“Surely it wasn't possible that Vin diPietro was the first assignment."Hello?" DiPietro waved. "You in there?"Nah, Jim thought. Can't be. That would be above and beyond any call of duty.Over the guy's shoulder, the commercial that was on the TV suddenly showed a price of $49.99-no, $29.99, with a little red arrow that ... considering where Vin was standing, poined right at his head. "Sh*t, no" Jim muttered. This was the guy? On the Tv screen, some woman in a pink bathrobe smiled up at the camera and mouthed, Yes, it is!”

“In his old life, the answer would have been easy: He'd have just put a gun to Vin's head and dragged the fucker to the altar. Now? He needed to be a little more civilized.”

“There was a heavy, dark pause of vast significance.Which Jim broke by flashing his hands and belting out, “Booga-wooga!”At least Eddie laughed. Adrian flipped Jim the bird and headed to the fridge for another beer.”

“Let's take my truck," Jim said as he hit the gravel. "Less noise."And it has a radio, right?" With tragic concentration Adrian started warming up his voice, sounding like a moose being backstroked by a chesse grater.Jim shook his head at Eddie as the doors opened "How can you stand that racket?"Selective deafness"Teach me,master.”

“...Jim finished his beer and wondered how in the hell he'd found himself in the role of Cupid. Man, if those four lads even thought about getting him to wear the wings and a diaper while he nocked his arrow, he was so renegotiating his employee contract. And not with words.”

“How'm I doin'?" Jim asked in his own voice—hey, he could talk out of the bastard's mouth, too.Across the way, Adrian shrugged. "Pretty damn good—I can't sense you. But I gotta ask—the pair of you want a cigarette? Or are you going for a twofer?”

“And I'm full aware of how much you don't like me at this moment"Can't be a new thing for you" Jim said”