“It was amazing,” Griffin said as he lazily stroked Justine’s back. “Spencer nailed the ring-bearer delivery. The food was great, the band was non-fucking-stop. Oh my God, and your mom!” He laughed. “She had some moves on the dance floor.”
Justine grinned. “Once she figured out Luis could dance she wouldn’t leave him alone! Poor Sienna.”
“I don’t think she minded sitting out. She’s huge now.”
Sienna and Luis had progressed from courting to forever at warp speed, and they were expecting their firstborn any day. In typical Sienna fashion, they were waiting for the right moon phase after the baby was born to hold their wedding in a field in Rexford.
Justine stared into Griffin’s eyes. “I’m so freaking excited. Can we leave? Is it time to go yet?”
“We’ve got no choice—that Airstream is going to get towed if we don’t.”
Griffin had called in a few favors with their new neighbors in the brick warehouse with the curved windows and star medallions, getting them to move their cars so he could park the rented Airstream outside until they were ready to leave for their honeymoon. It was going to be a family affair, with the five of them cramming into it and traveling across country for two weeks, making stops to visit friends and family along the way.
“I wish we could take a month off.” She pouted.
“I feel lucky we got any time off. Especially Spencer. He’s busier than both of us.”
The matter-of-fact call from The Eighteenth show scheduler weeks after Spencer had his last day on set had caught Justine off guard. It seemed that no one wanted to cop to the mistake of attempting to kill Spencer off on the show, so they acted almost as if it hadn’t happened. The scheduler gave her a brief overview of the new script direction and a request that Justine and Spencer consider coming back.
It wasn’t even a question.
Justine wrapped the top blanket around her and got out of bed. Eunice stopped trying to tear off Spencer’s wedding bow tie, and Willa woke from her deep sleep to stare at her. They all seemed to know that wherever Justine went, fun followed.
“Get out of bed, Mr. McCabe,” she said. “It’s time to start our forever. I’m ready.”
“I don’t know, Mrs. McCabe,” he replied as his eyes trailed up and down her body lazily. He unleashed the dimples. “I think our forever can wait a little while longer.”
He reached beside the bed to grab one of the millions of dog toys strewn around the loft, then tossed it down the hallway, causing Spencer and Eunice to jump down and tear after it. Then he crawled across the bed, letting the sheet drift off his body, and grabbed the edge of the blanket wrapped around Justine. He gave it a tug and she fell into the bed on top of him, laughing and shrieking.
“You will always be my favorite adventure,” Justine whispered to Griffin as he kissed her on the nose.
acknowledgments
Knock wood, I rarely suffer from writer’s block, but the one exercise where it always hits me?
Acknowledgments.
I want my thanks to be sufficiently appreciative of the love and support around me (and maybe a little bit funny too), but nothing I write feels like enough. I stare at the blank page and get stressed out as the deadline I promised to make slips by. (A week late on this one. Whoops!)
So let’s just pretend I’ve written an eloquent opening paragraph about the writer’s process and dive right in!
Endless thanks to my agent, Kevan Lyon, for her ability to navigate my fragile artistic temperament like a therapist. You are my rock! Kate Seaver, my amazing editor, thank you for the epic brainstorming sessions and for bringing clarity to my writing. Your superpower is making sense of the jumble I submit.
My publicity and marketing dream team, Bridget O’Toole, Tara O’Connor, and Dache’ Rogers, astound me with their creativity—thank you for being nonstop. And Mary Geren, thanks for always answering my ridiculous questions with kindness. I’m truly honored to be part of the Berkley family.
I have so much love for my everyday crew, the women who lift me up and inspire me in equal measure. First and foremost, my sister Jessica . . . I still want to be just like you! Jennifer Buckley (thirty years and counting!), Nerice Kendter, Heidi Bencsik, your support is everything. Helen Little, Jenni Walsh, and Suzanne Baltzar, my Pale Mimosa crew, we’ll be back to our in-person four-hour brunches soon. And Linda Facci, thanks for providing the crafty inspiration for a very special character in Lost, Found, and Forever!
Hey, bookstagrammers? I want you to know that you’re incredible. Thank you for everything that you do to shine a light on the authors you love. I’ve been lucky enough to be on the receiving end and let me tell you, it’s the absolute best feeling. I’m humbled by your support.
Big thanks to my wonderful in-laws, John and Mary B., for being my cheerleaders and preorder pros. It’s good to have St. Francis on my side!
Lifetime, hall of fame-level thanks to my parents, who wrote the book on being supportive. I love you both so much!
And even though his name doesn’t appear on the cover, my husband, Tom, is my secret cowriter. You are my forever brainstorming partner, and my forever Fav.
READERS GUIDE
lost, found, and forever
VICTORIA SCHADE
Questions for Discussion
One of the central issues in Lost, Found, and Forever is defining the boundaries of pet ownership. Is it based on length of time, the strength of the bond, or the ability to care for the animal? How would you define “ownership” based on your relationship with your current pet?
If you were in the same situation as Justine and discovered the person who used to own your pet on social media, would you reach out to them?
Justine worries that Spencer loves Griffin more than her. Does your pet play favorites in your household, and if so, why do you think that is?
Justine lives in a quaint town but doesn’t feel at home there. Why do you think Justine chafes at some of the aspects of small-town life that many people appreciate?
Do you think Griffin’s offer to let Justine use the apartment was purely altruistic, or did he have an ulterior motive?
Justine’s work on The Eighteenth exposes her to a new world where she’s completely out of her element. Have you ever taken a similar huge leap of faith?
How do you think Justine’s frightening incident on the trail impacted her? Do you think she dealt with it properly?
Justine, Sienna, and Ruth are all at different life stages, yet they share a close friendship. What do you think bonds them to one another?
Sienna uses mysticism to make decisions and attempts to use it to guide those around her. Do you believe in tarot cards and horoscopes? Does mysticism influence your decision-making process?
What obstacles do Justine and Griffin face on the road to their happily ever after? Do they share any similarities, or are they true opposites?
Author photo by Jeff Reeder
Victoria Schade is a dog trainer and speaker who serves as a dog resource for the media and has worked both in front of and behind the camera on Animal Planet, as a cohost on the program Faithful Friends, and as a trainer and wrangler on the channel’s popular Puppy Bowl specials. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, her dogs, Millie and Olive, and the occasional foster pup.
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Lost, Found, and Forever Page 28