Princess and the Player (Strangers in Love, #2)

by Ilsa Madden-Mills

I lean in. “But, Francesca, I want to see you. Your whole person. Without you and Mr. Darden yelling back and forth. Without the toboggan and glasses you had on at Café Lazzo.” My voice lowers. “And without the mask, Princess Bride.”

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiving is an attribute of the strong. You should remember that. It will keep your relationship with Francesca healthy.” “Isn’t that a Gandhi quote?” Tuck asks. “It’s a Cece quote. Who’s this Gandhi?”

“No, sweetheart. Listen to me. It’s you; you’re my zero hour. I can’t lose you. Jesus. I’m wrong. I’m fucking wrong. I’m messed up, and that’s forever, but you make it okay. I’m scared, but you’re the optimist, the yin to my yang, peas and carrots—sorry to be lame, but it’s something Jasper says, and it fits for me and you. I don’t know what the future is, if I’ll go down a dark road, but I need you in my life. I don’t deserve you, but I’ll try. I’ll try; I’ll be good for you; I’ll be the best man I can. We know what darkness looks like. We lived it, but we won’t—we’ll be the best fucking parents in the fucking world . . .”