Happy Ever After

When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you—even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place. And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you’d be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her. (Carter Maguire)

It's hard to resist a bad boy who's a good man.

If you’re looking for the full deal, the till-death deal, then look at me. No one’s ever going to love you, stick by you, understand how you work the way I do. (Malcolm Kavanaugh)

...She'd gone past interest, swung into attraction, burst through lust, tripped over affection, and was now skidding out of control into love.

We’re going to get a couple pretty, fluffy inches in the morning for a gorgeous December evening wedding. Go get ready for rehearsal.” “I’m afraid of rehearsal. My voice is going to squeak. I think I’m getting a zit right in the middle of my chin. I’m going to trip coming down the aisle. It’s okay if Carter trips. People expect it. But –” … “Carter isn’t nervous. “Mac narrowed her eyes in a scowl. “I could hate him for that.” “Mackensie.” Parker turned from the computer. “I was in the kitchen this morning when Mrs. G made him sit down and eat some breakfast. He put maple syrup in his coffee.” “He did?” She threw up her arms in a cheer. “He is nervous. I feel better.

And don’t worry.” Bob, Carter’s best man and colleague, held up a notebook computer. “I’ve got it handled on this end. And I memorized the vows just in case he needs me to throw him a line.” “You’re a treasure, Bob.” She waited until she was out of earshot to laugh.

You're excuses are so lame they're limping...

Sometimes we hate her,” Laurel said, then smiled at Parker. “But it’s a hare based on love.

Dacă relaţia lor ar fi rămas una superficială, acea reticenţă nu ar fi contat. Dar nu rămăsese, credea Parker, aşa că era importantă. Conta, fiindcă trecuse de faza de interes, se abandonase atracţiei, explodase în dorinţă, se împiedicase în afecţiune, iar acum derapa necontrolat spre iubire.

It's a pretty big deal, not being dead, and I wanted to stay that way.

- Spune-mi ce-ţi doreşti. El o prinse de încheieturi, apoi îşi trecu degetele printre ale ei. - Vreau o viaţă alături de tine, şi-o să împrumut cuvintele lui Jack şi Del acum - într-un fel. Vreau să încep acea viaţă, fiindcă tu eşti Parker. Tu eşti acea viaţă, eşti totul. Vreau ca povestea noastră să devină adevărată. Vreau - şi de data asta cuvintele îmi aparţin în întregime -, vreau să-ţi fac promisiuni şi vreau să le indeplinesc. Te iubesc şi vreau să-ţi promit că o să te iubesc tot restul vieţii mele.

your excuses are so lame they’re limping,

I figure if you’ve got to take someone down or set them straight, you might as well enjoy it on some level. Malcom

Change was as much about loss as gain, about giving something up even as you reached for something new or different.

I think this one’s in the running for Ditzy Bride status. Not only does she want her MOH to walk her two Siamese cats down the aisle rather than carry a bouquet, but wants to include them on the guest list.

Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. —WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Durerea o lovea în valuri, tari şi învolburate, biciuind-o şi sfâşiindu-i inima. În alte zile, valurile erau lente şi persistente, ameninţând să-i înece sufletul.

- Ai un minut? întrebă Mac. - Întâmplător am chiar mai multe. Poţi să-ţi iei şi tu unul.

Se răsuci şi se aflau acum faţă în faţă. - Poate, pânâ la sfârşit, o să-mi dau seama de ce am în faţa ochilor. Ea se dădu înapoi. - Nu e chiar atât de complicat. - Nu tu eşti cea care priveşte. Eşti gata?

- De ce ne batem atâta capul? întrebă Parker. Bărbaţii oricum nu observă. - Fiindcă ceea ce purtăm afectează felul în care ne simţim, cum ne comportăm, cum ne mişcăm. Iar astea sunt lucruri pe care le observă. În special mişcarea. Îmbracă-te, machiază-ţi ochii. Vei şti că arăţi bine, aşa că te vei simţi bine. Ai să te distrez mai tare.

- N-aş putea să dorm aici? Jack se ridică şi o ridică şi pe ea. Ea zâmbi adormită, petrecându-şi braţele pe după gâtul lui. - Ador când faci asta. - Ţi-ai câştigat dreptul să fii purtată pe sus. Noapte bună tuturor.

- Când găseşti o femeie pe care o iubeşti cu tot sufletul şi te iubeşte şi ea - chiar şi cu slăbiciunile şi defectele tale, totul începe să se potrivească. Şi dacă poţi să vorbeşti cu ea, iar ea te ascultă, dacă te face să râzi şi te face să te gândeşti, te face să vrei, te face să veyi cine eşti cu adevărat, iar acel cineva e un om mai bun, pur şi simplu mai bun alături de ea, atunci ai fi un nebun să nu-ţi doreşti să-ţi petreci restul vieţii cu ea.

I am not glowy.” Laurel simply turned Parker by the shoulders to the big foyer mirror. “You were saying?” Maybe color did glow in her cheeks, and maybe her eyes were a little dazzled, but . . . “That’s irritation.” “I won’t say ‘liar, liar,’ but, Parks, under that skirt, your pants are on fire.

Why do we go to all this trouble' Parker asked. 'Men don't notice anyway.' 'Because what we wear affects how we feel, how we act, how we move. And that they do notice. Especially the move. Get dressed, smoke the eyes. You'll know you look good so you'll feel good. You'll have a better time.

sexy.” “I’m not interested in funny and sexy with Malcolm Kavanaugh.” “Parker, if you weren’t interested, on some level, you’d have flicked him off like lint on a lapel. He . . .” Laurel searched for the right word. “He intrigues you.” “No, he . . . Maybe.” “As your friend, let me say it’s nice to see you intrigued by a man, especially since I like the

Everything seemed paused for change, but was she? Change was as much about loss as gain, about giving something up even as you reached for something new or different. And, she admitted, she prized routine, tradition, even repetition.

Sometimes we hate her,” Laurel said, then smiled at Parker. “But it’s a hate based on love.