More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“You’re my favorite person in the whole wide world, and I would swap everyone for you. Even Hugh.”
“When they said someone had been saved from the water. I prayed for it to be you.”
“I think they wanted your dad to save Bethany.” “I didn’t,” I admitted honestly. “I wanted to keep you most of all.”
“Just stay.” He squeezed my hand. “That helps.” “It does?”
“What about me?” he whispered as a lone tear trickled down his cheek. “Who’ll keep me safe?” “I will, silly,” I replied, releasing his hand so that I could give him a hug. “I’ll keep you safe, Gerard.”
“But your hugs feel like sunshine.” “Like sunshine?” I frowned in confusion. “How?” “Because you are sunshine, silly,”
“I mean it,” he urged, turning to look at me now. “I can’t lose another person I love.” “You love me?” He nodded sadly as another tear trickled down his check. “I love you most of all.”
“You can’t be my sister, Claire.” “Why not?” “Because you can’t have the hots for your sister.” “You’ve got the hots for me?”
“I don’t see anyone.” His lips tipped up in the smallest of smiles before he added, “Except for you.”
“Well, I will kick him in his willy if he hurts you,” I growled. “I know how to do it. Just ask Hugh. I kicked him in his willy last week for breaking my Barbie and he cried.”
“I like your face when you do that,” I told him, reaching up to touch the hole that appeared in his cheek when he smiled. “Do what?” “Smile,” I explained. “It makes my tummy wobble.” “Wobble?”
“Sorry. It’s just…holding your hand makes me feel better.”
Claire Biggs had a lot of things. My back. My attention. My heart. My soul. Yeah, she had all of me and that wasn’t an exaggeration.
it. She was the nicotine I couldn’t walk away from. The crutch I hadn’t learned to walk without.
If I could sew this girl to my skin without causing her an ounce of harm, then I would do it in a heartbeat. That’s how vital she was to my life. How essential she was to my existence. If drugs were to Joey Lynch what Claire Biggs was to me, then there was no amount of rehab that could sway me to kick the habit. Because she was the habit of my lifetime.
From as far back as I could remember, my mind had always been very clear about three things. One: Hugh was my brother. Two: Bethany was my sister. Three: Claire was mine.
The girl was everything to me, and that wasn’t me being dramatic. It was a fact. The thought of letting her down made me feel physically sick. The thought of any form of harm coming to her, be it emotional or physical, made me feel homicidal.
I wanted the future I joked about with her. I wanted everything with her.
That I could love her the right way. Because I loved this girl. With every fiber of my being. With every beat of my poor defective heart. I loved her fiercely, solely, wholeheartedly. I had so many physical urges directed solely toward her, but there were no guarantees in life, and I couldn’t risk it.
“Night, Gerard… Love you.” “I love you, too,” I whispered, feeling the familiar jolt of adrenaline rocket through my veins when those words spilled from her lips.
Claire meant it when she told me that she loved me. That was the first of two things in life I was sure of, and I meant it right back. That was the second thing I was sure of. If I knew nothing else in this world, then I knew that I loved Claire Biggs. More than she could ever know. More than one lousy four-letter word could ever depict.
“Because I love his crazy.”
“Gibs, I’d let my ma adopt the whole bleeding school if it meant that I got to keep that girl.” “Little Shannon, huh?” I grinned. “What a number she did on your heart, lad.”
“You should tell Gibs how you feel, Claire.” “He already knows how I feel,” I replied, settling back down on my stomach. “He’s just…Gerard.” “And you’re Claire,” she added. “And together you make a perfect team.”
“Please don’t let go.” “Never,” he vowed. “Not in a million years.”
“Baby Biggs and Lord of the Dance himself.”
“Oh god, but my heart loves you most of all.” “Right back at you, Shannon like the river.” “You’re really for keeps, aren’t you?” “Just try to get rid of me.” Chuckling, he stood up from the sand in one swift move, taking my bestie with him. “I’ve got you, my little darling.” “And I’ve got you, Binding 13,”
“Yeah,” he snorted. “What’s that saying for the word ‘fine,’ babe?” “Fucked up, insecure, neurotic and emotional.”
“I know words,” Gerard huffed, tone defensive. “Says the fella who tried to convince the whole of fourth class that tyrant was a breed of dinosaur.” “Hey! That was an easy mistake, and you know it.” Gerard shrugged noncommittally. “Could have happened to anyone.” “Funny how the things that could happen to anyone usually only happen to you, Gibs.”
“I’ll give you all my weekends, Claire Biggs,” His hand reached for mine, fingers entwining in that familiar way I treasured. “I’ll give you my weekdays, too.”
“You’re so beautiful,” I admitted because one, I had a problem keeping my mouth shut, and second, it was the truth. I’d never seen anything like her. “I swear you shine even in the darkness.” “You’re such a joker.” “I’m not joking.”
“What were you dreaming about?” “The usual,” she replied, cheek resting on my chest again. “Which is?” “You.”
love you, Claire.” “I love you, too, Gerard.” A shiver racked through her. “A lot.”
As for Joey? He’s a force to be reckoned with. I’ve never seen a more resilient human in my life. Yeah, he’ll always be an addict, but he’s got a family in there worth staying sober for. A girl and a baby that not only would he fight to the death for, but that he also wants to live for. So, fuck guarantees and don’t bet against him. He’ll forge an epic future for Aoife and AJ, just like he forged a future for his siblings.”
But he wasn’t Gerard.
Claire was my safe place.
“Claire Biggs.” She waggled her eyebrow like the Rock. “Spud-monkey.” Indulging her playfulness, I crossed my eyes until they turned inward. “Snuggle bunny.” She poked her tongue out and rolled it. “Baby daddy.” I pulled my cheeks until I looked sufficiently disfigured. “Baby mama.”
“My germs,” I teased before pressing a kiss to the adorable apple of her cheek. “Mine.”
“Behave yourself, Miss Biggs.”
“Because I love you too much!” he surprised me by saying. Expelling a pained breath, he dropped his head to rest on my shoulder. “Because I fucking love you, Claire Biggs.”
“Well, I’m yours,” he came right back with. “I’m yours, Claire.”
where there’s will, there’s a willy,
“You take the breath clean out of me.”
“I won’t apologize for what I did because I love you. Do you hear me? I love you, Gerard Gibson. I love the boy you were, and I love the man you’ve become.” Releasing a frustrated growl, I stalked toward him and planted my hands on his chest. “And I will stand up for all of your forms, baby, boy, or man! I will fight for you even when you can’t do it for yourself because that’s what best friends do.” Knotting my fingers in his onesie, I glared up at him before adding, “And I will never apologize for it.”
After all, taming 7 had been the adventure of my lifetime.
