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  Davis was just happy. She’d never imagined she’d be able to stand freely in a room in Columbus with Cole and Vera like this. She leaned over and squeezed Vera’s hand. Cole caught her eye and smiled, pulling her close.

  “Little Hope,” he whispered to the baby, just loud enough for Davis to hear. “You’ll heal us all.”

  He was right, Davis realized, her heart filling at the sight of her best friend and the little baby that had brought them back together. Hope was a harbinger for a new kind of Columbus, a city centered on peace. She wrapped her arms around Cole, staring at the baby’s bright blue eyes and tiny, shell-shaped lips.

  Hope was perfect.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I would like to thank the entire team at St. Martin’s Press—in particular Jen Weis and Sylvan Creekmore (tireless, dedicated, and all-around wonderful)—for their efforts at making this book special both in content and design. As always, I owe a big thanks to Lexa Hillyer, Laura Schechter, Angela Velez, Tara Sonin, and the talented Alexa Wejko of Paper Lantern Lit. I am tremendously grateful for your perpetual support.