I think we may have started this conversation off on the wrong foot," Robert said finally. In fact, if the conversation had been animate, the merciful thing to do would have been to take it out behind the barn and shoot it.

“You could make me say it again," he whispered. "Make me say it always. Make me …”

“My entire notion of friendship altered when I depended on someone for more than…”

“Maybe that’s what I have been looking for. When storms and rockslides threaten,…”

“Ash.” Margaret knew her voice was trembling. “Why are you doing this?”“Because …”