My husband and my sweet tiny human, thank you for always cheering me on, encouraging me to write, and offering up needed distraction in the form of a Netflix binge or dance party. I can’t imagine spending my life with two more perfect dudes. Tiny Human: You can NEVER read this book, either.
This book came to fruition during the pandemic, and though that meant being apart from my family for a long time, their care stretched through the phone and over Zoom. Thank you to my parents, who have always pushed me to do better and had a hug or high-five no matter what. Thank you to my brother. I could share a quote from our orthodontist, but I think you know what you mean to me. To Amanda, Mike, Melissa, Jean, Bruce, Barb, Tim, Aretha, Allison, Kaitlin, and all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, my niece and nephews, and my friends, thank you for listening to me talk about writing for years, and for endless support.
I highly recommend having talented publishing professionals in your life who happen to also be strong and kind. Thank you to my wonderful agent, Sharon Pelletier, for always being in my corner and making me feel seen. Thank you also to Lauren Abramo, Andrew Dugan, and Cat Hosch at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret, Kristina Moore at Anonymous Content, and Eleanor Russell and the Piatkus team.
Thank you to my editor, Kerry Donovan. I can’t imagine working with someone else—my soul and my book have so much more sparkle because of you. Also thank you to Dache’ Rogers, Tara O’Connor, Bridget O’Toole, Natalie Sellars, Mary Baker, Lindsey Tulloch, and the rest of the Berkley and Penguin Random House team for bringing this novel into the world. The cover for this book was designed by Farjana Yasmin, and I am in love with the beautiful representation of the book that includes a sky full of possibilities.
Bethany Moore has read this book more than anyone and was the very first person to fall in love with Wes and Britta. More than that, she’s my sister in every way except blood, and one of the strongest and most beautiful people I know.
I don’t know if I’d have made it through 2020 without the Better Than Brunch crew. Charish Reid, Taj McCoy, and Cass Newbould, you are my rocks. The laughter and love in our Sunday writing session fills my cup, and I love you three.
Katie Golding, you are amazing, affirming, and the ultimate cheerleader, but also the ultimate friend. On top of writing captivating stories I can’t get out of my head, you are a beautiful, strong woman who makes me feel like I can do and be more. Thank you for being part of my world, Eagle!
Allison Ashley, I will always trust you with my messy drafts, knowing you will make the book better. Thank you for loving Britta and Wes from the beginning!
Rosie Danan, you are a ray of sunshine and I am so glad we are friends. You haven’t convinced me to watch Speed, but you have impressed and inspired me at every turn with your talent, care, compassion, and humor.
Jen DeLuca, Libby Hubscher, Priscilla Oliveras, Tova Opatrny, and Sarah Smith, thank you for always being there with encouragement, advice, humor, or the perfect GIF (and sometimes all four).
Thank you, Kenyatta, Jacki, Jasmine, Jalen, Wonjae, Jen, Racheal, Jathan, Matt, Tera, Emily, and the rest of my ISU family for celebrating bookish wins with me. It means the world to me to be able to share my love stories and accomplishments with colleagues I so admire and cherish.
Thank you also to Robin, Kat, Alex, Brenda, Yesenia, Haley, Emily, Brian, Tara, Nicole, Carolyn, Alissa, Rena, Ambre, Lisa, Janet, Salem, Diane, Miranda, Laynie, the rest of #TeamCarly, Natalie, and all the other friends who shared your time and suggestions for this book.
Finally, a huge thank-you to everyone who has let my stories be part of your life. I am endlessly grateful.
Keep reading for a special preview of
DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN
by Denise Williams, coming in fall 2022!
I COULDN’T BLAME Maddie Anderson for scowling at her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
He appeared calm and collected in a bespoke Italian suit, remaining quiet, deferent, and reasonable. He almost looked bored by the proceedings, about the minutiae of his marriage ending. I made note of the gray at his temples and supposed it was easy to look dignified as a fifty-seven-year-old sitting next to one’s twenty-three-year-old wife, and probably easy to be bored when you’d done this a time or two before.
Behind the makeup, Maddie’s eyes were puffy, and the cuticle on her thumb looked shredded, like she’d been nervously scratching it. Since walking in on her husband with not one but two women during their son’s first birthday party, she’d been through a lot. The hurt and embarrassment were clear in the woman’s mannerisms, but Mr. Anderson didn’t seem to care. Granted, my client popped her gum and huffed any time opposing counsel spoke. She rolled her eyes again, and I glanced at the clock on the far side of the wall. Despite the eye-rolling, the gum-popping, and the faint smell of perfume I could only assume was Kardashian-inspired, Maddie Anderson was going to leave a very rich woman. Her husband didn’t want to leave this room without a settlement, and I suspected he and his attorney underestimated how well we understood that.
Twenty-five minutes later and before rushing back to my office, I smiled at Maddie, whose philandering ex-husband was not as covert in his affairs as he’d hoped. He’d chosen the wrong woman to underestimate.
“Everything should be finalized by the end of the month.” I shook Maddie’s hand to interrupt the hug coming my way and shared her smile. One point for the wronged woman and one more win for me. I popped a Butter Rum LifeSaver in my mouth and rushed down the hall, trying not to look like I was rushing, even though it was four fifteen and there was no way I was going to be the usual fifteen minutes early I considered to be on time. The candy gave me the quick rush of sugar I’d wanted all afternoon and a brief moment of bliss. The moment didn’t last long.
“RJ.” The smoky voice of one of the senior partners left me cursing in my head as I turned to greet her. Gretchen Vanderkin-Shaw would have scared the crap out of me if I didn’t admire her so much. Okay, she still scared the crap out of me, but as a named partner before forty with a success rate through the roof, she was a force to be reckoned with, and she liked me. Gretchen was the lawyer I wanted to be, and I was gathering my courage to ask her to be my mentor.
She nodded toward the conference room. “The Anderson case?”
“We were able to come to a resolution that worked in our favor.” That was code for crushing them like tiny little bugs and then doing a victory dance that involved some light professional twerking.
She nodded, a faint smile on her lips, because I’d learned the victory dance from her. “Excellent. Eric mentioned you wanting to talk to me. I have a free hour now.”
I stole a quick glance at my watch, because nine times out of ten, if Gretchen asked to meet, we did. Hell, if she’d asked me to hop, I would have.
“Do you have somewhere to be?”
I could have lied and said I had a conference call or a client meeting, but what was the point? Everything I was doing was because the firm wanted to keep a client happy. Well, mostly. “I have to be downtown at five.”
Her mouth formed into a thin line, and I knew she’d decoded my reason for needing to be downtown. She nodded. “Well, you better go. You know how I feel about this, though, RJ. You’re better than some publicity stunt.”
I fumbled with a response, biting my lower lip. That wasn’t characteristic for me—I embraced the power pose, I held my shoulders back and chin up on the regular, and I never backed down from anything. I made powerful people want to cower, and I was good at it. She was right, I was better than a publicity stunt; but I had to admit, I enjoyed this particular stunt. “Thank you for checking in. I’ll talk to your assistant and make an appointment.”
I hurried into the back of a waiting Uber, with plans to change clothes modestly in the back seat. Was I telling myself I would be modest knowing that I was about to give anyone looking a bit of a show? Absolutely.
Penny: Where are you?
RJ: On my way. There’s traffic.
Penny: You’re killing me.