“Do you see that out there? The strange, unfamiliar light? It's called the sun. Let's go get us a little.”

“Oh God,was all Keeley could think. Oh God, get me out of here.When they swung through the stone pillars at Royal Meadows,she had to fight the urge to cheer."I'm so glad our schedules finally clicked. Life gets much too demanding and complicated, doesn't it? There's nothing more relaxing than a quiet dinner for two."Any more relaxed, Keeley thought, and unconsciousness would claim her. "It was nice of you to ask me, Chad." She wondered how rude it would be to spring out of the car before it stopped, race to the house and do a little dance of relief on the front porch.Pretty rude,she decided.Okay, she'd skip the dance."Drake and Pamela-you know the Larkens of course-are having a little soiree next Sunday evening.Why don't I pick you up at eightish?"It took her a minute to get over the fact he'd actually used the word soiree in a sentence. "I really can't Chad. I have a full day of lessons on Saturday. By the time it's done I'm not fit for socializing.But thanks." She slid her hand to the door handle, anticipating escape."Keeyley,you can't let your little school eclipse so much of your life."Her and stiffened,and though she could see the lights of home, she turned her head and studied his perfect profile. One day,someone was going to refer to the academy as her little school, and she was going to be very rude.And rip their throat out.”

“Heroism's just doing more than you want to do or think you can. Sometimes it's just doing the crappy things, the unhappy things other people won't do....It's not just jumping out of a plane onto a glacier ten thousand feet up because there's nobody else there to do it. It's getting out of bed in the morning when it seems like too much trouble.”

“But not really needing to be rescued sort of makes being rescued more exciting,you know.""No,I don't know," Keeley snapped. "Go to school,Mo.I've got mucking out to do.""I'm going,I'm going. Sheesh. You must be low on the caffeine intake this morning.I'll come by later to see how the gelding's doing.I've got a kind of vested interest,you know? See you.”

“And you just had to rush right over here to rub my face in it.""Nope. I rushed right over here to slap your face in it.""A rude but effective wake-up call," Laura commented and earned a shocked stare."I expected better from you.""You shouldn't have." Hands brisk and competent, she affixed a shiny silver bow to the box. "If you don't want to tell us what happened between you and Josh,fine.But you can't expect us to sit around quietly while you mope.""I have not been moping.""We've been cleaning up the blood spilling out of your heart for weeks." Kate passed Laura her credit card. "Face it,pal, you're just no fun anymore.""And that's all this friendship is about?Fun? I thought I might get a little support,a little sympathy, a little compassion.""Sorry," Laura imprinted the card with a steady sweep. "Fresh out.”

“Suppose..." And for the first time he linked his hand with hers. "He runs and wins and lives to a ripe old age writing his memoirs and traveling as an ambassador of goodwill or playing Parcheesi on the sun porch. You're going to be damned mad he had fifty years without you."She let out a long breath. "Yeah. But-""We've already gone through the buts," he interrupted. "Of course, they're probably several million possibilities in between.He could get hit by a car crossing the street-or you could. He could lose the election and become a missionary or an anchor on the six o'clock news.""All right." Shelby dropped her forehead to their joined hands. "Nobody makes me see what a fool I am better than you.""One of my minor talents. Listen, walk out on the beach; clear your head. When you come back, eat something, then get about twelve hours' sleep, because you look like hell.Then..." He waited until she lifted her head to smile at him. "Go home.I've got work to do.""I love you,you creep.""Yeah." He shot her one of his quick grins. "Me too.”

“It put him out of humor for the rest of the day.It stuck in his craw and festered thered.A nasty little canker sore on the ego.Snob? Where did the woman get off calling him a snob? And after he'd made the effort to be friendly, even complimenting her on her snooty little riding academy.He did the evening check himself, as was his habit, and spent considerable time going over the prime filly who was to head down to Hialeah to race there. Ttavis wanted Brian to go along for this one, and he was more than happy to oblige.It would do him a world of good to put a thousand miles or so between himself and Keeley."Shouldn't be looking in that direction, even for a blink," he muttered, then nuzzled the filly.”