Following her direction, Jacob’s eyes lit up. He wriggled in her arms until she set him on his feet and he ran towards his father.
Ryan’s eyes were bright with love, meeting hers across the crowded airport as he lifted their son into his arms and hugged him hard.
Her husband was home, and with Australian troops finally being pulled from the Afghanistan war, maybe she could hold him a little longer this time, and a little harder.
To my readers. I write for my heart, but I publish to share these stories, and these characters, with you. Thank you for reading what means the world to me.
To my husband, my daughter, and my son. I’ve found my happy with you and I’ll love you all longer than the stars that live in the sky. Thank you for your never ending support.
My editor Max. You fought for this story. When I was struggling I remembered every word of support, every comment of encouragement, and I remembered that you believed in me. I love your honesty. I love that I can be myself with you, that I can speak freely, that I can laugh, argue, and be stupid, and in the end, pull something together that makes you proud. I love you.
My amazing team of betas and critique partner BJ Harvey. You work behind the story, spending countless hours of your time helping, supporting, and promoting me. Why? Because you believe in me. You help me believe in myself. You are honest, and you care. You put up with me when I drive you crazy, and when I change things and make you read it all over again. I laugh with all of you, and I cry when it gets hard, and when the book is done, it feels just as much yours as it is mine. Thank you Tammy, Kylie, Kim, Trisha, Barb, Shelley, Natalie, Orchita and Jo.
To Claire, my proofreader and one of my closest friends. I make your job easy! Thank you for being a perfectionist and making sure my words are seamless.
To Keith Fennell, a former Australian SAS soldier, and author of Warrior Brothers and Warrior Training—stories about his life in the Army. Australian SAS soldiers are notoriously private, and I’m not sure I could have written this story the way it needed to be told without you. Thank you for sharing your stories from your time in the military, and for your words of encouragement.
To the ladies in the Australian Army who beta read this book. You gave your time helping me and answering questions, and there were lots! Thank you.
Thank you to all the bloggers who have supported me. You work tirelessly—reading, reviewing, promoting—and I’m eternally grateful.