“It was amazing, really, just how much pain the human heart could hold.”

“Getting many tourists these days?""No."The word was so flat and final, Shelby nearly laughed. "You could always try land mines and barbed wire. It amazes me how anyone so in tune with people could dislike them so much.""I don't dislike them." Grant heaped eggs on another plate. "I just don't want to be around them.”

“I fear feeling my heart break a second time, because I'm not sure I could survive it. I'd rather live alone than risk the pain.”

“Nodding, Parker ate. “He’s an exceptional kisser.”“He really is. He . . . How do you know?” When Parker just smiled, Emma’s jaw dropped. “You? You and Jack? When? How?”“I think it’s disgusting,” Mac muttered. “Yet another best pal moving on my imaginary ex.”“Two kisses, my first year at Yale, after we ran into each other at a party and he walked me back to the dorm. It was nice. Very nice. But as exceptional a kisser as he is, it was too much like kissing my brother. And as exceptional a kisser as I am, I believe he felt it was too much like kissing his sister. And that’s how we left it. I gather that wasn’t an issue for you and Jack.”

“A lot of things some might think are a little crazy are just human.”

“She forced herself to...turn and face him. It was easier with the width of the room between them. "I wanted to be able to take this relationship at face value, to enjoy it for what it was.... And I wanted to be sure I could walk away when it was over, completely unscathed. The problem is I can't. When you walked in this morning, all I could think was how much I'd wanted to see you, how much I'd missed you, how unhappy I'd because we were angry at each other."She stopped, straightened her shoulders. He was grinning at her, rocking back and forth on his heels. In a minute she was sure he'd be whistling. "I'd appreciate it if you'd take that smug look off your face. This isn't -""I love you, Julia.”

“I can't say I cared much for you when I first came back. There's that crappy attitude of yours, and you're ugly, but you kind of grow on a guy."Immensely cheered, Seth snickered. "You're uglier.""I'm bigger, I'm entitled. So I guess I'll hang around to see if you get any prettier as time goes on.""I didn't really want you to go," Seth said under his breath after a long moment. It was the closest he could get to speaking his heart."I know.”