I ask, “How do you feel about what happened?” She knows what I mean. “Ya know, deep down.”
Troo doesn’t answer right off, but when she leans in to give me my butterfly kiss, when she twines her fingers into mine, she doesn’t smart-mouth me the way I thought she might. She sighs and whispers, “The Almighty works in mysterious ways, ma cherie,” and with the sound of Ethel’s saxophone music coming over the fence and the Moriaritys’ dog barking up the block and the smell of the chocolate chip cookies drifting through our window, I would have to agree with her.
Acknowledgments
Heartfelt thanks to:
My editor, Ellen Edwards, for her genius insights.
Publishers Brian Tart and Kara Welsh, for believing in me.
The fabulous behind-the-scenes team at Dutton and NAL.
My wonderful agent, Kim Witherspoon.
Emily Lewis, Lenore Buss, Maddie James, Paul Sheldon and Rochelle Staab, my early readers.
Mike Lebow.
Madeira James for her superb work on my website.
Readers and book clubs. You’ve made my life sweeter in so many ways.
Devoted booksellers.
Milwaukee.
Pete, who still makes me laugh.
Riley and Casey, my dream team.
John-Michael, our ray of southern sunshine.
Charlie, my wonder baby, you make it all brand-new again.
About the Author
Lesley Kagen is an actress, voice-over talent, and restaurateur, as well as the author of three previous novels. Her national bestselling Whistling in the Dark has been translated into five languages and was a Midwest Choice Award winner. The mother of two grown children, she lives with her husband near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Visit her at lesleykagen.com.
