Paul felt his knees almost buckle when he saw her. Now, he knew this was one fine-looking woman, and since he’d been the best man at her last wedding, it wasn’t as if he’d never seen her all dressed u...
Paul did his job—brow mopping, hand-holding, encouraging, supporting. It went on for almost an hour and he watched as Vanni got more and more tired and Mel stayed busy getting ready to catch that baby...
Our relationship was stable. This thing you’re trading it for, it’ll be a disaster because he isn’t moving to Humboldt County. Even if he could, you and I both know he isn’t the kind of man who will g...
Oh, hell no, you’re not going anywhere, Jack said. My sister’s having a baby, her first, and this is the cheering section. Wait a minute here, he said. I’m not real big on babies. We’ve been over this...
Oh Jesus, you think I’m letting you come over and pester me all the time because you’re the only available man in my age group! He lifted one black bushy brow. But am I? That’s so irrelevant! Chasing...
Noah smiled at her, then his smile froze. He looked her slowly up and down. And again. What? she demanded hotly, hands on her hips. Nothing, he said, turning away. No. What? What’s the matter? He turn...
No man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one. —Nathaniel Hawthorne
My world is so huge right now—when a Wide Iwish Rose puts her arms around my neck and calls me a silly daddy, my heart almost doesn’t fit in my chest. That Rosie—she isn’t just an idea. She’s more tha...
Luke was welcomed by the brothers and drawn in with friendly approval. The conversation quickly turned to missions and commands as they compared notes, trying to figure out if they had mutual friends...
Luke made fast work of his first drink and was nursing his second, through many jokes and soft, respectful laughter, when Mike came into the great room holding a very small bundle wrapped in a pink re...
Look, Mel. Look at that sky. You can’t find that anywhere else on earth. All those stars, that moon—the clear black sky. That belongs to us. She looked up at the most gorgeous sky imaginable, with mor...
Life was precious and not to be taken for granted,
Jeannie saw the bear with the blue-and-gray flannel leg. She had stroked it and said, Oh, God. I’ve never known a guy who does something like this. This is amazing. It’s one of the first things that c...
Jack’s. He’d only been there a minute, waiting for someone to come from the back to serve him, when Mel struggled into the bar, baby against her chest, toddler in hand, diaper bag slung over her shoul...
Jack’s hands were shaking as he did so, wiping the muck of birth from his son’s little body. Mel was straining up to see him, her fingers reaching toward him to touch him. For a moment Jack was paraly...
Jack had seen his brothers-in-law, all puffed up with testosterone pride when they’d gotten their wives pregnant, when the babies came. He never pretended to really understand it. He was too busy with...
I’m not interested in one night. I want it all. If that’s too much for you, tell me right now. If it’s going to scare you off, I want to know. All? I want to go to bed with you, and wake up with you....
I’m a little embarrassed it took some city-boy preacher to get a project like this going in our own town, Jack said. We should’ve been on this. We start for Christmas right away. And then we get going...
I’m a helpless, recovering introvert
It's different for guys. They don't feel the same way about proms that girls do. Girls see it as a chance to feel like a princess. Guys see it as a chance to have sex.