“The older generation sat looking at the younger, and Kat wondered exactly when and how the baton had been passed. She wanted to know if it was too late to give it back.”

“She pulled away and looked at him. 'I kissed you and you left.'When Kat heard the pounding, she thought it was the beating of her heart. It was too loud, she thought. Hale was going to hear it; he was going to see it; and he was going to know how much power he had to hurt her.”

“Gabrielle, Hale?" Kat smacked his shoulder. "It wasn't bad enough that you got me kicked out of school, but you had to use her to help you? Gabrielle!" "I can hear you," her cousin sang beside her. Hale looked at Gabrielle and gestured at Kat. "She's adorable when she's jealous." Kat kicked his shin.”

“Hale looked at Macey, who added, "Seven minutes since shots fired.""Kat what's the emergency response tie in Midtown Manhattan?""Not long enough if they want a clean exit," she told him.Macey hadn't heard Kat's words, but she looked at Hale like she'd read his mind.”

“You're late." Kat said as soon as Hale put the phone to his ear. She wasn't the kind of girl to wait for hello."What can I say? Macey McHenry has been throwing herself at me...""See, that's the kind of thing that would make me jealous if she weren't way out of your league.""You know, if I had feelings, that might have hurt them.”

“What?" He cut a grin at Kat when he saw the impressed look on her face. "Corporate espionage is my second greatest passion.'"With your first being..." Kat prompted."Gelato," Hale said, and turned back to the group.”

“Yes, of course. But ... how?"Kat felt her crew around her: Hamish's arm hung around Simon's shoulders; Gabrielle's delicate hands draped through the arms of Angus and Nick. Kat's own hand found Hale's, then, fingers interlacing, palms pressing together so tightly that Kat knew nothing could come between them. Nothing. She looked at him. No one."It's easy," Kat said, "when you don't have to do it alone.”