Regretting You (44 page)

Miller looks like he’s about to cry. He paces the room, trying not to look at his grandpa. When he does, his eyes are red, but he’s laughing. “All this time you kept saying I was inheriting
air
. I thought you were just being you.” He walks over to his gramps and hugs him. Then
he pulls back. “And what do you mean you’ve been waiting to die first before telling me about this? Why?”

Gramps shrugs. “I thought it’d be funny. Me getting in one final joke after I’m dead, when you weren’t expecting it.”

Miller rolls his eyes. Then looks at me, smiling. I can tell we’re having the same thought, and nothing makes me happier than knowing we might be in the same city after I graduate next year. At the same school. We might even have some of the same classes.

“You do realize what this means, right?” I ask him.

Miller shrugs.

“The University of Texas? Your school color will be
orange
, Miller.”

He laughs. So does his grandpa. But Miller doesn’t realize the jokes aren’t over. I’m saving one of them for prom.

I bought the perfect dress for our special occasion. It’s the most atrocious shade of orange I could find.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I want to thank you for reading this book. I seem to be unable to stick to one genre, so the fact that you guys support whatever I’m in the mood to write is the thing I cherish most about my career.

I tend to always have a huge list of people to thank with each book, but I think I covered almost everyone I know in the acknowledgments for
Verity
. While I could do that again, I’m going to condense these acknowledgments to focus first on a few people who had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this novel. Kimberly Parker and Tyler Easton, I want to thank you guys for being such an epic example for all parents. The way you both coparent is inspiring and hopeful, and I feel you guys need to be acknowledged. I’d also love to thank Murphy Fennell and Nick Hopkins for the same reason and for being the two best parents my niece could hope for.

Thank you to those who read through this book as I was writing it. Brooke, Murphy, Amber Goleb, Tasara, Talon, Maria, Anjanette, Vannoy, and Lin: I appreciate your honesty and feedback. You all make me want to continue to grow in this career, and that’s why I continue to bombard you with first drafts.

A huge thanks to my agent, Jane Dystel, and the entire team. You guys continue to amaze me with your continued support, knowledge, and encouragement.

Thank you to Anh Schluep and everyone at Montlake Romance. This is our first book together, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the entire Montlake team. I can’t wait to create more stories with you guys!

Thank you to Lindsey Faber for being an absolute delight to work with. I hope I get to keep you forever.

To all of my author friends, readers, bloggers, bookstagrammers, booktubers, industry professionals, and the like. Thank you for being part of this wonderful book world. The creativity inside all of you keeps me inspired.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo © Julien Poupard

Colleen Hoover is the #1
New York Times
bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women’s fiction novel
It Ends with Us
and the bestselling psychological thriller
Verity
. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for
Confess
(2015),
It Ends with Us
(2016), and
Without Merit
(2017).
Confess
was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Visit
www.colleenhoover.com
.