“And as I watch him disappear around the corner, i can't help but wonder if this is the exact moment where i officially lost everything.”

“Just being near the water makes me ache for it, makes my skin tingle with the desire to run until I am chest-deep and the water wraps around my skin like a satin ribbon, making the worries, the aches, the stress unwind. Sometimes, I wonder if this is how a recovering alcoholic would feel if someone put a beer in her hand. If her body would wage war against her mind as mine does.”

“You were twisting your wet hair up into a ponytail, and then you saw us, and you smiled....""Then why didn't you-""Because you were smiling for him. And I would have had to have been an idiot to get in between that.”

“We are traveling down a path with no happy ending, and it's too late to turn around.”

“Shouldn't you have today off? Isn't it Sunday?""I've a half day off ever' three days. I'll be out temorra afte'noon."I snort. "A half day?"God, that's ridiculous. She doesn't even get a single full day off? What is Alex, some kind of slave driver? Jeez.”

“What do you mean, ruined?"From the way Emily swallows slowly, you'd think we were talking about smoking crack. "Compromised. By...by another man.""Oh!" I say, too loudly. "You mean, if the girl's not a virgin, the guy won't marry her?"She nods, her eyes wide, as if being a non-virgin is akin to being an ax-murder.”

“Why do yo keep doing this?""Because I've wanted to be with you for three years, okay? That's why.”