“Charlotte didn't just shake my world. She created an earthquake that had irrevocably changed the landscape of my life.”

“So what now?" he said. "What do you mean?""What do we do now? We can't just be roommates.""You said you didn't like me.""I don't like you. I don't like how your hair smells, and how I can't stop thinking about waking up and seeing your face. I hate how my bed felt empty when you left. I don't like how good you were with my family, especially Harper, and how I wanted to see you with then again, but not just as a guest. As a member. You're right. I don't like you at all.""When did you change your mind?""My mind never changed. I've wanted you since the moment you opened the door and had that stunned look on your face. It just took me a while to admit it. Why deny it now? It is what it is and it's not going to change.""Oh.""This doesn't mean I'm going to be nice. I'm still going to be an ass. I'll just be an ass who apologizes and brings you flowers to say he's been a dick.""Chocolate," I said. "What?""I'd rather have chocolate when you apologize.""Chocolate it is." He smiled. "So does that mean what I think it means?""No. It just means that you get to bring me chocolate when you've been an ass. I'm going to weigh three hundred pounds." I focused my attention back on the peppers. I couldn't think about Hunter's declaration of... whatever it was. Footsteps didn't make me look up. "Taylor, look at me. Please." Damn. If only he didn't say please. "I can't promise to not make you mad. I can't promise that I won't hurt you. All I can promise is that I want you in my life, and I'll do anything to keep you there.”

“You're not just doing that to impress her, are you?""Everything I do is to impress her. It's my mission in life," he said with a completely serious face, while he squeezed my knee under the table. Mom burst out laughing. "I like him," she said."Me too. I think I'll keep him," I said, taking his hand and twisting my fingers with his. "Good," he said, giving my hand a squeeze.”

“You can stay on the porch. Like how you left me on the floor outside our room.""I didn't know what else to do. You found the check, and I panicked.""That isn't an excuse.""I know. And I'm not saying that this is going to make up for it. I'm going to try, really try, to make you trust me again. I want you to trust me. I just... I couldn't sleep last night without you. It was the strangest thing, being in the room alone without you. I couldn't hear you breathing, and your laughter was gone and you were gone, and it was like a part of my life was missing. A big part. I tripped going to the bathroom and banged my head. See?" He pointed to a lovely gash on his forehead."And then I burned my hand on the toaster oven. And then my car wouldn't start. Again. I've never had such bad luck in my life.”

“It was time for me to take charge and live my life instead of letting something that had happened to me lead it for me. So many people had told me the same thing, hundreds of times. It was something I had to learn for myself.”

“I had to leave my debit card at home when I went into a bookstore or else I would drain my account.”

“I'll go anywhere and do anything with you. You're my home. My family.''I love you,' she said, kissing me once.We fell asleep, still in our clothes, her head on my heart.”