“Don’t ever touch her again,” Hayden growled.Kurt looked up, eyes wide. “Are you threatening me— over her? I’m like your brother, Hayden!” “Not anymore.”

“Cromwell raised a brow. "You can't even boil an egg, son." He paused. "Or toast bread without burning it."I couldn't help it, I laughed. "Nice."Hayden frowned at me. "I can toast bread.""You tried to shove a fork in the toaster to get your bread out- that was only a few years ago.""Oh. Wow." I grinned at Hayden."Thanks, Dad." Hayden pushed himself off the counter.”

“But I can tell you this, Mr. James, I refuse to be treated with disrespect.""Disrespect?" Burnett growled.And then everything went to hell.Burnett and Hayden exchanged colourful verbal blows. According to Hayden, Burnett was a prick, and according to Burnett, Hayden was an overconfident jerk who had lied.She didn't know if she felt confident the tension wouldn't elevate to physical blows, or if she was simply too tired to care anymore. If they broke each other's noses, so be it.”

“Don’t threaten me with your eyebrows. I’m not. I’m interrogating you with my one raised eyebrow. If I was threatening you, I’d use both eyebrows. Like this.”

“No, it's not!" says Emby."Hey—he wanted my opinion, I gave it.""But it's wrong!""You see, Hayden? You see what you started?""Yes!" Hayden says excitedly. "It looks like we're about to have our own little Heartland War. Pity it's too dark for us to watch it.”

“Listen to me, Ember. I couldn’t hurt you. I can’t.” Hayden settled his eyes on me. They were softer than I’d ever seen. “I love you— I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you.”