The One Thing (36 page)

When the song ended, the last note of “November” hung suspended in the air over the stadium. Without the weight of it pressing down on me, so massive and so eternal, I was sure I
would’ve soared up, away from this world. As the music faded there was only silence, working its way around me like a corkscrew. I stood there for a moment, just shifting on my feet.

And then it got loud.

The crowd erupted around us, screaming and stomping and hooting. I was shocked, startled, unsure of what to do.

But then it happened.

I heard Mom’s enthusiastic voice in my ear, felt her arms wrap around me, felt her face, wet with tears, pressing into mine. It was the victory hug that I’d long been waiting for. It
wasn’t at all like I’d pictured it all these years. Not even close. It was better.

F
air warning: these acknowledgments will be inadequate. Thanking everyone who has helped bring this book to the shelves would be nearly impossible, so please
consider the following paragraphs just the frosting on the one-bite cupcake.

First and foremost, endless thanks to my family. To my parents, Janet and Merle, and my sister, Cari, I cannot thank you enough for your infinite support and encouragement. Your unremitting love
is one of the biggest reasons you hold this book in your hands, and I will never, ever be able to repay that sort of debt. To my oldest son, Talon, I’m eternally grateful for your kindness
and tolerance, for keeping me grounded through this entire process; and to my youngest son, Blaise, thank you for your bottomless enthusiasm, for taking it upon yourself to be my second publicist,
my biggest promoter, my greatest advocate. I’m a better person because of you two boys. You are, and always will be, my greatest accomplishment. And lastly, to Paul, my husband and best
friend. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for riding out both my celebrations and my tears. Thank you for letting each and every one of my days begin and end with you. Thank you, thank you,
thank you. I am so very lucky to have you in my life.

I also owe tremendous gratitude to the Hyperion team. To my remarkable editor, Laura Schreiber, I cannot thank you enough for your wisdom, sense of humor, and love of my characters. You’ve
pushed me far beyond what I thought I could do, something for which I will be eternally grateful. Your brilliance can be found hiding behind every sentence, every paragraph, every word. And to
Emily Meehan, Kate Hurley, Whitney Manger, and the rest of the Hyperion team—some of whom I know by name, and some I will never know—I’m forever indebted to you for your support,
devotion, and earnestness. I’ve been so fortunate to work with such a passionate group of people.

My undying appreciation goes to Kathleen Rushall, for being the most enthusiastic and dedicated agent on the planet. Thank you for your belief and patience in me, for your lightning-fast answers
to my e-mails, for making every part of this journey a celebration, and for gently and persistently guiding me along. I trust you clear to the Milky Way. And also, speaking of agents, huge thanks
as well to my foreign agent, Taryn Fagerness, for your diligence and commitment to my work. Because of you, my story has been shot out of a cannon to reach farther than I ever dreamed possible.

A massive shout-out to the amazing people the publishing world has brought into my life. To my critique partners: Lindsay Currie, Karen Rock, and Courtney Barrett, endless gratitude for your
moral support, laser eyes, and never-ending exuberance; and to Lola Sharp, there aren’t enough thanks for your hilariously inappropriate texts and e-mails, your ingenious insight, and your
optimism. You’ve been my life raft time and time again, and I owe you an Everest’s worth of cheese. Lastly, huge thank-yous to the insanely talented Team KRush, the agents and writers
associated with MLLA, the Fearless Fifteeners, the Diversity League, and the Fall Fifteeners. You all have inspired and amazed me time and time again. I’m eternally indebted to you for the
advice and encouragement you’ve given me. You are all gods and goddesses.

Buckets of thanks to my extended family and friends, all of whom have championed and cheered me on throughout this entire process. There are too many of you to name here, but please know that
you mean the world to me. The friendships in this story were derived from you. I’m so very blessed to have had that sort of love in my life.

I’m infinitely grateful to the librarians, bloggers, booksellers, and teachers who have advocated this book. You’ve spread your enthusiasm with heart, excitement, and charm. Your
kind words and support have amazed and humbled me beyond measure.

And lastly, I’m most appreciative to you, dear reader, for opening your heart to my story. I’m so very honored to have been invited into your life, if only for a little while.

Marci Lyn Curtis
grew up in Northern California, where she went to college and met an amazing guy in a military uniform. Two college-aged kids and one dachshund later, she
lives in Maryland, where she laughs too loudly and eats peanut butter off spoons.
The One Thing
is her first novel. Say hi to her on her website,
Marcilyncurtis.com
, or on Twitter at
@Marci_Curtis
.