Rainshadow Road

Without a doubt... the worst part of being a single woman was having to take care of your own car.

Friends are the support bras of life.

Kiss me,” she said urgently. Sam’s eyes flickered with mild surprise. “Right now?” “Yes.” “What kind of kiss?” “What do you mean, what kind of kiss? Just a regular kiss.” “A friendly kiss, or a romantic kiss? Are we supposed to be going out together, or—“ “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she exclaimed, and pulled his head down to hers.

The problem with chasing after happiness was that it wasn't a destination you could reach. It was something that happened along the way.

The guy who broke up with me... he was exactly like you, in the beginning. Charming, and nice. They're all like you in the beginning. But I always end up like this. And I can't do it anymore.

I love you," Sam said, and set his mouth against hers, and broke off the kiss because he had to say it again. "I love you." Lucy's trembling fingers came to his lips, caressing them gently, "Are you sure? How do you know it's not just about sex?" "It is about sex...sex with your mind, sex with your soul, sex with the color of your eyes, the smell of your skin. I want to sleep in your bed. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing I see at night. I love you the way I never thought I could love anyone.

Sam was waiting for her,his gaze sweeping over her. "Looks great." "I look like a geek," Lucy said. "I smell like a brewery. And I need a bra." "My dream date.

There were times in life when you had to take a risk that might end in failure. Because otherwise you would be haunted by what you hadn’t done... the paths you hadn’t taken, the things you hadn’t experienced.

Love was the secret behind everything...love was what made vineyards grow and filled the spaces between the stars, and fixed the ground beneath his feet. It didn't matter if you acknowledged it or not. You couldn't stop the motion of the earth or hold back the ocean tides, or break the pull of the moon. You couldn't stop the rain or pull a shade over the sun.

We may run into Kevin,” Lucy said gloomily. “She’s hoping to run into Kevin,” Zoë assured her. Justine smiled grimly. “Preferably with my car.

A butterfly symbolized acceptance of each new phase in life. To keep faith as everything around you changed.

In defense of geeks," Justine said, "they're great in bed. They fantasize a lot, so they're really creative. And they love to play with gadgets.

...even though you said yes to the wrong man, I hope that won't cause you to say no to the right one.

I've never been convinced that everything in a relationship needs to be talked about. Some things can't be fixed by a conversation

If it weren’t for public transportation,” Sam said, “my brother wouldn’t be getting married today. He and Maggie fell in love along the ferry route from Bellingham to Anacortes … which brings to mind the old saying that life is a journey. Some people have a natural sense of direction. You could put them in the middle of a foreign country and they could find their way around. My brother is not one of those people.” Sam paused as some of the guests started laughing, and his older brother gave him a mock-warning glance. “So when Mark by some miracle manages to end up where he was supposed to be, it’s a nice surprise for everyone, including Mark.” More laughter from the crowd. “Somehow, even with all the roadblocks and detours and one-way streets, Mark managed to find his way to Maggie.” Sam raised his glass. “To Mark and Maggie’s journey together. And to Holly, who is loved more than any girl in the whole wide world.

What did you do with memories, feelings, needs, that didn’t belong anywhere?

Justine reached for a fresh tissue and clamped it to Lucy’s nose as if she was a child. “Friends are the support bras of life. We don’t let each other down. Right?

Do you think it will make good wine?” “Probably not,” he said, and laughed. “Then why have you gone to so much trouble?” “Because you never know. The grapes might turn out to reveal some attributes of the wine that you never expected. Something that expresses this place more perfectly than anything you could have planned. You have to…” As Sam paused, searching for the right phrase, Lucy said softly, “You have to take a leap of faith.” Sam gave her an arrested glance. “Yes.” Lucy understood all too well. There were times in life when you had to take a risk that might end in failure. Because otherwise you would be haunted by what you hadn’t done…the paths you hadn’t taken, the things you hadn’t experienced.

If you have to tell someone they call the shots, they're not really calling the shots.

Friends are the support bras of life. We don't let each other down.

You think you've found the perfect mate and you head for him, blinking as fast as you can, and then you find out he's a Bic lighter.

Jesus, you get sentimental when you're high on paint fumes.

He pulled the truck back onto the road and floored it, while the words ran through his mind in a constant loop. Don’t leave. Don’t leave.

But to me it sounded like someone throwing a roll of paper towels and a can of frosting into an oven and saying, "You know, I think there's a good chance of this turning into a cake.

Having your own church doesn't make you a good guy. It only makes you tax-exempt.

you don't need Mom and Dad's permission to take charge of your own life. Find something you want to do, and don't give up on it. You can start tomorrow.

But wishes don’t have expiration dates.

Both of you think happiness is this thing you have to chase after, like a child with a shiny toy. It won't happen until you start finding ways to take care of other people instead of ways to please yourself.

Somehow, even with all the roadblocks and detours and one-way streets, Mark managed to find his way to Maggie.

... you don't believe in marriage ..." " I changed my mind. I figured out the flaw in my reasoning. I told you it was more romantic not to get married, because then you just stay with each other for the good times. But I was wrong. It only means something when you stay during the bad times. For better or worse.