'So you'll stay?'
I smiled up at him. 'I never planned to leave, which you'd know if you'd bothered to read my note before charging all the way here to stop me.'
'You-' He stopped, threw back his head, and laughed, then caught me up in a bone-jarring kiss and hug. 'I guess I deserved that.'
'That and more.' I grinned and kissed him, then pulled back and watched him.
'What is it?' he asked.
'When you were gone, I was thinking this story wouldn't have a happily ever after ending. Maybe I was wrong.'
'Happily ever after?' He grinned. 'As in 'forever after'?'
'Well, maybe not 'forever after.' Maybe 'happily ever after for a little while.''
'I could live with that.'
'Happily ever after for a day or two, at least.'
'A day or two?' He made a face. 'I was thinking of a bit longer. Not forever, of course. Just eight, maybe nine decades.'
'Don't push your luck.'
He laughed and lifted me up in another hug. 'We'll work on it.'
'Yes,' I said, smiling down at him. 'I'm ready to work on it.'
Acknowledgments
This being a first novel, I have a lot of acknowledging to do, not just for help with this book, but for help with every short story, poem, and literary rambling that came before it. Thanks to my family, friends, instructors, fellow writers, everyone who ever offered a word of praise or criticism. Special thanks to my old writing group (Anonymous Writers of London). This novel was born at that group and, without their encouragement, it would have died there.
Now, for those who helped this book from concept to publication. To Brian Henry, writing instructor, who saw the promise in the story and recommended it to my amazing agent. To Helen Heller, aforesaid 'amazing agent,' who worked nothing short of miracles. To Sarah Manges and Carol DeSanti at Viking for their enthusiasm and dead-on editorial suggestions. Finally, to my husband, Jeff, for knowing that a closed study door meant it was his turn to make dinner, and to my daughter Julia, who grew up knowing that a closed study door meant she could help herself to all the snacks she could eat.
