To Mike and Will (yes, you get a dedication and an acknowledgment), thank you for supporting me every step of the way, and for making the sacrifices of eating out, going to the movies, or going fishing when I needed time alone to write. You are my greatest loves, now and always.
To Vivienne Lynge, who made me know it was possible to write a book and finish it. I raise my fruity girlie drink in your direction.
To Casey Wyatt, Sugar Jamison/Ginger Jamison, Katy Lee, PJ Sharon, Regina Kyle, T.L. Costa, Gail Chianese, Jamie K. Schmidt, and the rest of the ladies and gentlemen of the world’s most dangerous writers’ group, the Connecticut Chapter of Romance Writers of America (CTRWA), for their unwavering friendship. Come to think of it, you all deserve a toast with a fruity girlie drink as well.
To Jesse Hayworth, Lucy Burdette/Roberta Isleib, Kristan Higgins, Thea Devine, and Laura Bradford/Elizabeth Lynn Casey, for their invaluable advice on breaking into and navigating the publishing world. Thank you, ladies, for everything, from the bottom of my heart. I hope I can pay it forward someday.
To my agent extraordinaire, John Talbot, and my fabulous editor, Michelle Vega, for taking a chance on a newbie and for making this book so much better than I ever thought it could be.
And to Laurie Paro. She’ll know why.