“Love can really screw you up before you learn to live with it.”

“[Everyone needs] a woman who'll listen, take your side, tell the truth - or not, as you need it. A woman you can count on, no matter what, and who'll love you no matter how much you screw up.”

“I wonder if you can understand, I never really knew what it was to want, until you.”

“When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you—even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place. And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you’d be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her. (Carter Maguire)”

“I'm messing this up. I love you. I should've started with that. I swear I trip up more with you than anybody. I love you, Clare. I always did, but it's different loving who you are now. It's so damn solid. You're so solid, so steady, strong, smart. I love who you are, how you are. I love those boys, you have to know.”

“If people let other people alone, people would be better off. It's always people that screw things up for people anyway.”

“Brian,really." Keeley continued to mix the blister for the knee spavin. "You've had a really long day. I can handle this.""Sure you can.You can handle this, morons like Tarmack, washed-up jockeys and everything else that comes along before breakfast.Nobody's saying different."Since the statement wasn't delivered in what could be mistaken for a complimentary tone, Keeley turned to frown at him. "What's wrong with you?""There's not a bloody thing wrong with me.But you could use some work.Do you have to do everything yourself, every flaming step and stage of it? Can't you just take help when help's offered and shut the hell up?"She did shut the hell up, for ten shocked seconds. "I simply assumed that you'd be tired after your trip.""I'll let you know when I'm tired.""The gelding here doesn't seem to be the only one with something nasty in his system.""Well,it's you in my system, princess, and it feels a bit nasty at the moment."Hurt came first, a quick short-armed jab. Pride sprang in to defend. "I'll be happy to purge you, just like I'll purge this horse tomorrow.""If I thought it would work," he muttered, "I'd purge myself.”