“I love you guys,” I said. “So glad I brought you.”
Ben placed a kiss on my forehead. “It’s funny to think we’re watching the moment I first started to fall in love with you.” He pointed to the actor playing him, whose brows weren’t nearly dark enough, in my opinion.
“When I made a child throw up,” I mused. “How romantic.”
“Actually, it was when you came and sat back down with us. That’s when I knew: This woman will make me brave.” I nudged him with my elbow and he chuckled. “It’s true. Look at what you’ve achieved. Take a moment to fully appreciate this.” He gestured to the set. “You did it, Evie.”
I looked over at the actors who were absorbed in their scripts, learning my words. “My dad used to tell me that whatever I wrote, I should make it mean something.”
He smiled that crooked smile I fell in love with. “Imagine how proud he’d be of you now.”
“Quiet on set! Three.” Greta mimed two and then one, putting her finger on her mouth. Ben put his arm around me as we watched the actors begin again.
Okay? Ben signed to me. Okay? Anette signed too, then grabbed our legs in a fierce hug.
Okay, I signed, and I couldn’t have meant it more.
Acknowledgments
First of all, hello, my fellow acknowledgments readers! Thank you for reading this far (thank you for reading full stop). I always love reading the acknowledgments for that little bit of insight into who the author is, which makes it doubly strange to now be writing my own. Thankfully, they’re not about me, but the brilliant people I’m lucky enough to know.
A huge thank-you to the team at Putnam and Penguin Random House. To my amazing US editor, Margo Lipschultz, fielder of panicked phone calls, giver of sound advice, editor extraordinaire, thank you. Sorry about the poo scene. And Tricja Okuniewska—thank you so much for all your incredible hard work.
Thanks also to everyone else at Penguin Random House who has championed and worked so hard on this book. I couldn’t hope for a more enthusiastic and dedicated team.
Publicists extraordinaire Alexis Welby and Bonnie Rice. Marketing moguls Ashley McClay, Jordan Aaronson, Emily Mlynek, and Brennin Cummings. Thanks so much for everything you do. This book wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without you.
And I owe thanks to Vikki Chu, Tal Goretsky, and Anthony Ramondo, who dressed my words up in such a gorgeous cover, and inspired me to step up my game to be worthy of it. You’ve made it so I get to actually see Evie and Ben in real life. Thank you. Thanks too to Kristin del Rosario for the adorable interior design, and Claire Winecoff for managing the production-editing process so seamlessly.
To all the fabulous people at Penguin Random House dedicated to putting this and many other books into readers’ hands—thank you!
And everyone else! A huge, huge thanks to:
The team at Orion. To the inimitable Sam Eades, who acquired this. Thanks for taking a chance on me, Sam. Thanks also to Katie Brown, who has run with this novel and helped me get it across the finish line. Special thanks to the rest of Team Trapeze: Phoebe Morgan, Anna Valentine, and especially Shyam Kumar for all his hard work. Thank you for taking such great care of this book.
Gillian Redfearn for being there from the start. Your capacity for generosity always astounds me. Anyone who has you fighting in their corner is very lucky indeed.
Diana, for telling me to “Be More Evie.”
Cat Web for the lasagna. You are a kind and brilliant soul.
Richard Roper for being a much-needed sounding board when I was up to my ears in deadlines.
My flatmates, Nat and Chris, and Luna (aka Pounce-o, Dog-Dog, Goose, etc.). For the wine and reassurances and furry hugs (that last one is exclusively Luna). Sorry that I never clean the bathroom. I’ve been writing this book.
Anna Boatman—and The Vampire Diaries, for bringing us together. I’m sorry I didn’t show you the book until it was done. Your opinion matters a whole bunch to me.
Charlotte Cray. Like Maria, your tough love packs a punch, and I wouldn’t be the same without it. You are a balm for the soul. Thank you so, so much.
Claire Fraser, all-round awesome human and friend. Thank you for believing in me, for telling me I could do this, and for saying I am “100 percent perfect” as I am. For you, I am including the word “tits” in my acknowledgments. Thank you, my love.
All my friends back “home” in Manchester, for being there from afar: Ellie Devlin, Liz and Alex Holt, Rebecca Mortimer, Paul Hughes, Rob Byron, Michael Monks, and Amanda Browning. Your support means everything.
Quick side note: Gil’s is based on Ezra & Gil’s in the Northern Quarter of Manchester, UK, which you should absolutely visit if you’re ever in the area. I can’t guarantee a meet-cute, but I can say for sure that you will eat incredible food (try the beans on toast—trust me, it’s delicious and the perfect hangover cure).
And, finally, thank you to my family:
My grandma, Dorothy Parkinson, who’s a writer too. Dorothy Taylor was named for her. Thanks, Gran.
My aunt and uncle, Julie and Damian. You told me to put you in here, but I would have anyway. And my cousins Abi and Holly, because I know you’ll never let me forget it otherwise. You’re my favorites.
Mandy and Josie—thank you for being so proud.
My sisters, Louise and Victoria. Through thick and thin, I’m so lucky to have you both in my life.
Grace. One day, you’ll out-Anette Anette.
And to my parents, Dawn and Barry. For always having faith in me. Thank you, you’re my absolute heroes. I literally and figuratively wouldn’t be here without you.
Lastly, to the man who told me I wasn’t good enough—thanks for the inspiration.