Justin!! In order to thank you properly for the hundreds of things you did for this book, these acknowledgments would go very long. So I’m going to try to limit myself to two. You know what? Make it three. I’m not driving. Thank you for your patience and enthusiasm—for believing in this story right from the beginning, and your unshakable confidence that we’d have a book by the end of it, even when it was months late and hundreds of pages too long. Thank you for your beyond-amazing notes. As ever, you knew what this story was before I did, and helped me find it draft by draft. And thank you for being so wonderful to work with—between the LOTR notes calls and emoji-filled emails, it’s always such a joy. I couldn’t have done this without you, and I’m so lucky to get to work with you.
Thanks to Emily Van Beek, my wonderful agent and fierce supporter. Thanks also to Molly Jaffa, Amy Rosenbaum, and everyone at Folio.
Lucy Ruth Cummins, I didn’t think a cover could be more beautiful than SYBG’s. But then you added PUPPIES. You’re a genius. Thank you for making my emoticon dreams come true. And a huge thank-you to Meredith Jenks for the gorgeous photos!
The people I’m fortunate enough to work with at Simon & Schuster are the absolute best. Thank you to Chrissy Noh, Katy Hershberger, Jon Anderson, Anne Zafian, Michelle Leo, Katrina Groover, Dorothy Gribbin, and Lucille Rettino. And a special shout-out to Alexa Pastor for reading every draft!
I share a writing office with three of the finest people in Los Angeles. Rachel Cohn, Leslie Margolis, and Jordan Roter, thank you for everything. I promise I’ll start refilling the water cooler.
Thanks to Anna Carey, Jennifer E. Smith, and Jenny Han. Jenny, here’s to that night in Italy!
I’m so fortunate to know Jessi Kirby and Siobhan Vivian, brilliant writers and wonderful friends. Thanks, you guys, for the encouragement and support.
Thank you to Jane Finn and Katie Matson. And thanks especially to my brother, Jason Matson, the bravest person I know.
And, of course, thanks to Murphy, without whom this book would have been written much, much faster.