“At that moment I didn't particularly care if a band of raging marauders tried to do her in,but if there were frequent attacks on her "castle," I thought I should know.”

“Abby was lying weak and sick in my arms, depending on me to take care of her. In that moment I recognized that my feelings for her were a lot stronger than I thought. Sometime between the moment we met, and holding her on that bathroom floor, I had fallen in love with her.”

“If I had cared about her as I should have, as I thought I did, how could I have let her go?”

“Her words at the party replayed in my mind.If we were in another life, I could love you.Abby was lying weak and sick in my arms, depending on me to take care of her. Inthat moment I recognized that my feelings for her were a lot stronger than I thought. Sometime betweenthe moment we met, and holding her on that bathroom floor, I had fallen in love with her.”

“I thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn't breathe. I didn't know much, but I did know the rules about owning a dick. Rule number one: It should never bleed. Rule number two: There was no rule number two. IT SHOULD NEVER BLEED.”

“How had I become middle-aged while the ravages of time ignored her? I didn't know and didn't care, and before I could stop them, the words were already out. "You're beautiful," I murmured.”