“Haden flashed me a grin. “You ever been stumping?”“Er … I don’t even know what that is.”“It involves muddy logging roads, four-wheel drive, and holding on to the ‘oh, shit’ handle above your door.”

“He grabbed the holy shit handle above his door and held on tight.”

“I left you sweet and smiling in this goddamed bed and I don’t see you or hear your voice for four days? Then I walk into your office and you give me attitude and tell me to kiss your ass because you’re in a pissy mood about some shit you refuse to share? No. You gotta know, darlin’, that shit don’t play with me.”

“Do you think it’s easy for me? No, I don’t remember you. I don’t remember holding you or talking to you or falling in love with you—but I walk around with a giant hole in my heart all the time. I feel your absence every second of the day. It aches and nothing soothes it. Losing you is bad enough, but I don’t even get the comfort of remembering that I had you once.-Haden”

“I know what I want, Reed, and if you can’t give it to me…you’re shit out of luck. After what I’ve been through, I don’t care what you think you can do to me.”

“There's nothing I can do that's going to drive you away, is there?" I murmured.Owen flashed me a sly grin. "Finally figuring that out, are you?I nodded.His grin deepened. "Well, it sure took you long enough.”