This Might Hurt(103)
The tickets were written in Natalie’s handwriting. So were the seat numbers. So were the prices at the concession stand. All of it was my sister’s doing. She let Mom take the credit.
Principle III: I must eliminate any obstacles that impede my path to freedom.
I check my watch. Gordon and Jeremiah will be here in a few minutes.
I glance at my sister. She’s gripping her duffel bag, watching me with a face full of fear. I wonder what she’s so scared of: Gordon? This place?
Me?
“Forget them.” I wipe away a tear and point to the Hourglass.
“Let’s go for a ride.”
Acknowledgments
When I started working on this book, I had no idea how much more difficult it would be to write than my first novel. Over the course of two years and seven drafts, I wrestled this story into its final shape. My work was made easier by, and I am indebted to, the following people—
My readers! You have countless ways to spend your free time, and I’m honored you’ve chosen to spend some of it with my books. Your insights, comments, and questions have been sources of both joy and reflection. Thank you for giving me the boosts I need to keep writing.
My tireless agent, Maddy Milburn, plus the rest of the team at MMLA, especially: Emma Dawson, Liv Maidment, Giles Milburn, Valentina Paulmichl, Georgina Simmonds, Liane-Louise Smith, and Rachel Yeoh.
My editors, Amanda Bergeron in the US and Max Hitchcock in the UK. I told you at least once that I’d bitten off more than I could chew with this story. You guided me with patience and brilliance through draft after draft . . . after draft. . . . You get the picture. Without you, there would be no book—or not one anyone would want to read, anyway. Three years in, I still can’t believe how lucky I am to work not only with the two of you, but with the geniuses that are Sareer Khader and Emma Plater as well. Thank you to Eileen Chetti and Emma Henderson for such thorough copyediting.
My publishing teams, who continue to amaze me. To the Berkley team: Loren Jaggers, Danielle Keir, Bridget O’Toole, Jin Yu, Emily Osborne, Dan Walsh, Claire Zion, Craig Burke, Jeanne-Marie Hudson, Christine Ball, and Ivan Held. To the Michael Joseph team: Jen Breslin, Gaby Young, Christina Ellicott, Lauren Wakefield, Vicky Photiou, Elizabeth Smith, Hannah Padgman, Sarah Davison Aitkins, James Keyte, and Catherine Le Lievre. And to the Simon & Schuster Canada team: Nita Pronovost, Shara Alexa, Felicia Quon, Rita Silva, Jasmine Elliott, Greg Tilney, and Kevin Hanson. You all work so hard to get my stories into the hands of readers, and I will never stop thanking you for it.
The doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who generously offered their knowledge when Google wasn’t cutting it: Kimmery Martin, Duncan Alston, Laura E. Hudson, Arnaldo Vera-Arroyo, and my cousin Shannon Soukup. Thanks as well to Savitri Tan and Jeanne Marie-Hudson for connecting me with these individuals. Any errors are my own.
John Drury for taking me on a tour of mid-coast Maine in his boat, which was the single most helpful day of research throughout the entire writing process. Thanks too to photographer Peter Ralston, whose stunning pictures brought the region to life for me once I was back in the UK. I hope my descriptions are half as good as his photos.
Dave Pfeiffer for help with engineering quandaries, Scott Demar for answering my accounting questions, and my uncle Mike Soukup for guidance on all things competitive swimming.
All the librarians and booksellers who have been unbelievably supportive of my fledgling career, especially Mary O’Malley, Pamela Klinger-Horn, and Maxwell Gregory. My heartfelt thanks as well to the Bookstagram community, particularly Abby of @crimebythebook.
My fellow authors. You’ve been so gracious with your time, and I’m beyond grateful to be a part of this community. A special thank-you to those who were kind enough to write blurbs for my books: Ashley Audrain, Diane Les Becquets, Kirstin Chen, Lee Child, JP Delaney, Samantha Downing, Teresa Driscoll, Tarryn Fisher, Melanie Golding, Laura Hankin, Lisa Jewell, Sandie Jones, Gilly Macmillan, Margarita Montimore, Liz Nugent, Amy Stuart, C. J. Tudor, and Wendy Walker. I know you receive loads of ARCs. I’m so appreciative you took the time to read one of mine.
Taylor Wichrowski for imagining Rebecca’s pre-Wisewood career visually with your show posters. To Sheila Wichrowski for reading an early draft. To Ali O’Hara and Allison Jasinski for providing feedback on jacket copy, as well as decades of moral support and free therapy.
My parents, Ron and Kathy Wrobel, for accompanying me on my research trip to Maine. I promised you three days of adventure—I think it’s safe to say I kept my word!
My sisters, Jackie Malich and Vicki Wrobel, to whom this book is dedicated. Everything I know about being a sister I learned from the two of you. I hope I’ve been good more often than bad, and that I didn’t abuse my power as the eldest too often. Special thanks to Vicki for designing Wisewood’s logo and to Jackie for always letting me sing the girl parts of Disney songs (not that I gave you much choice). I love you both to the moon and back.
Finally, to Matt, who has requested the title of Alpha Reader so many times I’m finally breaking down and giving it to him. For reading all of the drafts, for problem solving in and outside the book, for keeping faith in this story every time I lost it. What a ride the past decade has been. Here’s to the next one.
About the Author
Stephanie Wrobel is the international bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold. She grew up in Chicago but has been living in the UK for the past three years with her husband and dog, Moose Barkwinkle. She has an MFA from Emerson College and has had short fiction published in Bellevue Literary Review. Before turning to fiction, she worked as a creative copywriter at various advertising agencies.