“Memories and emotions are all tied up. The morestrongly you feel about a situation influences how youremember it.”

“Drunk," she said."Shrew," he replied."Kids!" Michael held up his hands in a T shape. "Time out."Ava shot Kaleb a dirty look and left the kitchen. Michael followed.He didn't look back."Why don't you tell her how you really feel?" I asked Kaleb when they were gone."I have from the beginning." Kaleb put his arms on the table and propped his chin on his fist, gazing at me. "Kind of like I'm about to tell you that I might be in love with you.""Really?" I laughed. "Because of all of our deep conversations and the quality time we've spent together? Or was it just love at first sight?""Something like that," he said, teasing.”

“Just Michael, how grateful I was that he was alive, how much I wanted to touch him. How much I wanted him to touch me.He kept his eyes on the activity outside. "Emerson, you can't look at me like that. Not right now.""How do you know I'm looking at you?""I can feel it." He smiled. I couldn't see it, but I could hear it in his voice. He hooked one arm around my neck and gently pulled me to his side.”

“How do you tell the difference between real people and time ripples?""You mean besides punching them in the stomach?" I blushed, not because I'd hit him, but because I was thinking about his abs.”

“Screw what the world expects. Think about all the things you’ve faced. You cracked, but you didn’t break. You’re still standing. I’d call that fearless.”

“And I love you.""Remember the night we sat here, and I fed you all the clues the future Em had given me to convince you I was legit? The bluegrass, the belly ring-""The designated hitter?""Yes." He grinned."Hmph.""What else did I tell you?""That you had a teddy bear named Rupert."He rolled his eyes. "About you, and the first time I saw you."Answering made me feel shy, but I did it anyway."That I said I would take your breath away the first time you saw me." I was still holding his face, and he reached up to put his hands over mine."You did it then. And you just did it again." His kiss was sweet, soft, and easy at first. I felt urgency stir just under the surface, but I refused to let the desire to hurry things interfere in the moment. I wanted to savor every single one.We had all the time in the world.My brother's voice floated down from the open window. "Emerson!"Well, as son as my grounding was over, we had all the time in the world.”

“Aren't I supposed to be brave, fearless? Isn't that what the world expects?" "Screw what the world expects. Think about all the things you've faced. You cracked, but you didn't break. You're still standing. I'd call that fearless. You've already conquered so much.”