My life is filled with many more bad dates than bad breakups, and maybe that’s a good thing. But it also means that I’m entering new territory without the right map to guide me. They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have lovedI stopped writing and glared at the screen. I highlighted the last sentence and hit delete as if the force of my click would hurt the words as they left the page. Love. It was like a bad word, something I had been conditioned not to say. And Gabe deserved no exception, even if it would appease an old stupid cliché about breakups.After a few moments of contemplation I picked up again where I left off.Time is a weird thing. It has the a
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Five
The plane ride to Orlando only took less than an hour, but it felt like an eternity. I spent the entire trip trying to hide my sobs, but of course it was impossible. Luckily, I had sat in the window seat and was able to face away from everyone while I cried, but I still knew that people were looking at me. The older lady sitting next to me even asked if there was anything she could do to help. I responded with, “If you can make men honest, that would help.” She just laughed and said, “I don’t think there’s anything I can do about that one.”My makeup was ruined, my hair was a mess and the clothes I had on were a day old. Needless to say, I wasn’t looking like I was ready to hit the town when I crawled off of the plane. It didn’t matter, though. Cora didn’t care what I looked like. She wouldn’t judge me. That was why I had come to see her in the first place.I had only taken a few steps out of the front doors of the airport before I heard Cora calling out my name. I hadn’t even gotten
Island Kisses Chapter Twenty-Four
After storming out of Gabe’s office, I went back to the bedroom and got dressed as quickly as possible. I was teeming with emotion, but I didn’t want to let out a single sob. I could save that for later, when I could enjoy a pint if ice cream and a few days of binge watching my favorite TV show. But for now, I needed to keep it together and act tough.So once I was dressed, I gathered my makeup from his countertop in his bathroom and tossed everything into my overnight bag. To think, I was considering what it would be like to spend my life with the guy and now I was doing everything possible to speed up the process of leaving his house for good.I can’t believe this. I should have known that it would only be a matter of time before something like this would happen to me, I thought. Why did I fool myself into thinking I could actually meet a decent guy?I zipped up my bag and tossed it over my shoulder. Before leaving the bedroom, I took one last look at the bed, where the blankets wer
