by Kat Colmer
She fumbles the next bar but recovers. ‘You’re not making this easy.’
‘Why’s that?’ My hands find the hem of her shirt, thumbs stealing across the sliver of her soft stomach.
‘Because your heavy breathing means I can’t hear the song properly.’ Two-two-three-four-five-six.
‘Is that so?’ I suck on her earlobe and—bingo!—she drops a drumstick, turns in my arms and feeds my hunger for her touch.
Cymbal clash lips on mine.
Moonless midnight reaching so damn deep into my soul I gasp at the invasion. It reminds us both that the brain can’t function without the heart.
Acknowledgements
Writing the acknowledgements is an important part of the novel writing process. Yes, the story is the author’s brain child, the characters their babies, but there are so many people involved in the journey from incubation to publication that deserve heartfelt thanks.
I’ll start with Rochelle Manners, publisher and one of the most inspiring business women I know. Thank you for taking a chance on MJ and Luke’s story, and most of all on me.
My ever patient, warm and wise editor, Emily; thank you for lifting this story to another level and making me fall in love with it all over again. You’ve done the unimaginable and made the editorial process enjoyable.
I absolutely adore the cover of this book, so thanks must go to the graphic artistry of my talented cover designer, Carmen.
To Rita G, thank you for your honest feedback on Rosie and the Down syndrome representation in the novel.
Not only is John Larkin a talented author, he is also one of those wonderful people who gives freely and generously. Thank you for all your help and advice and for loving Chemistry enough to call it ‘a brilliant, touching and hilarious romp’.
Thank you to all the fabulous musos and chem experts who helped make sure Luke and MJ played all the right notes and didn’t blown up their story before they made it to the good bits. Left up to me, that could well have happened.
Huge thanks must go to the Boarders. Your fantastic and hilarious stories still have me smiling. I have no doubt many more of them will make it into future books. Thank you for inviting me in and sharing them with me.
As always, I can’t give enough thanks to my beautiful critique partners and writing besties, Heidi and Tamar. Two of the first people to read this novel, they have been cheerleaders for Luke and MJ’s story from the beginning. I simply can’t imagine this writing journey without them.
To Ella See, thanks for all the advice over coffee, the debates over cover fonts and your ongoing support for my writing.
And to David, who said I didn’t need to mention him in this line up. But I do. Because his support is constant and unwavering, and the four-hour drive up the mid-north coast where we nutted out the plot to this novel was fantastic fun.
Finally, you, dear reader. Thank you for picking up this book and allowing me the opportunity to whisk you away from the everyday into a world of my imagining. I hope you’ll allow me to whisk you away into many more story worlds to come.