The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Quotes

“Someone once told her there's a formula for how long it takes to get over someone, that it's half as long as the time you've been together.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“He's looking at her like she's the answer to some sort of riddle.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“How long till you get her?"
"Not long," she says. "Not long at all."
He sighs again. "Good."
"But dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you remind me where I'm going?”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“So," the woman asks, digging through her purse and emerging with a pair of foam earplugs, "how did you two meet?"
They exchange a quick glance.
"Believe it or not," Oliver says, "it was in an airport."
"Oh how wonderful!" she exclaims, looking positively delighted. "And how did it happen?"
"Well" he begins, sitting up a bit taller, "I was being quite gallant, actually, and offered to help her with her suitcase. And then we started talking and one thing lead to another..."
Hadley grins "And he's been carrying my suitcase ever since."
"It's what an true gentlemen would do," Oliver says with an exaggerated modesty.
"Especially the really gallant ones.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Now Hadley presses her forehead against the window of the taxi and once again finds herself smiling at the thought of him. He's like a song she can't get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn't think she could ever get tired of hearing it.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Above them, one of the blackened television screens brightens, and there's an announcement about the in-flight movie. It's an animated film about a family of ducks, one that Hadley's actually see, and when Oliver groans, shes about to deny the whole thing. But then she twists around in her seat and eyes him critically.
"There's nothing wrong with ducks," she tells him, and he rolls his eyes.
"Talking ducks?"
Hadley grins. "They sing, too."
"Don't tell me," he says. "You've already seen it."
She holds up two fingers. "Twice."
"You do know it's meant for five-year-olds, right?"
"Five- to eight-year-olds, thank you very much."
"And how old are you again?"
"Old enough to appreciate our web-footed friends."
"You," he says, laughing in spite of himself, "are a mad as a hatter."
"Wait a second," Hadley says in mock horror. "Is that a reference to a...cartoon?"
No, genius. It's a reference to a famous work of literature by Lewis Carroll. But once again, I can see how well that American education is working for you.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“It didn’t help that she was right; when had that ever made anything better?”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“This house is about two dictionaries away from caving in,' she'd say, 'and you're buying duplicates?”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“What are you doing a study on right now?"

"A study on the statistical probablity of love at first sight.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Do you think,” she says, the words emerging thickly, “we might have used up all our conversation last night?”
“Not possible,” says Oliver, and the way he says it, his mouth turned up in a smile, his voice full of warmth, unwinds the knot in Hadley’s stomach. “We haven’t even gotten to the really important stuff yet.”
“Like what?” she asks, trying to arrange her face in a way that disguises the relief she feels. “Like what’s so great about Dickens?”
“Not at all,” he says. “More like the plight of koalas. Or the fact that Venice is sinking.” He pauses, waiting for this to register, and when Hadley says nothing, he slaps his knee for emphasis. “Sinking! The whole city! Can you believe it?”
She frowns in mock seriousness. “That does sound pretty important.”
“It is,” Oliver insists. “And don’t even get me started on the size of our carbon footprint after this trip. Or the difference between crocodiles and alligators. Or the longest recorded flight of a chicken.”
“Please tell me you don’t actually know that.”
“Thirteen seconds,” he says, leaning forward to look past her and out the window. “This is a total disaster. We’re nearly to Heathrow and we haven’t even properly discussed flying chickens.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“When you’re on the other side of it,” she says, “fifty-two years can seem like about fifty-two minutes. Just like when you’re young and in love, a seven-hour plane ride can seem like a lifetime.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“But the crowds are surging around them and her backpack is heavy on her shoulders and the boy's eyes are searching hers with something like loneliness , like the very last thing he wants is to be left behind right now. And that's something Hadley can understand, too, and so after a moment she nods in agreement, and he tips the suitcase forward onto it's wheels, and they begin to walk.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“True," he says. "But I'm able to supplement it with my wealth of British intelligence and charm." "Right," Hadley says. "Charm. When do I get to see some of that?" He twists his mouth up at the corners. "Didn't some guy help carry your suitcase earlier?" "Oh yeah," she says, tapping a finger against her chin. "That guy. He was great. I wonder where he went?”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Perhaps if there were more time, or if time were more malleable; if she could be both places at once, live parallel lives”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“And for some reason, that was even worse. In the end, it's not the changes that will break your heart; it's that tug of familiarity”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“As a kid, I couldn't sleep without this ratty stuffed elephant," she explains, not sure what made her think of it now. Maybe it's that she'll be soon seeing her dad again, or maybe it's just the plane keying up beneath her, prompting a childish wish for her old security blanket.
[Oliver]"I'm not sure that counts"
"Clearly you've never met Elephant"
He laughs, "Did you come up with that name all by yourself?"
"Damn right," she says”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“She thinks of the way they stood together near the bathroom, how it seemed like they'd been on the brink of something, of everything, like the whole world was changing as they huddled together in the dark. And now here they are, like two polite strangers, like she'd only ever imagined the rest of it. She wishes they could turn around again and fly back in the other direction, circling the globe backward, chasing the night they left behind.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Even the not saying can balloon into something bigger than words themselves.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“There’s a star in the sky that refuses to stay put, and Hadley realizes it’s actually a plane, that just last night, that star was them.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“But no escape route." "Ah," he says. "So you're looking for an escape route." Hadley nods. "Always.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Well," he begins, sitting up a bit taller, "I was being quite gallant, actually, and offered to help with her suitcase. And then we started talking and one thing led to another...." Hadley grins. "And he's been carrying my suitcase ever since." "it's what any true gentleman would do," Oliver says with exaggerated modesty. "Especially the really gallant ones." The old woman seems pleased by this, her face folding into a map of tiny wrinkles. "And here you both are." Oliver smiles. "Here we are.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Hadley knows this isn’t some Disney movie. Her parents aren’t ever getting back together”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“[Hadley] "I have a fear of mayo, so I've actually gotten pretty good at it over the years."
[Oliver] "You have a fear of mayo?"
She nods again."It's in my top three or four."
"What are the others?" he asks with a grin. "I mean what could possibly be worse than mayonnaise.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“You say you can be honest with me?” Hadley asks after a moment, addressing Oliver’s rounded shoulders, and he twists to look at her. “Fine. Then talk to me. Be honest.”

“About what?”

“Anything you want.

To her surprise, he kisses her then. Not like the kiss at the airport, which was soft and sweet and full of farewell. This kiss is something more urgent, something more desperate; he presses his lips hard against hers, and Hadley closes her eyes and leans in, kissing him back until, just as suddenly, he breaks away again, and they sit staring at each other.

“That’s not what I meant,” Hadley says, and Oliver gives her a crooked smile.

“You said to be honest. That was the most honest thing I’ve done all day.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Someone once told her there's a formula for how long it takes to get over someone, that it's half as long as the time you've been together. Hadley has her doubts about how accurate this could possibly be, a calculation so simple for something as complicated as heartbreak.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Hadley grabs the laminated safety instructions from the seat pocket in front of her and frowns at the cartoon men and women who seem weirdly delighted to be bailing out of a series of cartoon planes. Beside her, Oliver stifles a laugh, and she glances up again.
"What?"
"I've just never seen anyone actually read one of those things before."
"Well," she says, "then you're very lucky to be sitting next to me.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Oliver smiles. "Did you know that people who meet at least three different times within a twenty-four hour period are ninety-eight percent more likely to meet again?”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“Yeah," Violet says from where she's stooped on the floor. "But those weren't family tears." Whitney rakes her fingers through Hadley's hair. "What were they, then." "Those were boy tears," Violet says with a smile.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

“For a long time they just stay there like that, as still as the statues in the garden. And when he gives her no sign --- no gestures of welcome, no indication of need--Hadley swallows hard and comes to a decision. But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an ending and a beginning, like a wish. "Wait," he says, and so she does.”
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight