The Love Wager by Lynn Painter

            “You’re taking me back to Vail?” It looked like he’d made reservations for the same room they’d been in the first time, only this time they were getting there by train. “For seven nights?”

            “Ten-day trip total.” He glanced over, put his hand on her knee, and said, “It was the best vacation I’ve ever been on, except for the whole terrified-of-blowing-my-cover-and-losing-my-best-friend stress. So how about we go back without all the worry and family and ex-boyfriend?”

            “This is the very best present ever!” she squealed, clasping all the paperwork to her chest with one hand and putting her other hand over his. “Thank you, Jack.”

            That’s only part of the present, he thought, picturing the ring box in his closet as she teasingly rained kisses over his face while he drove. He knew it was probably too soon, but he also couldn’t stop himself. Hallie was everything he’d never known he wanted, and it seemed unwise for him to drag his feet when his forever girl was right there in front of him.

            “You’re welcome,” he said, watching the neighborhood Christmas lights rush by as he drove.

            “You have to wait until Christmas morning,” Hallie said, turning up the Michael Bublé song playing on the radio, “for your best present ever.”

            And it occurred to him, when he woke up under the Christmas tree the next morning with Hallie’s cat sitting on his neck and her knee in his back, that he already had it.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


            Thank YOU, reader of this book, for reading this book! You are a part of my dream come true and I’m forever grateful. Seriously. I don’t want to sound like a creep, but I love you, man.

            Thank you to Kim Lionetti, for putting up with my exclamation point–laden emails and for being a genuinely great human whom I adore. You are more than I knew I needed in an agent and I’m so lucky to have you.

            Angela Kim—your title should be Super Editor, or perhaps something like Vice President of Awesome Editing. (You’re good enough to be president, but who wants that job, right?) I love working with you and am thrilled that the party isn’t over.

            The whole Berkley team, honestly, but especially Bridget O’Toole, Chelsea Pascoe, and Hannah Engler; thank you so much for working so damn hard. And Nathan Burton—I love your covers so much. Please never say no to us because I will cry big, fat tears of sadness (and I’m an ugly crier).

            Thank you so much to Bookstagram and BookTok. You are incredible creators, doing amazing work in the name of books, and we don’t deserve you. Special thanks to Hailie Barber, Haley Pham, and Larissa Cambusano for being especially kind to my little babies.

            And THE BERKLETES. I adore you all so much, and I can’t quite believe I get to call you my friends. Please don’t ever kick me out of your club.

            Random human beings who make me happy: Lori Anderjaska, Anderson Raccoon Jones, Cleo, @lizwesnation, Caryn, Carla, Aliza, Chaitanya; messages from you make my days brighter. Thank you for being you.

            Also—my favorite Minnesota relatives, the Kirchners: I just felt like I should mention you here because we had a blast visiting you, we love you, and I swear we didn’t mean to bring you COVID.

            And the family [Alexa, play “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge]:

            Thank you, Mom, for everything. Without you, none of this would’ve happened for me. I love you more than you’ll ever know.

            Dad—I miss you every day.

            MaryLee—you truly are the NICEST person in the world, the Good Sister, and I can’t wait for our next road trip.

            Cass, Ty, Matt, Joey, and Kate—remember that time I half-listened to you while working on my laptop? Yeah, I’m sorry. For all those times. But I’m sure you got away with a lot when I was handing out “uh-huhs” willy-nilly, so we’re good, right? You are my favorite people and I tell everyone we’re best friends.

            And lastly, Kevin. I dedicated this book to you, so I feel like I don’t really have to add anything more, do I? I mean, I like the way you’re happiest when you’re reading books outside. I like the way you tell me to drive defensively and watch out for inattentive drivers EVERY TIME I leave the house. I like the way you don’t seem to mind that I suck at homemaker-ing. I think I like every little thing about you. Thanks for being cool.