All is well.

The End

Acknowledgements

I have the best team on the planet. Words aren’t enough to thank them. I will just have to hope that they already know how much I appreciate them. But in a feeble attempt:

My agent, Catherine Drayton, is wise, fierce, classy and amazing.

My publicist, K.P. Simmon is fiery, sharp, loyal and a true dynamo.

My critique partner and best friend, Michelle Leighton, is holy-amazeballs-awesome…in every way.

I need to thank these three ladies for putting up with me, for holding my hand when I need it, and kicking me in the pants when I need that, too. Thank you.

I also need to thank Shannon Briggs, a high school classmate who is now a physical therapist. She was integral in making sure that Brand’s injury and treatment were plausible and realistic. Thank you, Shannon, for answering all of my questions and being so patient with me.

Thank you, as always, to my family for putting up with me during the writing process. Living with a writer isn’t the easiest thing… we’re always dreaming, always staring off into space, always inserting ourselves into lives that aren’t our own. There are times my family eats a bunch of take-out, times they put up with watching me wear the same clothes for three days straight and days that I forget to wash my hair. Thank you for loving me anyway.

Thank you to the special ladies who have chosen to get #BRANDed. You are each amazing: Jennifer Poole, Lori Smith, Katie Anderson, Alyssa Matthews, AnnaMarie Mondro, Eleanor Noach, Nayab Haych, Momo Xiong, Jenn Bernando, Neda Amini, Fran Owen, Danielle LeFave, Margay Justice, Kristy Louise, Melissa Arthur, Danielle Schaaf, Chelsea Cochran, Jennifer Harried, Lana K, Ashley Amsbaugh, Monica Pulliam, Rosemarie McKenzie, Valerie Fink, Jammie Cook, Jennifer Poole, Jacquelyn Lane, Jocelyn Roberts, Roxy Kade, and Fern Curry. Thank you for everything you’ve done, ladies. You’re amazing.

Thank you to the awesome bloggers that read my work and share it. Word of mouth is the best way of spreading the news about a book. I am honored that you take the time out of your days to read my work, and I’m humbled that you love it enough to share it. Thank you.

Thank you to my readers. You are amazing, and you are the sole reasons that I get to do what I do. Thank you for loving my stories and my characters. Thank you.

Author’s Notes

In addition to everyone I mentioned in the Acknowledgements, I need to thank two people who are no longer here to hear it: My grandparents.

Their names are Olen and Helen. I used them in the book as my small tribute to them. They were the wisest, kindest, most amazing two people I’ve ever had the honor of knowing. My grandfather was wise and strong and loyal- and he served in the Army back during WWII. My Grandma was wise and strong and amazing...while the boys were at war, she went into the Cessna plant and built airplanes for them. She told me once, a good riveter could talk, chew gum and spit rivets at the same time.

They taught me many, many wise things. There are too many to share them all, but here are a few:

Money doesn’t buy happiness. It’s very, very true. Money brings different sets of problems. Happiness comes from finding it yourself—within yourself, within your own family, within your own life. If you aren’t happy, change that. You’re the only one who can. Be strong, be healthy, and happiness will follow.

Don’t go to bed angry. And if you are still angry, at least say goodnight to each other….so that you both still know that you’re still ‘in it together’. They were married for a long time, in the happiest marriage I’ve ever seen. I have to believe they knew what they were talking about.

No one is better than you. Someone might have a more important job than you, but no one is better. My grandpa shared that with me once, and I’ve never forgotten it. It’s how I was raised, and it’s how I try and treat everyone now. I’m not better than anyone else, and no one is better than me.

This too shall pass, honey. This was one of my grandma’s favorites. I must’ve heard this a thousand times when I was younger. When something bad would happen and I was beside myself with worry, she’d pat my hand and say, “This too will pass, honey. It always does.” And you know what? She was right. It always does. Today always turns into tomorrow and the problems eventually fade away.

This series has always been about overcoming challenges. There will always be a challenge to face, sometimes small, sometimes large. But it’s those flaws in life that make it interesting. It’s those flaws that heal to make us stronger.

Knowing that, don’t be afraid to live life. Don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to go at it full steam ahead. If you fail, that’s okay. Get back up and try again.

Be strong, be fierce. Love yourself, love others, and allow them to love you back.

Love is the most important thing, more valuable, more powerful and more resilient than any other thing in the world. It will get you through things that nothing else will.

I said it in IF YOU STAY, and I’ll say it again…the most important thing that my grandparents taught me: Love never fails.

Count on it.