“Well, you missed out on some important protocol, Ella. You can't stand between a Texan and his power tools. We like them. Big ones that drain the national grid. We also like truck-stop breakfasts, large moving objects, Monday night football, and the missionary position. We don't drink light beer, drive Smart cars, or admit to knowing the names of more than about five or six colors. And we don't wax our chests, ever.”

“Coming forward with a placating smile, Win handed him a piece of paper. "Of course we would never want to force you into a loveless marriage, dear. But we have put together a list of prospective brides, all of them lovely girls. Won't you take a glance and see if any of them appeals to you?"Deciding to humor her, Leo looked down at the list. "Marietta Newbury?""Yes," Amelia said. "What's wrong with her?""I don't like her teeth.""What about Isabella Charrington?""I don't like her mother.""Lady Blossom Tremaine?""I don't like her name.""Oh, for heaven's sake, Leo, that's not her fault.""I don't care. I can't have a wife named Blossom. Every night I would feel as if I were calling in one of the cows." Leo lifted his gaze heavenward. "I might as well marry the first woman off the street. Why, I'd be better off with Marks."Everyone was silent.”

“Dear Miss Independent,I've decided that of all the women I've ever known, you are the only one I will ever love more than hunting, fishing, football, and power tools.You may not know this, but the other time I asked you to marry me, the night I put the crib together, I meant it. Even though I knew you weren't ready.God, I hope you're ready now.Marry me, Ella. Because no matter where you go or what you do, I'll love you every day for the rest of my life. —Jack”

“This is how we court girls in America. We grab them and kiss them. And if they don't like it, we do it again, harder and longer, until they surrender. It saves us hours of witty repartee.”

“It's the perfect solution. We argue all the time. We can't stand each other. It's like we're already married.”

“But we have to find ways of compromising when we disagree on something. You know what compromise is, right?""Uh-huh. It's when you don't get to have everything your way and I don't get to have everything my way, and no one's happy.”

“It was a good hald minute before I looked over at Todd. his eyes were slightly foggy, like he was waking up- reluctantly- from a lascivious dream. "I didn't know they still made them like that," he said...."Cool, tough, retro-manly. The kind who only cries if someone just ran over their dog. The big chested guy we can indulge our pathetic Daddy complexes with.”