“ The soles of her feet were summer-tough, numb to the jagged shells and bits of pinecone. Denise Hunter
“ The wind blew across the open convertible, tossing his hair, and the kids huddled in the back complaining of freezing to death. Meridith pulled her blue sweater closed and hugged herself. He wished sh… Denise Hunter
“ I’ll bet you were a handful, she said. Got myself into a few scrapes. I knew it. You were a rule breaker. What do you mean, ‘were’? He shrugged. I was good at not getting caught, made the most of it.… Denise Hunter
“ What the heck. He'd gone this far, might as well go for broke. He slid his fingers along the curve of her cheek, relishing the softness of her skin.I haven't felt so happy in... I can't even remember Denise Hunter
“ Stephen! Meridith hobbled forward and embraced her fiancé. What are you doing here? I missed you. He pecked her on the lips, but his embrace felt stilted. Then she remembered Jake. She pulled away and… Denise Hunter
“ He was so tired of trying to convince other people he was worthy of their love. Tired of being forced on people who didn't even want him. Denise Hunter
“ I’m losing her, man. The words hurt his body as they left. It’s killing me. Wyatt walked down the steps, sank onto the bottom one. He rubbed his jaw. You talked to her? She won’t take my calls. He’d e… Denise Hunter
“ He wondered what part of Meridith’s childhood had left her afraid of something as natural and necessary as love. Was it her mother’s mental illness? T. J.’s leaving her? If she’d only open up to him,… Denise Hunter
“ Daniel, if you . . . if over the next several days you change your mind . . . I just want you to know it’s okay. I do love you, and that’s never going to change. He lifted the hand still held in his a… Denise Hunter
“ All this time he’d thought it was her feelings for Stephen that kept Meridith at arm’s length. But Stephen was gone, and still she held back. He’d seen the look in her eyes. She’d been putty in his ha… Denise Hunter
“ A moment later Noelle flung herself into Meridith’s arms. Meridith embraced her, ran her hand down the silky length of her hair. Something bubbled up inside she’d never felt before, a mixture of relie… Denise Hunter
“ Meri, this is Jake, please don’t hang up. I know you don’t want to talk to me. That’s fine, just listen, ’kay? His voice, all deep and . . . Jake-like, stopped her. She pressed the phone closer to her… Denise Hunter
“ He remembered the way she looked wearing his hat, remembered the warmth of her in his arms as they danced, their first kiss in the barn when he’d been rocked by the riot she’d caused inside him. There… Denise Hunter
“ Maybe I should let them go. But I love them. Isn’t that a trip? I came here wanting their uncle to take them, then I went and fell in love with them. And him. Meridith shot a glare at Rita. Well, you… Denise Hunter
“ As afraid as she was of loving and losing, she was even more afraid of losing the chance to love him. Maybe Denise Hunter
“ She wondered why, when she lay in bed at night, her thoughts turned to Jake. The realization that she didn’t daydream about Stephen pricked her with guilt. It was only because Jake was a thorn in her… Denise Hunter
“ Okay, what’d she do now? How do you know it’s Meridith? Same way you knew ‘she’ was Meridith. He had a point. HORSE? Denise Hunter
“ Noelle said you wanted to get the Galaxie running. Meridith jumped at Jake’s voice. She hadn’t heard the screen door. You walk like an Indian. You were lost in thought. The Galaxie’s not running? She… Denise Hunter
“ He’s loved you a long time, you know. Her heart gave a hard squeeze, and suddenly breathing became a chore. Don’t, Mom. Jade didn’t want to know anything. Didn’t want to know how long or when he’d fir… Denise Hunter
