“I want you to know everything about me, Lexi, to see inside me, beyond my gruff arrogance, beyond the hurt and loneliness, to the man underneath it all.There are things about me no one knows, but I want to share them with you.”

“How did you know about my candy stash?”Vincent innocently shrugged. “I needed tape and stumbled across your Willy Wonka drawer”

“I can’t do this with you, Vincent.” Lexi stepped back, putting some distance between them.“We belong together.” There was no doubt, no question in his voice, as he said the words, onlyutter certainty.”

“I won’t lie to you. We aren’t going to ride off into the sunset together and have everything fixed overnight. I know that, and I think you do too. But I’m willing to work at it, if you are. I do love you. I mean that with every cell in my body, every breath that I take. I think you’re worth it. I think we’re worth it. I think you could be the great love of my life, Vincent Drake.”

“Go ahead, look at the message. You know you want to.”“No, it doesn’t matter.”“Then why do you keep staring at it like it’s the last piece of food on earth?”

“It helps me keep things in perspective, and sometimes it helps me forget. Whenever I think things are too much, I come here. No matter what is going on or how bad it seems, when I sit on this bench, I’m reminded that the water continues to flow, the waves keep crashing on the shore, and life goes on around me.”

“Stay away from her. Don't look at her; don't even think about her. If she appears to you in your dreams, wake up and punch yourself in the face for me.”