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Alexandra and Graham were having a baby. Together. My baby sister. And my ex-husband.
confidence rivaled that of ten mediocre men. Nothing and no one stood in my way.
maple latte
she was constitutionally incapable of sucking up to wealthy people.
I’d slept in far more uncomfortable places. This was one of my superpowers. The ability to sleep anywhere and function on nothing more than a power nap.
started signing to her at three months old, and she was signing back around eight months. I wanted to create a secure bond between us, and I hoped—I still do—that she’d feel confident that I could meet her needs.”
mostly men in their seventies who wanted to get out of the house. They called themselves the geezer squad
Communities are built on effort and hard work.
The countless faceless women he’d met on Tinder had done me a favor. Though I could have done without the chlamydia. But antibiotics did the trick. Thank you,
Failing or falling—part of my daily life—I’d pick myself up and move on to the next adventure or injury.
she loved the pressure of the wrap. The research I’d done indicated that it helped regulate a baby’s nervous system.
That was the funny thing about grief. It was always there, in the shadows, waiting to step into the light as a reminder of how bad things could get. A testimony to how much a person had lost.
Every smile, every giggle lifted me up while breaking my heart,
I was shamelessly thrilled she’d given me a name. I felt
the coolest kid in the world when she smiled at me and shouted it at full volume.
The tight T-shirts, the backward hat, and the full sleeve of tattoos only made the babywearing look sexier.
was always amazed by how even casual acquaintances felt entitled to information about my fucking uterus.
taught at a young age that being ruled by emotions was bad. That I should deflect and deny. Make pleasant small talk and keep my feelings to myself.
“I’m serious. The way we speak to ourselves matters. If you’re walking around thinking you deserved to be treated so badly or that you caused it in some way, then I’ll make it my mission to correct you. Because you’re dead fucking wrong.”
Logically, I knew I wasn’t at fault. Being naïve wasn’t a crime. Neither was giving away trust so easily.
Being cheated on so many times, so brazenly, was like a tattoo on my heart, permanent and painful.
I’d give anything for a mom like that. One who was loving and generous, who rolled with the punches. Who loved her kids enough to let them be who they needed to be.
Alice was curvy with blond hair and deep green eyes. She had the kind of all-American
apple-cheeked beauty that stopped people in their tracks.
But the universe knew I needed badass women in my life and sent them my way.
“Lumberjack is not a vocation.” She giggled. “It’s a state of being.”
thick mustache and stern dad energy
brimming with the kind of unearned confidence his daddy’s money had probably bought him.
“My Best Friend” by Tim McGraw,
I could live a thousand years and not forget a single detail of the kiss I shared with Victoria Randolph. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
She should ask more of others. Demand more and better. She didn’t have to make herself small or minimize her needs.
love you and respect your choices. Even if those choices are baffling and misguided.”
“You make me work for it. It takes effort to earn your smiles and your laughter.”
“You may not be easy, but that doesn’t mean you’re not worth the work.”
Then Daddy’s giving you extra treats for being such a super baby and defeating the bad guy.”
This man, a wall of muscle, ink, and chest hair, held this tiny baby like she was the most precious thing to ever exist. Her distress was causing him physical pain.
Compared to her sisters, Vic looked like a Renaissance painting. All creamy skin and delicious curves. Long legs, curvy waist, and pouty smile.
rather than the kid with ADHD who didn’t read until third grade. When
I’m coordinating a response, I’m sharp, and all the noise disappears. The world gets clear.
prayed that it would be enough to anchor him as the grief took over.
We were all broken people. We got up every day and worked to fill in the cracks,
had happened before then, a small shift
out of his arms and scooted into the kitchen, then pulled the pots and pans out
I need to collect my thoughts. And the only time my mind is clear and focused is when you’re in my arms.”
“I never thought I’d fit here. But Lovewell has a way of forcing you to confront and make peace with the things you’ve tried to avoid. I promise, if you give yourself a chance, give this town a chance, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
The life I’d run away from, the life I’d worked so hard to avoid, now felt like the one thing that could save Tess and me.
you’re uncharacteristically amazing and they got tired of denying it.”
“I’m ready to build forever with you. Slowly. If you’re not there yet, I’ll wait. But you should know that Tess and I are all-in.”
DNA doesn’t make a family. Love does.
