Followed by Fros(74)

“I’m okay.” I squeeze his fingers.

I tie my mare to the post outside the barn, and Lo does the same. We walk to the front door. The smell of chicken and garlic wafts from the windows, and I can hear soft chatter inside.

Lo kisses the top of my head. I open the door without knocking.

They sit there as if I never left: Father at the head of the table, Mother at the end, Marrine with her back to me. All three of them turn at the sound of the door.

“Papa, Mom, Marrine,” I say, taking my first step into the house, “I’m home.”





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


I have many heartfelt thanks to offer for those who have helped with this book. This tale has been my favorite to write so far, but it wouldn’t have gotten where it is without the aid of some amazing people!

I want to first thank all three of my sisters—Danny, Andy, and Alex—for reading and helping me with this story. This is the only book I’ve written that all of my siblings read!

Of course a big thanks to my beta readers Lindsey, Hayley, Juliana, Whitney, Andrew, and Jennifer. They critiqued this book for me three years before it ever got published.

Thank you to my agent, Marlene. She rejected this manuscript a couple years before signing me, but she represented it anyway! And thank you to Jason Kirk, Angela Polidoro, and the 47North team for shaping this manuscript into something publishable. (And thank you to Matt, my copyeditor. Copyeditors don’t get enough thanks nowadays.) Much love and appreciation to my (smoking-hot) husband for all his support.

And, as always, my utmost thanks to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such an awesome career!