*DROPS DEAD*
I, no doubt, lost pieces of my life with this story. These two left me feeling hollow so many times and swollen with life so many others. They became something I could never have imagined when I was trying to think up their story. But, silly me, it was their story to tell me all along. I just had to listen.
The first people I have to thank is them, Eva and Blake. They left me for a long time in the black space that Eva was left in at the end of Live Me, stranded below Bertha in a dark nothingness. Eva was quiet, not ready yet, and I was so scared that she never would be. I have to thank them for finding me again. For giving me their ending. Their trust. It took my breath away so many times, but they got it out. I got it out.
I have to thank God for letting me hear this alternate world that (I'm telling you) DOES exist somewhere and allowing me to tell it to you.
To my family. To my family. No, that is not a typo. I need to say that twice, maybe a thousand times. When they pulled on my arms to stop me from working. When they let it slide that although my eyes were on them, my brain wasn’t. When they noticed me coming apart and just chose to act like I wasn’t. I love you. Thank you, Fred, Christian, and Cienna, for being what drives me. My motivation to be the best that I can be. You are my world, and I wouldn’t want to spend a day without you. I can’t wait to live our new life together. Hopefully, it will give me time to write many more of these.
To my parents and Allison, you’ve always supported everything that I do. For that, I will always be grateful (even if none of you have read my work). Bastids. LOL. My prayer is that we can all be together again one day, the way that it should be. My heart’s just not the same.
To Tracy, you read my work over and over and love it just the same each time that you do. Thank you for typing this whole book! You were my savior, and I can’t thank you enough. I’m so glad we get to live closer and spend more time together now.
Barbara Wolfe, the girl who will always do whatever I need to make this story right. Edit. Read. Re-read. Anything. You’re my everything. I can’t wait to be by your side on your new journey and officially meet our child!
BL Berry, you’re one of the real ones. Thank you for your endless help and support. Your knowledge of all things and your passion for sharing all that you’ve learned is inspiring. You’re a true friend. I love you.
Mo!!! Where would I be without my Mo? Probably in a ball in the corner, holding an iPad with a square sticking out of it, rocking and crying with no cash bag. I love you fierce, girl. You’re the light in my day and my left and right hands. I thank you for so much more than I can type.
Heather Carver, thank you for being as stubborn as you are. For loving these two enough to put your foot down and demand it be done differently for them. For helping me get it right even when you hated it. I love you. You’ve lived this story as much as I did. Now on to the next!
Jena Mason Campbell, girlfriend!! As much as I want to kick your coolie for not finishing, your touch and your work on the beginning of this book was the most priceless piece. You stomped and whined and “just no’ed” me to death until it was perfect. And it’s your keen eye and unrelenting demand for realism that made it what it is. I will love you forever, and I am more proud of you and more in awe of your talent than you will ever know (Ahem, PLUG—Fiona Cole).
Kelly Siskind, we did it! But, did you ever think you’d see the day? Thank you for your hours and YEARS of hashings and what-if-ing. You’re mine forever.
To Danielle Kelly, Tina Lynne, Shannon Mummey, and Stacia Lynette, thank you guys for jumping in and SAVING my ass when I was at the end of my rope with worry for this book. Your encouraging words and tears for my babies meant the world. You guys put so much of your hearts into your reading, and I love you all. Thank you for your time and effort and love and hearts.
Kaitie Reister, everyone’s biggest fan, you are unmatched. I’ve never met anyone so genuine and so eager to help. Thank you for reading this prologue and offering your feedback.
To everyone in the group, Books By Celeste, you guys are UNREAL! I love you all so MUCH! The amount of support you have given me always floors me. No matter how disappointed you all were about the release being pushed back, about how long it takes me to complete a novel, you all stuck right by my side, coaching me through to the finish line. I am so grateful and humbled by that. You truly mean more to me than you can ever realize.
Megan Hand, my waterer of my pretty, flowery words. I don’t think anyone lives and breathes all the fluff in my work as much as you do. And I love you greatly for it, my twin. Thank you for editing this baby in just the right way, making my pretty prettier and adding your little love touches all over.
Jennifer Roberts-Hall, so much more than an editor. You rocked every piece of the book. You bled it and drank it and loved it and petted it. I can’t thank you with enough thank yous. It’s you and me forever.
Lauren Watson Perry of Perrywinkle Photography, your ability to catch a moment and make it live in stillness astounds me. Thank you so much for the most perfect photo of the most perfect couple. I see a long and beautiful future for us.
Sommer Stein of Perfect Pear Creative, what I didn’t put you through! Your cover brought me to tears. Thank you so much for your patience and for putting up with me. It was so worth it!
Lorie Rebecca, thank you so much for that perfect photo of Angel. You’re stunning. It truly brought her home.
Julie Deaton of Deaton Author Services, thank you for being so accommodating. Your love for Blake astounds me, and your attention to detail and ability to find even the smallest errors is unsurpassed.
Christine Borgford of Type A Formatting, your willingness to help and be available for me means so much and shows how seriously you take your job. Thank you for always making my books so beautiful, both on screen and on paper.
Linda Russell with Foreward PR & Marketing, thank you for taking my hand and leading me in the right direction. For always being a positive word of encouragement and having my back so that I could finish this book the right way and put out something I’m proud of, no matter how long it took. Thank you for telling the world about my baby.
To the superstar bloggers out there, you guys do so much, and your only motivation is your love for books and the craft and the stories. You do it all selflessly and lovingly and shouty, and we love you just as much as you love us. Thank you for your passion, your love, for your screams, and for simply being you. I heart you.
And lastly, to you. If you are reading this sentence, that means you’ve made it to the end of this very long journey, through the love and through the fire. You waited for me. You didn’t lose hope that I would bring you the end of Blake and Angel’s story, and I have no words other than thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You complete me. I hope I’ve done you proud.
Forget not to live, to breathe, and to love . . .
XO
C