The Secret Hook-Up (The Copper Valley Thrusters, #6)

by Pippa Grant

Being in a relationship isn’t about codependency, Duncan. It’s about the enhancement to both of your lives that you can’t get on your own.

I hate depending on people. I hate needing help. I hate vulnerability as a general concept.

Don’t settle for anyone who doesn’t think you’re gorgeous all the time. Don’t even do casual with someone who doesn’t think you’re gorgeous all the time. You’re welcome.”

How do you balance caring about someone with knowing that their life doesn’t fit with your life? How do you care without caring too much? How do you guard your own happiness when you feel like your happiness is denying someone else theirs?

“You know who makes the best partners in life?” “Who?”

“The people who understand all the ways relationships can go wrong and choose to actively be part of them anyway. Who choose to do their best with all of the lessons they’ve learned from their own experience and from watching others.”

of her. “From this moment forward,” I say, “you can go to bed every night knowing someone likes you for you. All of you. Your drive. Your intelligence. Your passion. Your independence. Your body. Your heart. All of you. And I will destroy anyone who makes you feel like you don’t deserve that. Understand?”

“You deserve to feel safe,” Addie repeats. “You get to take up space. You get to have needs. You deserve to be happy. And you do not ever, ever have to apologize for any of that, or minimize the bad things other people do to you.”

The night lies, my therapist used to tell me. It tells you the scary things that you want to believe.

“You get to make mistakes and take up space and have needs and not be sorry for it,”