“Do you always wear Malaysian imitations of Brooks Brothers blue oxford button-downs, Mr. Laney?" Laney had looked down at his shirt, or tried to."Malaysia?""The stitch-count's dead on, but they still haven't mastered the thread-tension.""Oh.""Never mind. A little prototypic nerd chic could actually lend a certain frisson, around here. You could lose the tie, though. Definitely lose the tie. And keep a collection of felt-tipped pens in your pocket. Unchewed, please. Plus one of those fat flat highlighters, in a really nasty fluorescent shade.""Are you joking?""Probably, Mr. Laney. May I call you Colin?""Yes."She never did call him "Colin," then or ever. "You'll find that humor is essential at Slitscan, Laney. A necessary survival tool. You'll find the type that's most viable here is fairly oblique.""How do you mean, Ms. Torrance?""Kathy. I mean difficult to quote effectively in a memo. Or a court of law.”

“Payton and Laney watched him go.Laney shook her head. “Unbelievable.”Payton gestured. “See—I told you.”“That man has such a great butt.”“Laney!”“What? I’m conservative, Payton, not blind.”

“Laney, I love you. I've found everything I've ever needed and wanted with you. I'm nothing without you.- Oliver”

“Then I should be able to say anything I want, right? Even the word ‘penis’?”Laney sighed. “Do we have to do this right now?”You should try saying the word sometime.”I’ll pass, thank you.”Payton shrugged. “Your choice, but I think you’d find it liberating. Everybody could use a good ‘penis’ now and then.”Laney glanced nervously around the coffee shop. “People are listening.”Sorry—you’re right. Good rule of thumb: if you’re gonna throw out a ‘penis’ in a public place, it should be soft. Otherwise it attracts too much attention.”The woman at the next table gaped at them.”

“She does know we're coming, right?' I ask.'Well...' He hems and haws a bit. 'Not exactly.'Laney immediately smacks the back of his head. 'Jake! You mean we're showing up unannounced? That is so rude!''What if she isn't there? What are we going to do?' I smack him once, too, for good measure. 'What is *wrong* with you?''Can we please stop with the abuse?”

“My boyfriend is a vampire and I'm okay with it. - Laney”