“...but destiny had a number of tricks up her sleeve, didn't she, both joyful and tragic?”

“She let her mind drift, thinking about new lingerie designs, wishing she'd brought along her sketchpad. Inspiration could strike at the most inconvenient times--in the shower, in the car, on this road--but she was grateful it was with her again, an old companion with whom she was getting reacquainted, pleased to find they could take up where they'd left off, as if there'd been no estrangement at all.”

“So you're a reader of books - and people?”

“It was Delaney's image that was present in her mind,waking or sleeping.It was Delaney's touch for which she yearned,the sound of his voice she desired to hear.It was Delaney she wanted close to her.It was Delaney,the other part of herself,the imtimate core of her,whom she missed to the point of pain”

“You're an asshole, you know that?' I asked him. It figured he would pick today to be funny and personable, but I wasn't in the mood.He smiled. 'I know. I work really hard at it.”

“Love means giving yourself to the person you love,being willing to sacrifice everything,even your pride”

“When I saw you at the graveyard, looking so white, I knew something was wrong. I knew it."Azalea stared at him, the fire flickering highlights in his eyes."So...I thought I should do something," he finished lamely."You saw everything?"Mr. Bradford gave a half of a crooked smile. "I did knock.""You didn't see Mr...Mr.-""Mr. Keeper?" Mr. Bradford spat the name. "Oh yes, I saw Mr. Keeper. Rather hard not to. I saw him try to kiss you. Or what he said was a kiss. I want to snap his head off!"Azalea had her hand over her mouth, shocked that someone as solemn and dignified as Mr. Bradford could have such venom. He took her hands, gently, and pushed up her sleeved, revealing her swollen wrists. His fringers traced the bruises."You stopped him," said Azalea. She bowed her head, shy. "You kept him from-from-""Ah, yes, my lady!" Mr. Bradford smiled a crooked smile in full. "His ponytail was simply begging to be yanked.”