“i was thinking that i'd like to try kissing you, joshua reed said. ”

“you want to protect your children, she said. even when they're not children no longer, you still think you can, maybe, make things not hurt so bad. ”

“to an outsider, it might look like a harsh thing, like inaction of the worst sort or a purposeful forgetting, but when you're the one choosing to look away, you know it's because your heart is simply trying to make it to tomorrow. your heart is scared to death, and it would rather not know than take a chance on being destroyed by the whole truth. ”

“after a kiss you can find yourself in that deserted place where even if it's not leading to anything, you and the other person have both admitted some thing that tugs at the friendship, pulling it out of shape. ”

“listen, i appreciate the story. i get that he's a goody guy. but these audits are random. it's not personal. see, that's where you're wrong, the man said. everything you do in life is personal. ”

“i think about those twists of fate, the strange run-ins that can alter everything in the blink of an eye, or the shift of a single season. ”

“it was that voice. his voice. the voice that wrapped around you like a warm day. ”