“You look wonderful", Jason said."No compliments, Jason. I'm uncomfortable enough in the lingerie.""Then by all means take it off.”

“You look like shit." Jason smiled, without opening his eyes. "You sweet-talker.”

“Jason patted me on the back. “Tomorrow night we'll take you out chasing deer.”“I thought you'd chase cars,” I said.He grinned. “What fun is that? Cars don't bleed.”

“It is the wee hours of the morning, ma petite. The room service menu is somewhat limited. Jason has donated blood twice to me tonight; he needed protein." Jean-Claude smiled. "It was either take-out, or he could eat Larry. I thought you'd prefer take-out.”

“I was just offered a contract on your life, for enough money to make it worth my while." It was my turn to be quiet.Did you take it?"Would I be calling you if I had?"Maybe," I said. He laughed.True, but I'm not going to take it."Why not?"Friendship."Try again," I said.I figure I'll get to kill more people guarding you. If I take the contract, I only get to kill you."Comforting...”

“-Please, Anita, go home, and don’t freak. Just go home, and be happy. Be happy, and let everyone around you be happy. Is that so hard?When Jason said it like that, it didn’t seem hard. In fact, it seemed to make a lot of sense, but inside, it felt hard. Inside it felt like the hardest thing in the world. To just let go, and not pick everything to death. To just let go and enjoy what you had. To just let go and not make everybody around you miserable with your own internal dialogue. To just let go and be happy. So simple. So difficult. So terrifying.”

“I'm not sure there are enough white roses in the world to make me forget Richard." I held up my hand before she could interrupt. "But I'm not sure there are enough cozy afternoons in all eternity to make me forget Jean-Claude.”