Good Lord, Maureen interrupted him. What did your father and I do to turn you boys off marriage? she asked, half pleading, half annoyed. I thought we had a good marriage, your da and me. He was so won...
Gonna be fun today, he said. You boys, you sure know how get the women all spooled up. Save it. Want me to help you get the bird ready? Yeah, we should do that. Then we make brunch. I’m good with brun...
God, that’s a relief. I hope I never have to walk in that front door again. It’s too bad, to have all that and lose it. That’s like the American dream. What every man thinks is the perfect life. A fam...
God, I know you’re sick of hearing me beg, but this is my woman, my wife. My best friend! No, she’s so much more than that—she’s the other half of my heart. I’ve waited my whole life for her—I’d give...
God respects you when you work, but he loves you when you dance.
George, I probably owe you an apology, Maureen said. I don’t think I was as friendly as I could have been when we ran into each other at Jack’s a week or so ago. The fact is, I do remember meeting you...
Gee, Jack, she said, amused. You sure came around quickly. I know, he said. I’m a genius that way. Mel must have really lit into you, she said. That always increases my intelligence about tenfold. I
For the past several years, he’d avoided romantic relationships that could gut him in the end. That whole not-sleeping, feeling the deep ache that came from failure, enduring the sudden loneliness of...
Ellie had quite a few questions for the man who was creeping into her bed night after night, questions she was not planning to ask. What should we do about us? was first on her list. When he said he l...
Don’t get sloppy, Marcie. If I had a freezer, I might shoot him. You wouldn’t! He smiled at her. I like venison. Don’t you? She thought about that chili Jack had given her, how it melted in her mouth....
Do you remember when I came here after Davie was born? I would listen to you practice your guitar in the early mornings. I didn’t know you were there. I used to pretend you were playing for me. I was...
Dammit, Shelby, he said. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And warned me and warned me and warned me… You should be with a serious young man who will protect you and take care of you, not someone like me....
Crying will release the sorrowful thoughts on the mind.
Could someone like me get into that? Small town like that? They have a midwife and everyone loves her. Luke laughed. You’d have some stiff competition. What I mean is, could someone younger than thirt...
Congratulations, man, his brother Aiden said. How about that, huh? Uh, how about what, Aiden? he asked cautiously. A little girl, I hear. Three and a half? Almost four? Who told you?! How do you know...
Can I throw in a load of clothes for you? she asked. I’ll take care of that. Listen, you don’t have to clean up after me. She laughed at him. John, I spend all day in the kitchen, collecting your pots...
But only seconds seemed to have passed before there was a huge blast that caused her to sit up straight and catch her breath. Then the outhouse door opened sharply, and Ian stood there with a startled...
At first it appeared to be an intense need to right a wrong, to protect—typical of Preacher. He was that kind of man—tough on the outside and soft on the inside. Justice and loyalty—those values were...
As the couple made their way slowly through the gathering and toward the house where the party was laid out for the celebrants, Joe saw his chance. He grabbed a glass of champagne off a tray and press...
Are you so scared you were going to run? She nodded, and he ran a finger along the line of her jaw. Let’s try to get through this, he said. Even if it works, there’s no way I can ever repay you, Paige...