“I hate seeing you hurt. I'm sorry for hurting you last night. The look on your face speared my icy heart. I wish I could take it all back.”

“Anything can hurt you, Harper. Even things you're supposed to be able to count on can hurt you.""These things you speak of, do they include how we're supposed to rely on mothers and fathers never to die or leave us alone?""Exactly, but that's life, Harper. Nothing is guaranteed.""You're right.""But I can promise you that I would never intentionally hurt you and, although a promise is not a guarantee, it is still a promise and you can ask anyone I know, I'm good on my word.""I don't know why but I believe you.”

“I'm so sorry. He took our home, Callum." I forced her back into my chest. "No! He didn't take my home, Harper! Because my home is right here, in my arms.”

“Jules and I smiled a lot. So much, that I found my cheeks actually hurt when I finally rested my head at the end of the day. I would rub the muscles in them, readying them for their inevitable workout the next day.”

“I-I'm just - I knew you were beautiful, knew it so very well, but it's like I just woke up to the idea. There's something about you now, Soph. You exude something and I can't quite place my finger on it. You practically glow with it. You devastate me," he said, clutching at his heart.”

“I was not staring at you,” he told his plate. I leaned over. “Did you hear that, Dingane’s lunch? He was not staring at you.”He looked up at me crossly. “I was not staring at you.”“I never said you were.” “I was merely explaining that Henry was exaggerating. I did not stare at you.”“Okay,” I stated, implying in my tone that he had done just that.“I didn’t. I-I wasn’t.” “I believe you,” I told him“I may have looked at you a few times to make sure you were doing your job.”“Oh, I see then.”“But I certainly wasn’t staring.”“We’ve established that you were not staring.”He breathed deeply a few times, his eyes burning into mine. “Good.”He’d definitely been staring.”

“The truth is, I'm so deep in love with you, I can't see straight. The truth is, I've been afraid to admit it to myself, let alone you. The truth is, I'm terrified.”