“One of the most difficult things he'd ever done was turn away and leave her standing in the shadows.”

“As he walked out into the North Carolina sunshine, Lola's hand in his, a smile curved one corner of his lips. Not so long ago, he'd stood on the burned-out bridge of the Dora Mae, thinking himself cursed with a beautiful underwear model and her sissy little dog. He'd always believed Lola Carlyle would be the death of him."We never did get around to watching Pride and Prejudice," she said, a teasing glint in her beautiful eyes.Yeah, she would most definitely be the death of him, but what a way to go.”

“He’d been thinking about a lot of things lately, things that would never happen, things it was best not to think about. Things like waking up with Delaney every morning for the rest of his life and watching her hair turn gray.”

“He placed his hands on the sides of her face and looked into her eyes."You're not some woman I picked up in a bar, Chelsea. You're not a one-night stand. Don't sneak out on me.”

“Forget it." She turned to the closed door of the bathroom. "Forget I said anything. I take it back." Just as she pulled the door open, he was behind her, slamming it shut. With one hand planted in front of her face, Max said next to her ear, "You can't take it back now." "Yes, I can." "No." He leaned his big body into her and shoved her against the door. "I heard you." His hot breath brushed her temple. "You love me Lola. I won't let you take it back. You can't ever take it back.”

“Don't leave." He leaned his forehead against the door next to hers. "I'm a real bastard, I know, but don't leave, Lola.”

“I have fallen in love with you, and there is no future for us. That you burst into my life suddenly only a short time ago. That it's too fast, too soon, and you will leave the same way you came into my life. I'll turn around one day and you'll be gone.”