Lino has a crush on Blake and he's pushing them and Jodie to be together so he can experience dating Blake vicariously through Jodie
It would explain why Lino is so obsessed with the marriage pact that would bring them together (even moreso than Jodie herself), despite supposedly having bigger things to worry about (such as his wife being pregnant). Since Blake is only into women, Lino wouldn't be compatible with them, but Jodie (Lino's best friend) is, so if they got together, Lino would be able to grill Jodie for details and live vicariously through her. There will be an ending in which Jodie and Blake don't get together, and it will occur if Jodie crosses the line in-universe
Though Everyone Can See It when it comes to Jodie and Blake (despite the latter already being with another woman), and Rebecca tells Jodie to stop meddling in their relationship as early as Chapter 5, that doesn't stop Jodie from potentially engaging in cruel acts (such as using Rebecca's fears and allergies against her) to get closer to Blake. While the default ending to the story would have Blake and Jodie end up together (with Rebecca wanting Blake to be happy and letting it happen), the story would go for a different ending if the route Jodie took was too cruel. If too many "cruel" choices are made (such as Jodie being spiteful to Rebecca, dismissing her at every opportunity, deliberately trying to make her and/or Blake jealous, and even using her fears and allergies against her), Blake would find out eventually; they would be disgusted at Jodie for stooping so low, and they would refuse to be with her (either staying with Rebecca or just being single). Jodie would then end the story as a single woman because of her own actions while trying to get her man (or woman).- Given Rebecca's departure from the story and Blake's lack of hostility towards Jodie for interfering with their relationship, this is less likely. Though Rebecca doesn't leave after all, the end of Chapter 18 and the descriptions of the next two chapters make this even less likely.
- Jossed, Jodie and Blake get together no matter how horrible the former was to Rebecca, and they are engaged by the end of the story.
The second half of the book will be an Hourglass Plot in which Rebecca tries to separate Blake and Jodie as payback for the latter meddling with her relationship
The title and description for Chapter 12 suggests that Blake and Rebecca will break up (and confirmed at the end of Chapter 11), meaning that Jodie is free to be with Blake. Obviously, Rebecca would not be happy, especially if Jodie made too many choices that involved meddling in her relationship, she would blame Jodie for the breakup (and depending on her choices, Rebecca may have a point in saying this). As such, Rebecca may then try to split up Blake and Jodie's budding relationship as revenge for Jodie doing the same to her.- Likely jossed, Rebecca packs her bags and leaves in Chapter 13, and the descriptions for the next two chapters indicate that the story will continue as if she was never there. She does appear in Chapter 14 (briefly), but nothing comes of it. However, it is revealed a couple of chapters later that she decided to stay after all. While a premium scene in Chapter 18 has Jodie and Rebecca vent out all their frustrations at each other, they appear to have gotten it out of their systems by the end of the chapter.
- Ultimately jossed, Rebecca doesn't ever attempt this, and Jodie and Blake are engaged by the end of the story.
The series will be a trilogy
The title is a reference to the poem "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage". Given that, 15 chapters in, and Jodie and Blake have only just slept together (and even then, only if you took the diamond scene at the end of Chapter 15), and the Chapter 17 description mentions that the trip is coming to an end, there has barely been enough time for their relationship to truly blossom. It's likely that the opening Flash Forward of the book where Blake proposes to Jodie will take place at the end of Book 1, then Book 2 will be about their wedding, then Book 3 will be about them raising a baby.- Given that the final chapter of Book 1 is called "Then Comes..." (combined with the brief Flash Forward at the start of the book), this is looking very likely. The only way it could not come to fruition is if the wedding preparations, the wedding itself, and the arrival of the baby all took place in an epilogue with most of the events skipped over.
- Believe it or not, jossed. The announcement on July 31, 2023 confirmed that Chapter 20 is the series finale. In fact, there isn't even an epilogue detailing their wedding (let alone them having a child), they end the series engaged.
Jodie and Blake will end up adopting Lino and Felicia's baby
After getting married at the end of Book 2 (in line with the above theory), Jodie finds out she can't conceive, disappointing her and Blake. Around this time, Lino and his wife's baby has been recently born. Lino and Felicia may decide to give their baby up for adoption because they've realised that they can't cope with being parents after all, and what better couple to give the baby to than their OTP who have just found out they can't have kids?- Likely jossed, given that the book is a standalone, though it's possible this could occur in the epilogue of the final chapter.
- Completely jossed, by the end of the story, they are engaged, but not married, let alone having a baby.
