by Cecilia Lyra
My teachers, for dedicating your lives to the most important work in the world.
The CBC online novel-writing course, particularly Lisa O’Donnell for being a phenomenal author and the world’s best writing instructor, and my peers Edward Hamlin, Jane Harper, Zoe Lea, Fiona Armstrong, Clare Maddox, Alison Bird, Emma Wilkes, Jessica, Kevin Smith, Rhian Jones, Sophie Neville, Dennis Bailey, and Adrian Casey.
The formidable authors whose spellbinding works keep me up at night. It was my love of reading that made me want to be an author, and for that I will forever be in your debt.
Every single reader who picked up this book and traveled to Montauk with Cassie and Julie: if authors are storytellers, then readers are storykeepers; thank you for keeping my story. I am truly honored.
Those who dedicate their lives to books: teachers, librarians, reviewers, bookstagrammers, book bloggers, book club founders and hosts, you are the whisperers of magic.
The beautiful Montauk, and its fiercely loyal residents: I am sorry for any mistake I made or liberty I took in the making of this novel. My imagination is often impertinent, and my memory can be fallible, but my love is always true.
My incredible friends: I am lucky to have too many to name, but special thanks to those who helped me through this journey, especially Clarisse Hughes, for beta reading an early draft of this novel and for patiently answering my incessant texts at inappropriate hours up until the very end; Julie Marquis, whose breathtaking beauty and grace was the physical inspiration for Julie and who generously answered my questions on all things française; Shelby Waters, whose talent for hair is rivaled only by her sensitivity with hearts; Kim Noble, for never letting me give up; D.S. for sharing your experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder; and M.T. for answering my never-ending questions about couples counseling with diligence and compassion.
My Wine Club family: thank you for the champagne-infused evenings, laugh-out-loud texts, and lake-side adventures. Special thanks to Kailey and Sarah D., whose belief in me was a continuous source of comfort and courage, and to Colleen for making Nicholas and Charlotte, and for being the kind of friend whose name I call out when I don’t know what to do. Thank you to Gary and Lois for the wise words.
My wonderful family: Chris and Rapha, for making my childhood sweeter; Aunt Claudia, for being unfailingly gentle and kind; my mother-in-law, Ana, for being my confidant and cheerleader, and for raising the most amazing man in the world; my brother-in-law, Rafael, for beta reading an early draft of this novel and for our leisurely Baba walks; my goddaughter, Chloe, for being equal parts fearless and compassionate; Cynthia, for loving me as I am; my godson, Dudu, my Leib Moshe, for his infectious smile; and Mari, for making us a family.
My grandmother, who is proof that a hard life does not equal a hard heart: thank you for your quiet strength and generous spirit. Thank you for seeing me. I really do hope you are in a magical land with unlimited marrons glacés and port wine.
My dad, whose epic imagination taught me to love stories, and who never said “no” to buying me a single book as a child, often resulting in me purchasing entire bookshelves. Whenever I write, you are with me.
My mom, for late-night incantations, morning octopus kisses, and for being stronger than all of the monsters under my bed. Thank you for giving me, as you put it, the greatest gift in the world: a sister.
Anna, for giving me the privilege of being your sister. Thank you for building a world with me. Thank you for being my first reader. Most of all, thank you for being my Baby Dino.
Babaganoush, who cannot read, but who was with me, often on my lap, as I wrote every word in this book. Thank you for being my forever baby.
Most of all, my husband, Bruno, without whom this book would not exist. Thank you for being everything I always dreamed of and never thought existed. My life begins and ends with you. You are my story. Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.
Published by Bookouture in 2020
An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Cecilia Lyra, 2020
Cecilia Lyra has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-83888-801-5
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.