“I have a billion what-ifs and no way forward.”

“So what does Just Tacos have to do with kissing?”“Besides the fact I absolutely love both?” he asks.”

“A knock sounds on the door.“Who is it?” Matt yells, exasperated.“Your father.”“What do you want?”“Can you mow the lawn tomorrow after church?”“Daaaaaaaad.” Matt’s shaking his head and laughing. My mouth has dropped open. “Couldn’t you have waited until after Kate goes home to ask me?”“I didn’t want to forget,” Mr. Brown says from behind the door.Matt whispers to me, “This is his way of saying we shouldn’t be in here alone together.”I nod.Matt yells to his dad, “Fine, I’ll mow the lawn. Now go away.”I smack his chest.“What?” Matt asks, clutching my hands so I can’t hit him again.“You shouldn’t treat your dad that way.”“I like her,” Mr. Brown says from out in the hallway.“Daaaaadd, stop eavesdropping!” Matt jumps to his feet and grabs his keys from the nightstand. “That’s it, I’m taking you home. We’ll never find any peace around here.”I can’t stop laughing.”

“I think JJ will tell me that he loves me soon," Lacey says to Kristen. "He definitely will," Kristen says. "I can tell by the way he looks at you."I force myself to cough so I don't laugh. JJ stares at Lacey the way he stares at every one of the Titans' cheerleaders. It's the same way he stares at cheese fries, for that matter.”

“Shut up!" Henry says, "You're going to wake up Jerry Rice.""Jerry Rice?" Carter says, covering his mouth with a hand. I don't think I've ever seen Carter laugh so hard."Carter, would you like to be the godfather?" Henry asks. "You know, in case anything happens to me and Woods this week?""Charming," Carter says. "I''d be honored. Does JJ get to be godmother?""Obviously," I say."Can I hold Jerry Rice?" JJ asks. "He''s so cute.""No way, man," I reply. "I don't want to wake that thing up before practice. We'll be late if we have to feed it.""What does it eat?" Carter asks."I have to breast-feed, cause I'm the mom," Henry says, continuing to push the stroller toward the locker room."Actually," I say, "It eats a metal rod, made out of, like, lead. So basically, we're learning how to poison babies.""Radical," JJ says as we approach the gym,”

“Suddenly I have the first knee problems of my life: they turn to rubber.”

“So what did you want to talk about?" I ask Ty grins that wicked smile of his again. He whispers, "I lied. I just wanted an excuse to sit with you.”