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To Deacon and Elliot.
My heart hurt for you from the very beginning. Here’s to your happy ending. Both of you deserve it so much.
Acknowledgments
Stephanie Boting, thank you for all your insight and patience in sharing your country and culture with me. Someday I’ll write a South African who isn’t a villain, I promise. I appreciate your enthusiasm and willingness to answer question after question after question. Any mistakes regarding Africa are totally mine.
Heather Knight, I’m so glad you sent me that first e-mail. My life would be very different if we’d never met. Thank you for reading those first rough chapters and being honest about what they needed. Insight like that is invaluable, and you’ve shared yours graciously. Thank you, my friend.
Nikki Snider, my fabulous beta reader. Your encouragement and excitement every time I send you something makes my heart happy. Thank you for being willing to read, for being a cheerleader when I sorely need one, and for reminding me, over and over, that I have a gift readers enjoy. I appreciate you so much.
Dani Wade—critique partner, sister, partner in crime. I love you. I couldn’t have made this journey without your love and encouragement. You’ve stood beside me for TEN books (okay, more, but ten published books...). But even more, you’ve stood beside me for decades of life. Thank you for helping me find my voice and my feet these last few difficult years. Here’s to many more!
And finally, to my daughter, S. You’re patient when you don’t have to be, act interested when I’m rambling on about my characters, and celebrate with me when I accomplish my goals. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a kind, compassionate, smart, beautiful woman for a daughter. I’m looking forward to my vanilla Dr. Pepper on release day, hon. I love you.