The soles of her feet were summer-tough, numb to the jagged shells and bits of pinecone.
What’s going on behind those green eyes? So much. Tell me. It
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....
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...
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...
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.
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
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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?
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...
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...
He wondered if she’d told Lover Boy about the kids yet. It was nearly May. School would be out in a month. Might as well ask, since she was so chatty. He couldn’t seem to pull his eyes from the sparkl...