Love and Gravity

by Samantha Sotto

  Andrea’s final note filled every corner of the auditorium. The audience breathed it in and kept it in their chests, reluctant to let it go. Those who could no longer hold their breath released Andrea’s song with a sigh. Some quickly wiped away tears; some let them fall.

  Andrea stood up and took a bow. Applause roared around her. The loudest came from a tall blond man in the front row who managed to clap while balancing a girl with auburn curls on his shoulders and carrying her little brother in the crook of his arm. Andrea blew a kiss to her family, committing every detail of the evening to the journal in her mind. She filled an entire page with the love that lit Nate’s eyes. She was good at remembering things that made her smile.

  For Oma and Opa

  Acknowledgments

  Oma. Opa. Sibling units. Grandma. Capitol Folks. Rez. PV. Pinky. Dino. Cathy. Johnny. Tina. Jebot. Rochelle. Fino. Mutya. Jinggoy. Kris. Jake. Pierra. Toto. Elay. Tennant. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being there for me through all the ups and downs of this adventure.

  Steph, where do I begin? Thank you for being the most patient and persistent person I know. Thank you for never losing faith in me and this book. You are a rock star.

  Shauna, thank you for taking a chance on this little story and making it shine. You’ve taught me so much, and I will forever be grateful.

  A huge thank-you to the wonderful team at Ballantine who helped bring this book to life.

  Nico and Cai, thank you for putting up with your mother’s special brand of crazy. Cai, thank you for lending Andrea your name and teaching me about rosin, bowing, and tuning strings. Nico, thank you for giving me a window into the mind of a thirteen-year-old boy. Nate and Isaac are forever grateful too. I love you, bubbaboos.

  And, finally, to my gravity, the man I am blessed to wake up next to every morning: Thank you for the calculus and wormhole tutorials, tireless back rubs, the home-cooked gourmet meals, and the depthless love, that kept me sane, happy, and fed throughout this amazing journey. You keep me standing even when the world shakes beneath my feet.

  Ad majorem Dei gloriam.

  By Samantha Sotto

  Love and Gravity

  Before and Ever After

  PHOTO: © TOTO LABRADOR

  SAMANTHA SOTTO was born in Manila, Philippines. She fell in love with Europe’s crumbling manors and history when she moved to the Netherlands as a teenager and studied marketing at the Leiden campus of Webster University. She later returned to the Philippines and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Ateneo de Manila University. She went on to pursue an almost decadelong career in brand management. Her fascination with Europe never faded, prompting pilgrimages during various states of her bank account’s health. She has spent the night huddled next to her backpack on a Greek beach, honeymooned in Paris, pub-crawled through London, and attended business meetings in Düsseldorf in the pleasant company of a corporate credit card.

  Love and Gravity was inspired by all the “What if?” questions lurking in every corner of Europe’s cobbled streets and her not-so-secret aspiration to be Dr. Who’s next traveling companion. It is her second novel. She lives with her husband and two children, and Tennant, the world’s most adorable golden retriever, in Manila.

  samanthasotto.com

  Facebook.com/​samanthasotto

  @samanthasotto

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