The four of us basked silently in the beauty of Leonardo’s creation. When Mona returned the Dagger to me, the heat from her hands lingered in the mysterious alloy.
“What are you gonna do with it, Reb?” Pop said.
I found myself enveloped in sadness—sublime sadness. It was the blanket I’d been wrapped in since that tragic night in the summer of ’80—the cover that had simultaneously provided me warmth and kept me cold as a tomb.
Ginny reached over and touched my knee, and that blanket fell away. I didn’t need it anymore.
“The Dagger belongs in the National Gallery,” I said softly, “with the Circles of Truth.”
We sat for several fragile minutes, grasping our cups, breathing in the grandeur and tragedy—the strange symmetry of circumstances that had brought us together.
I nabbed a quick look at Ginny. She caught me and hooked me, and held me in her stare. Then she took my face in her hands and kissed me deeply, shamelessly, a low feral sound emanating from her throat. It was a ground-stomping, wall-pounding, whinny-if-you-can, fog-up-every-window-in-the-world kiss.
Most of me turned to warm taffy as Pop began to whistle “A Kiss to Build a Dream On.” I opened an eye and saw that he and Mona were holding hands.
Finally, Pop announced, “Well, if you’re looking for Same Time and Next Year you can have ’em—except Same Time’s not altogether patched up yet.”
With her lips still touching mine, Ginny said breathlessly, “Next Year will be just fine.”
I gave my earlobe a little tug.
“By jingo,” Pop chortled. “I believe you’re right.”
Many thanks to Laurie Fox of the Linda Chester Literary Agency for her tremendous agenting and contributions to the book. Thanks to my editor, Mitchell Ivers, and the staff at Pocket Books, and to Sally Willcox and Laurie Horowitz at Creative Artists Agency. Thanks to Linda Michaels, my foreign rights agent.
Special thanks to Paula Wagner and Tom Cruise for sharing the vision of Tom as the perfect Reb. Thanks also to Gaye Hirsch at Cruise/ Wagner Productions. Thanks to Marsha Williams for her enthusiasm and support of this book.
Thanks to Seamus Slattery, my partner, my best friend, a creative genius. It is my great fortune to be able to collaborate with you. Thanks to Jane Slattery, a true friend, and to Mike and Katie Slattery for their patience and support.
To my wonderful wife, Rikki, I thank you for the gift of your love, your fine ideas—including the name for the Circles of Truth—for your excellent editing, and for your unsurpassed culinary touch.
To my beloved son, Ki, I am delighted by your musicality with so many instruments and awed by your writing talent. I am so grateful to be able to watch you grow into such a fine human being.
Last, thank you to all my guys. Without you, I would not have survived. I especially thank Clay and Wyatt for allowing me to use some of their really cool phrases in this book.
There is comfort in the comfort room.
s/head>
TwentyYearsAgo
One
ThePresent
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
