Pretend You're Mine (Benevolence, #1)

by Lucy Score

“I also find you smart, beautiful, funny, and brave. But I can’t figure you out. How does someone who goes through everything you’ve gone through walk around with a permanent smile on her face?” “You mean because of my parents?” “Your parents, the fire, your idiot of an ex. Your resiliency is impressive. How does that happen?” “It’s not really impressive when there isn’t another option. What am I supposed to do, be all ‘woe is me’ for the rest of my life? I still get access to the same sunrises everyone else does, the same 24 hours in a day. And if I don’t take advantage of those things, it’s my own fault.” “So the world is too big and beautiful to be sad?” He was teasing her. “I can still be sad. But I don’t have to wallow or completely ignore the good that is still waiting for me. That’s careless and wasteful.”