Page 132 of So Wild

She sounded bright but Sam knew she was trying not to cry. Toby went to her side and after some hesitation put an arm around her and held her as she sobbed. Trusting she was in good hands, Sam held the brooch to Nicole. “I think this is for you.”

Her twin examined the pin and with shaking fingers pinned it to the front of her dress. She cast a sidelong look at Noah and then slipped away, returning to the party, or most likely her bedroom. That was fine, Sam realised. She needed some space. She’d be back when she was ready.

“What’s the thing that’s left,” Scott said, his arm sliding around her waist.

Sam plucked up the piece of blue rubber and then laughed out loud.

“What? What is it?”

She looked at him, a painful tenderness scratching at her insides in the best possible way, like the kiss of a tattoo needle inside her soul. “It’s a water balloon.”

“Bloody hell,” Scott said, because he was the love of her life. “That is a sign of good things to come, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” she said, kissing his cheek. “It is.”

The End

Acknowledgements

Fuck me, this was a hard one. Not the story, I came up with the idea for So Wild ages ago and I knew it was a book I had to write. It’s just that writing it was one of the hardest experiences of my authorial life (phrase I invented, roll with it.)

This has just been a big year for me in that way that you’re aware of as its happening. My heart changed. I’m not the girl, or the writer, I was when I started out three years ago. That’s a good and inevitable thing, but accepting change is as hard for me as it is for every other human on this wonderful, shitful marble we call earth. Many highs and lows have been poured into the pages of this book and I’m glad it’s over, even as I miss writing about Sam and Scott. I hope you enjoy So Wild as a whole and lovely thing.

Thank you to Jessica Cale, a completely sick editor and friend, who manages to present cutting insights in a way that doesn’t lead to me weeping into a bucket of chicken. What a skill!

Thank you to Qween Koleson, who line edits like a fucking boss and leaves fun comments that make me smile just when I’m about to flip my desk over. Fuck Oxford commas forever.

Thank you to Timothy Jame who sent me baby pig GIFs, forced me to go out for brunch when I got square eyes and generally being a Caramello center of a person.

Thank you to Skye Warren and Tessa Bailey, who give amazing feedback/assistance whenever I ask for it because they’re fucking amazing people and so nice it hurts. Love you, both.

Thank you to my girls. You make me laugh, you lift me up, you make me sad for those chicks who say they can’t be friends with women because they’re too bitchy. As Tabby would say ‘get woke, cunt.’

Thank you to Hbomberguy, Contrapoints and Internet Comment Etiquette whose YouTube videos kept me laughing during my breaks.

Thank you to sugar-free cans of Mother—wait did I say thanks? I mean fuck off. You’re trash. You don’t even have the decency to be Diet Dr. Pepper. When my kids all have gills I will blame you.

A final thank you to my sister. My beating heart. My life began when you did <3

About Eve Dangerfield

Eve Dangerfield has loved romance novels since she first started swiping her grandmother’s paperbacks. Now she writes her own tales about complex women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Eve currently lives in Melbourne with her boy. When she’s not writing she can usually be found juggling a beer, her phone and a lipstick. Not literally, she’s notoriously bad at juggling. You can find more details and sign up for her cheerfully bonkers newsletter at www.evedangerfield.com

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