It Had to Be You, Georgia Clark [phonics reader TXT] 📗

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Liv said. “But I’m really glad you had an affair with my husband.”

Savannah blushed. “I’m glad it brought us together.”

She locked eyes with Sophie, unable to stop smiling. They’d met online a few months ago. Sophie was goofy and sweet and made Savannah laugh more than anyone else in the world. Liv and Sam had dinner with the couple, and Savannah’s mom and dad, when they were in town a few weeks ago. The six of them ate at a new spot in Bushwick, co-run by a good friend of Savannah’s and Sam’s. They were lucky to get a table: Honey’s Fried Chicken was currently the hottest fried chicken spot in New York City. At the end of an indulgent dinner that even the Kentuckians deemed fantastic, Honey came by the table. The light in her eyes was explained by the fact she was in love. A food writer, Natasha, who, it turned out, fell for more than just the Southern comfort food. They’d recently gotten engaged.

“Guess it all worked out for the best,” Honey said to Savannah, and Liv thought, Ahhh, putting the pieces together.

“You changed my life,” said Savannah to her now.

Liv smiled back broadly. “You changed mine, too.”

The two women hugged, holding each other close. Then Liv squeezed Savannah’s arms. “All right. Go back to your lady.”

Savannah’s lips curved up. It took Liv a moment to realize why she looked so pretty. Savannah Shipley wasn’t wearing a scrap of makeup.

Sam stepped in. “May I have this dance?”

“Hello, husband,” she said, accepting his hand.

“Hello, wife,” he replied. “Ooh. I like the sound of that.”

“Me too.” She settled into his arms. “Well, we did it. We got married.”

“And it’s the first day of the rest of our lives.”

“I don’t know about that,” Liv said with a smile. “I think we’re already living our lives. We just get to do it together.”

“That sounds pretty good to me.” He spun her around slowly, her bare feet twisting in the soft grass. “Wanna know the best part?”

“What’s that?”

Sam kissed her. He tasted like whiskey and buttercream. “We’re already home.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

If you’re reading this, you’ve either finished this story and are feeling all the feels, or you’re skimming these words in a bookstore, because the acknowledgments are a window into a writer’s inner world, and you’re curious. Either way, hello!

This novel was truly a team effort. It felt akin to planning my own wedding, which I was actually doing over a fair portion of the writing of this book. Both required orchestrating an ambitious, exciting event that was a meaningful celebration of true love, and a lot of drinking.

There are very few people for whom I would throw out a year’s work and start again, but my agent, Allison Hunter, is one of those people. On her advice, I deleted the twenty-five-thousand-word sample we sold this novel off, and started from scratch. I’m so glad I did. Allison, thank you for pushing me to do what it takes and for your belief in me: it truly means the world.

Sarah Cypher of the Threepenny Editor, you’re so much more than my freelance editor, you’re my writing teacher. I’ve worked with Sarah on four novels now: her insights are transformational and, honestly, astounding. Sarah, I’m getting my MFA by working with you, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Emily Bestler, my editor at Simon & Schuster and an all-around publishing legend, thank you for your unwavering support of my work. I’m so thrilled to have had three novels published by the fabulous Emily Bestler Books. Thanks to Lara Jones, Megan Rudloff, Isabel DaSilva, Sonja Singleton, and everyone at Simon & Schuster.

Cheers to my enthusiastic screen agents at UTA, Addison Duffy and Jason Richman. I am positively visualizing a kickass film or show based on this book: let’s make it happen!

I engaged the hearts and minds of a lot more early readers than I usually work with in an effort to create a collective vision of modern love and romance. It was nerve-racking to share the raw, first draft with so many readers (some I didn’t even know, who responded to a callout in my newsletter), but their honest feedback was invaluable. Thank you to Danielle Brennan, Lisa Daniels, Natalie Edwards, Melissa Epifano, Emily Klein, Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Jen McManus, Kari Schouveller, and my old Showtime pal, Adam Waring. Extra-special thanks to the vivacious Megan Reid.

I love learning things from my friends and people I cold-email. This novel was brought to you by:

Amy Shack Egan, and her team at New York wedding planners, Modern Rebel: Amy answered all my questions about wedding planning and even let me moonlight as an assistant for one of their events, to get a behind-the-scenes peek. Wedding planners Meredith Falk, Emily Love, and Madison Sanders also provided crucial insight in the manuscript’s early stages, all of whom I was connected to by wedding photographer Alea Lovely, who I met in an Uber Pool and let me take her out for lunch.

Keisha Zollar, Clare Mao, and Hala Maroc helped me illuminate the stories of young women of color. I truly could not have brought Darlene and Zia to life without you three; thank you for being such generous guides.

Jill Lamoureux, my wife’s college roommate and lead singer of the band Scavenger Hunt: thank you for helping me make Darlene and Zach real musicians. You are very cool.

The fantastic Mr. Dan Fox, one of my best friends in the whole world: cheers for giving this book the Jew Thumbs-Up. And for always being one of my biggest fans (the feeling is mutual).

My lawyer, Sam Mazzeo, gave counsel on legal aspects. Jocelyn Brewer advised on mental health. Richard Cooke helped with Awful Charles. Neil Collier, my good friend Ally’s dad, does all the medical stuff. I’ve sent this man some pretty weird emails, and he never flinches.

I worked on this novel at the peaceful Spruceton Inn Artist Residency in 2018 and