More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
The one good thing about Charlie being around family—they always try to drag him into their orbit. When he’s tethered to the rest of the Cobalts, it’s easier to keep track of him.
“Really, I just enjoy this,” Jack says more quietly, our gazes latched with seriousness. “You and me and…” He breathes in but doesn’t breathe out. Our eyes dance along each other, and I find myself stepping closer.
We’re all a lot of where we come from, just as much as we are the people who raised us and who we’ve met along the way.
Charlie twists the gold ring on his finger. A Faust Academy crest of a falcon and crown rest in the center. He never had to tell me, but I know that’s his father’s high school ring.
“If people think that I’m betraying my family, they’re dumber than I thought,” he says. “Which is saying something because I think the human race has a chronic case of idiocy.”
I smile at the sight of her features. I like talking with my family, but nothing beats seeing their faces. It makes it feel like we aren’t split apart on either coast.
but I’d say that my mom does everything better. My dad would be the first to agree. She’s the heart of the Highland family.
Jesse is exactly ten years younger than me, and I love him more than life itself.
I feel most comfortable being approachable, being a positive energy when the world clouds and darkens. But for the first time, I’m… I’m confused.
Deep down, I wish this show were about Oscar. I have so many things I want to ask him. I have since the first time he called me Long Beach.
FYI: I feel chicken-shit scared in this moment. To believe one thing for so long about myself and then have to reassess is not even close to easy.
“The guy attaches himself to Farrow like he’s another appendage. He’s practically Redford’s sixth toe at this point.” Without a doubt, I love Donnelly as much as I love Farrow.
Because being on the outs with him fucking sucks, and even though I’m afraid of what I feel, I can’t bail. I have to ride the terrifying swell to shore and hope I don’t drown.
“Ever since Eliot and Tom moved in with me and Beckett, I’ve been cleaning up their messes. If I’m going to be their janitor, they better know how dumb I think the shit they get themselves into is.”
Then again, Highland loves to wear my clothes. And I’d be a Liar with a capital L if I said I didn’t like him in them.
“Do you ask all your co-workers for a kiss?” he shoots back. I smile, trying not to disintegrate in my seat from this conversation. “Only the cute ones,” I say, popping a chip in my mouth. As smooth as that was, I regret it. Oliveira, stop flirting with the straight boy. Holy fucking shit, I’m hopeless.
She said, you live down the hall from the most obnoxious Cobalt boy. I’ll pass. I thought she meant Charlie, but then she told me, Beckett. I love that she hates him because he’s been trying to hit on my sister since Scotland. And I know what kinds of clubs Beckett goes to, and I don’t want my baby sis anywhere near that.
It’s a gift not to become jaded by beauty.
He casts me a quick glance, then one to the girl. Back and forth. Her brows draw together. “Who are you?” “My name’s Jack,” he says into a short nod, his smile gone. “Who are you?” That was cold for welcome-mat, red-carpet-entrance Jack Highland. I’m staring more at him than her. He sounds jealous. I’d bet…five bucks on it.
“And like, sure, don’t attach your dreams to a sinking ship, but I’ve also never closed a door to an opportunity this big.”
Confusion laces his yellow-green eyes. “I’m fine,” he says through his teeth. “Nothing happened. You don’t need to give me the silent treatment like I’m five-years-old.”
No one really knows Charlie but Charlie, and probably his twin brother and father. But I have one of the best windows into his life. He’s enigmatic and alluring to the world, but what they don’t realize is that he’s just as destructive as his brothers. He’s simply better at fooling people.
“I’m doing it for you, you know. The show, the one about my life.”
“I know you hate the Oslie rumors as much as me,” Charlie says. “I know you barely have time to date because you’re following me around the world—”
“Then I made the right decision with this show. Aunt Lily always says she can predict love, but she has nothing on me.”
“L’enfer est vide et tous les diables sont ici.” Hell is empty and all the devils are here. I recognize the Shakespeare quote. The Tempest.
He has the kind of die-hard, life-long friendships I thought only existed in cult, coming-of-age movies.
Don’t sweat the small stuff has been my motto since forever. I’ve got bigger shit going on.
Cobalt drama is like a Cool Ranch Dorito. It makes me happy inside, and I’ll gladly take anything right now. Especially Thatcher, my lead, fucking his fiancée in his future father-in-law’s limo. Look, I’d pay good money to see Connor Cobalt’s reaction.
It’s not my business either, but it’s in my face and I see it. So give me the popcorn.
“Why 0502? Don’t you usually go for 1118 in passwords?” 11/18 is my birthday. November 18th. May 2nd is Oscar’s birthday.
I already know this is going to end badly. Because I didn’t bring Oscar’s clothes with me.
I crave so much with him that I never thought I would or could.
“I like you so fucking much that the idea of losing what we have makes me sick. I don’t want to shut the door on possibly the greatest opportunity of my life, and it’s right here—it’s you.”
Making out with Jack is like strapping into a carnival ride and whirling at high speeds. Dizzying, adrenaline-fueled.
But then again, his blood cells might as well be named Charisma and Confidence, swimming around in his veins.
Charlie. That little bastard hooked me up with Highland, and somehow, it worked.
“Story of my life is being surrounded by people who aggravate the fuck out of me.”
“Getting lost in the woods together—one of my favorite romance tropes,” he muses and sticks the blunt in his mouth. Oscar and I share a tense look. Fuck.
“I have a question,” I tell Charlie. “And the sky is blue.”
I’m playing favorites. Is it fair? Yeah, no. Life isn’t fair, and I have intense feelings for the pretty boy with the camera. And if his little brother is in a pickle, I’m going to help get him out.
and usually, I can flash a smile and get my way but that works only 50% of the time with you.
“You’re killing me, Os.” Os? I sit up off Jack in a jolt. He has another hand on his head, face frozen in too many emotions. “I, uh…sorry.” He straightens up too, breath knotted. “It just came out.” He tries to smile. “You don’t like nicknames?” I love them. I’d give him a hundred corny, sappy nicknames if I could.
Charlie is sleeping, the program for Romeo & Juliet splayed over his eyes. He rarely looks tired. Rarely, if ever, yawns because he finds random and opportune times to catch sleep.
We encompasses anyone who’s Team Cobalt, and Farrow has always been Team Hale, even before the Husband.” I tease, “Choose your sides wisely, Highland.”
I wish I could just show affection. Touch is my favorite love language, and I can’t wrap an arm around him like I did in the camp cabin.
Effortless beauty and grace with the ferocity of a lion. Charlie read that review to me after Beckett’s first season as a principal dancer. He smiled at his twin brother’s success, and no matter how many hundred times I’m here seeing Beckett jump and twirl, I think of that quote.
“I heard a fan outside ask who your celebrity crush is,” Farrow grins wider, “and I definitely heard you answer, my husband.” “Aww,” I pile on the teasing with the bat of my lashes.
I have a theory that no one taught Maximoff Hale how to flirt. He literally does the kindergarten sandbox “I hate you” maneuver with Farrow,
“Okay, promise me that whatever happens next, you won’t shut the window on me. Promise that it’s wide open and I’m on the other side with you—that it’s you and me and anyone who tries to come in, you’ll help me keep out?”
