He gets this dirty almost-smile on his face. “I wouldn't call what I was doing this morning work. I'll try to get back here, but the bar doesn't close until two tonight.”
It’s kind of him. There’s this weird cavity in my chest anyway. Is it envy, loneliness? I’m not sure. I fought my way back from the dead, but I still don’t have a life.
“Don’t worry about it. I love staying alone in creepy, isolated houses straight out of a horror movie.”
He tilts his head. “You're the evil queen, remember? This place is made for you.”
I smile. “Nothing wrong with being the evil queen. Most men appreciate a little bad with their good.”
Caleb definitely appreciates a little bad with his good.
I just have to remind him.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It took a village to get this book out of the gate.
Thanks so much to all the people who cheered me on and read and gave me feedback: Jen Wilson Owens, Jodi Martin, Katie Friend, Katie Meyer, Laura Pavlov, Maren Channer, Meagan Reynoso, Michelle Chen, Nikita Navalkar, Nina Grinstead, Samantha Brentmoor and Tawanna Williams.
On the editing front, thanks to Sali Benbow-Powers, who read an earlier （discarded） version, Sue Grimshaw who read the next version, Anna Bishop （editing）， and Christine Estevez and Julie Deaton （proofreading）。
Lori Jackson—thanks for an amazing cover and I promise I’ll never put you through that again. Samantha and the team at Brickshop Audio: thanks so much for your flexibility and for being consistently wonderful.
To the dream team at Valentine PR: I adore all you all. Christine, Kelley, Kim, Meagan, Nina and Sarah—thank you for making my life easy and for taking care of all the things I’d do poorly or forget to do at all. （Nina is thinking “Like putting on deodorant before a book signing?” and yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.） When I look at where I was two years ago versus now, it’s an understatement to call you all life-changing.
Thanks so much to Kimberly Brower and Piatkus for getting my books read outside of the United States at last.
And to the members of Elizabeth O’Roark Books, thanks for reminding me why I do this when I’m longing for a 9-5 job. I love you guys.