“It's nice to meet you." Kylie plastered a warm expression on her face. But she worried he could tell it was a sham."The pleasure is all mine," he said.Kylie just smiled. He was completely right about that.”

“Could she learn to like this guy?"“It's nice to meet you." Kylie plastered a warm expression on her face. But she worried he could tell it was a sham."The pleasure is all mine," he said.Kylie just smiled. He was completely right about that.”

“She smiled for the first time, and he almost had to look away, as if something that nice didn’t belong in such a glum and gray place, as if he had no right to look at her expression.”

“Jay glanced up at Violet, and there was something about the expression on his face that made her pause. He gave her a look that told her, without saying a single word, that he wasn’t at all happy about what she’d done, and that he had plenty to say to her once he got her alone.And there was something else.It happened just as he was turning his head back toward her father: Violet could have sworn—and she would have bet money on it—that she saw Jay smile. Just a little one . . . almost unnoticeable, maybe completely imperceptible to anyone but her. She was sure that her dad had missed it entirely, as he continued his discussion without taking a breath.”

“Kylie bit down on her lip. Burnett took a step forward. He squared his shoulders, empathy filling his eyes. He took a deep, apparent heartfelt breath and looked at Kylie. She nodded at him as if giving him the lead. He looked back at Holiday and, in a deep voice, said, "Kylie has something to tell you."Kylie's mouth fell open and right then she knew it was official. Men sucked at verbal communication especially where anything emotional was concerned.”

“Don't worry about having the right words; worry more about having the right heart. It's not eloquence he seeks, just honesty.”