I can count
He’d met her soft gaze while she talked but now he turned away from her instead of arguing. He didn’t see it that way; he thought it was too late. What he saw was a beautiful young woman agreeing to l...
Hey, Jack, Rick said. And Jack looked up. Holy God! Rick said, jumping back. Man! Yeah. Kind of ugly, huh? Who hit you? I ran into a door, he said. Nah, Rick said, shaking his head. That door has a na...
Here’s another thing—I can’t get any cell phone reception here. I should let my family know I’m here safely. More or less. The pines are too tall, the mountains too steep. Use the land line—and don’t...
He stood there in the blistering cold until her private jet took her away. He watched it until it was out of sight. All he could think was, what if she doesn’t come back? What if she really does get t...
God respects you when you work, but he loves you when you dance.
Did your mother tell the authorities? she asked. No. He laughed again. She told my brothers. She said, ‘If he comes home with one bruise, I will beat you and then your father will beat you.’ Well, tha...
Daddy? Daddy, I know the baby is in the mommy’s tummy and the baby comes out of the mommy’s tummy, but, Daddy? How do that baby get in the mommy’s tummy? He stopped dead in his tracks in the parking l...
By the time they got there, Matt was fussing and demanding dinner. Before she could get to him, Cam had him out of the car seat and was jiggling him against his chest. Cameron had the diaper bag slung...
Baby girl, you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve been through such a lot. Well, in my sane state, I know that. Jack knew about my problems, and he just hung in there, just kept loving me and loving...
As Sean watched the proceedings he missed her so bad he ached with it. Letting her get away was one of the great tactical errors of his adult life. He should have found a way to convince her they’d be...
All our friends were rich and they worried about having the most, spending the most, trying to figure out how it could make them the best. They trusted no one. You know that silly saying, he who dies...
Ah. I knew I forgot something. It’s the reason I came here, to you—it wasn’t just because I needed your touch to help make me stronger. It was so much more than that. I couldn’t be away from you a sec...
You’re right, he said. I learned my lesson. I’ll listen to you now. It isn’t easy being the wise one in the marriage, she said. I imagine the pressure is terrible, he said with a smile. She
You’re going to give up everything you’ve established here—the stability of your job, your friends, the option of a normal relationship with a man you can count on who will make sure your happiness co...
You would have been impressed, Luke. She never flinched. She knew all the right things to do and remained perfectly calm. Efficient, skilled, confident. Mel smiled. She’s going to be an incredible nur...
You know. I can call my husband an idiot and asshole but no one else can. It’s a rule. It’s almost a law.
You know, you could ask Preacher to come up with some meals that don’t stir up that heartburn so much…. Why would I do that? He’s a dream in the kitchen. Well, I’ve asked him for some low-fat meals. H...
You could’ve offered the girl a warm place to sleep, Jack said. It’s pretty clear Hope didn’t get that old cabin straight for her. Don’t feel up to company, he said. Then Doc lifted his gaze to Jack’s...
When the last dish was put up, Vanni asked Marianne if she could borrow a bedroom to nurse the baby. Of course, sweetheart, the older woman answered. But no one in this family is uncomfortable with a...