Mine

suddenly, I am quietly crying from the happiness I feel.

The heart is a hollow muscle, and it will beat billions of times during our life. About the size of a fist, it has four chambers, two atria, and two ventricles. I use it like I use my soul, and my body, and my bones, my fibers, my nerves, to love with every particle and molecule in me. It pumps life into me so I can give this love freely to this one man, and to this little boy he gave me.

I’m in love and I will be forever changed by this love, by this man, and our new little family.

I used to dream of medals and championships, and now I dream of a blue-eyed boy who will grow into a man, and of my blue-eyed fighter who one day changed my life when he put his lips on mine.

TO HIM

Dear Remington,

I was a post-college girl when I came to see you fight, and you have turned me into a woman. You have made me a wife. And you have made me a mother. And you have made me, and every day make me, the happiest woman alive. I am going to spend the rest of my life loving you. And our children. And running with you, eating with you, letting you scoop me up, throw me in the air, and lick me up. I will be your friend, your lover, your nurse, your exercise buddy, your love, your wife, and the lioness who fights by your side. I will always, always be your number one fan. Thank you, Remington, my love, for inspiring me every day with your gentleness and your drive. Thank you for being the father I couldn’t even have conjured for my children. Thank you for giving me a little fighter. I want you to know I will be very happily working with you so we can also soon welcome our Iris.

I love you, and am in love with you, forever and always, now, and every second in between. Black and blue, every inch of you, magnificent you, is mine. And I’m going to treasure and cherish you, always.

Your Brooke

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am so excited to be releasing MINE and the wonderful Real series through Gallery Books!

I’m eternally grateful to my wonderful agent Amy Tannenbaum and the Jane Rotrosen Agency for their support and encouragement; to my amazing new editor Adam Wilson, who is the best I could have ever hoped for; and to the talented people at Gallery Books who are making it all happen, including the best copy editors and publicists ever! Thank you Jennifer, Lauren, Kristin, Jules . . . for loving this series like I do.

And, thanks to the lovely Enn Bocci, for joining the team and helping us spread the REAL love all around! To Sarah Hansen for yet another kick-ass cover. And of course . . .

Thank you to my beautiful husband, my beautiful children, and my beautiful parents; you make my life beautiful all year-round.

To the loveliest daughter in the world, for reading before everyone else did and giving a thousand thumbs- up.

To my author friends who read this first, among them Monica Murphy, Joanna Wylde, Kim Karr, Jen Fredrick, Wylie Snow, and L. M. Augustine. Writing is a lonely business and you get so much more done when you have understanding friends who can push you through a little hump.

To Kati Brown, you deserve special thanks and love from me. Your input on this book was golden. Thank you, Kati!

To Stacey Suarez, the best fitness expert and dearest friend, an expert on all things athletic and nutritional.

To my dear and talented Marilyn M, and Erinn G., and to my fabulous assistants, old and new; Anna, Ellie, and Lori and Gel. Thanks for giving me more writing hours.

Also, a huge special thanks to all you amazing bloggers who’ve been incredible supporters of Remy from the start. How can I even thank you, except with sharing more of him with you? Thank you so much to each and every one of you, and please forgive me the lack of space to name each and every one of you who’ve e-mailed, read, reviewed, and been completely wonderful! You are unREAL!

Neda, I have no words for your friendship, support, and overall wonderfulness with the amazing blog tours you helped plan, and my love goes to all those who participated too. Jenna, your video rocks! Thank you all!

To the amazing Dana, Erin, and Kelly, and the lovely “Scaries” who are actually angels in disguise. Hugs to Dominique, Stacy, Jen, and Kerry.

To all of my readers, who have waited, patiently, for this story; thank you for loving my characters like I do!

And lastly, but very especially, to everyone who has suffered or suffers from any form of mental illness, and to anyone whose loved ones suffer from mental illness: I do believe there is light in the dark, and I hope you find yours.

XOXO!