The Fixer Quotes

“I have a passing fondness for explosions."

That was concerning on so many levels.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“What are we doing?" Asher helped himself to a seat at my table.

"We aren't doing anything," I told him bluntly.

"My mistake. I thought we were brooding in Henry's general direction. Like so." He adopted stormy countenance, then gestured to me. "Yours is better."

"Go away, Asher."

"You say go away, I hear be my bosom buddy." He gave an elaborate shrug. "Seriously, though: friendship bracelets—yea or nay?”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“It's your favorite person."

"No. You're not."

"I won't embarrass you by proving I am.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“I’d tell you that you can’t stay mad forever,” Ivy commented, “but I’m pretty sure you’d take that as a challenge.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Some people just need to be flying tackled.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“I'd tell you that was pretty much impossible," Asher replied, "but your Tess Kendrick. My spider senses tell me that impossible is kind of your thing.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Henry had a rare gift for sounding reasonable no matter what he was saying.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Mr. Collins shook his head. “Stay off the roof,” he ordered. Then he paused. “Stay off all the roofs.” The fact that he felt he had to make that clarification told me a great deal about Asher Rhodes.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“There are a lot of ways to castrate a bull," I said, my words deliberate and slow. "You can band the balls off, so they shrivel up and die. Or you can take a knife, and slide it just so." I demonstrated with my free hand. "I grew up on a ranch. I know a lot about castrating bulls.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Et tu, Henry?” Asher held a hand to his chest. Henry didn’t bat an eye. He was clearly used to the dramatics.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Over the next hour and a half, I came to the conclusion that Emilia Rhodes was either the devil incarnate or the second coming of Coco Chanel.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Asher smiled beatifically, as if he’d been waiting his whole life for someone to ask just that question. “How would you feel about some Mentos and Diet Coke?”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Asher waved away my words, unconcerned. “If Emilia was predisposed to fratricide, I wouldn’t have made it past kindergarten,” he said. “I am, however, somewhat concerned that she might kill you.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Tess,” I said. For a moment, Emilia and I studied each other. She was tall, with strawberry-blond hair and eyes that walked the line between green and blue. She wore almost no makeup, except for a light gloss on her lips. “So you’re Ivy Kendrick’s sister,” she said finally. “I thought you’d be taller.” “I’ll get right to work on that.” Emilia cracked a very small smile.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Tommy was . . . exciting.” It took her a moment to decide on the word. “He was motion and emotion. He never stopped moving, never stopped feeling. He was stubborn and loyal and never once thought about the consequences of anything he did.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“I don’t want to be alone,” I whispered. The second those words left my mouth, Vivvie flew across the room. She hugged me like hugging was a contact sport.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“You aren’t the enemy,” Henry said, dropping his arm to his side once more and taking a step back. “That doesn’t mean our goals are aligned.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Tallyho, friends of Asher!” Asher had impeccable timing. He waltzed into the room and hopped up on the computer table, his legs dangling down, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like the tension in the room wasn’t thick enough that you could have cut it with a knife. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked blithely. Just Henry telling me he thinks my sister might be working to cover up his grandfather’s murder. Henry must have read something in my expression, because a hint of remorse flashed across his features.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Adam’s blue eyes flicked briefly over to mine as he directed me to turn onto a major street. Once he was satisfied that I could, in fact, turn without causing my car—or any car in the near vicinity—to explode, he allowed himself to actually converse. “You don’t trust people?” “Not to hit my car, or not to screw up my life?” “Either.” That seemed like more of an answer than a question, so I didn’t reply.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Is that your professional take on the situation?” I kept my voice dry and caustic. This wasn’t worth yelling over. It wasn’t even worth a heated whisper.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“I guess I always thought,” Ivy said softly, “that if I was strong enough, if I was formidable enough, if I was successful enough—I could be enough. For you. I thought that if I became this person who could take on the world, then I could take care of you.” She shook her head—at her past self, maybe, or to snap herself out of it. “When I came to Montana that summer, Tess, I thought I was ready. I really did. I was going to give you everything. But Gramps called me out, and he was right, Tessie. I wasn’t doing it for you. You were thriving. You were happy. And I . . .” The words got caught in her throat, but she forced them out. “I was your sister. I was never going to be strong enough or successful enough. There was never going to be a right time to tell you. You were happy. And you deserved to be happy.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“I don’t need your permission to search your locker.” The headmaster’s tone drew my attention back in his direction. This, I inferred from the rise in volume, was supposed to be the voice of authority. If you didn’t need my permission, I thought, then why did you ask for it?”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Girlfriend number seventeen," Asher replied. "Before Sophie and after Sarah."
"You'd had seventeen girlfriends by the time you were fourteen?" I asked.
"The ladies, he replied with a shrug. They love me. It's because I'm so charming."
"You're balancing on one leg on the roof of a chapel. You're not charming. You're an idiot.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Walking in heels while wearing a ball gown was, as it turned out, more difficult than finagling an invitation to a state dinner.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Across from me, Ivy began applying clotted cream to her scone. “What do you want, Tess?” “Not tea and crumpets,” I muttered. “That’s for damn sure.” An older lady at the table next to us shot me a dirty look. I stared down at the lace tablecloth. “I didn’t ask you what you don’t want,” Ivy informed me. “I asked what you do want. Don’t think of this as a heart-to-heart. Think of it as a negotiation. I want you to give this arrangement a chance.” Ivy’s voice never changed—not in volume, not in tone. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll see what I can do.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Emilia stared at me for three or four more seconds, then gave up on pumping me for information. “We should go,” she decided with the force of a monarch declaring law. “I have Latin first period. The Aeneid waits for no man.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“Bodie’s phone rang. Ivy. I knew it was her, the way you know the protagonist of a horror movie really shouldn’t go down into that basement. Bodie took the call, then nodded at me to go back inside.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“You’re quiet.” Bodie issued that statement with no small amount of suspicion. “I’m always quiet.” As Bodie pulled the car past the gates and out onto the street, he glanced at me just long enough to smirk. “And I’m always perceptive. This quiet is a different quiet.” My mind was awash in the day’s events. Georgia’s visit. Vivvie and the article on Pierce. The two names from Henry’s list. Adam’s father being the one who had arranged the get-together in that photograph. “I’m fluent in all varieties of Kendrick silences,” Bodie declared. “And you and your sister both stare very intently at absolutely nothing when the wheels are turning in here.” He lazily reached over and tapped the side of my head. I swatted his hand away. “I have a lot to think about.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“What do you want me to do, Adam?” my sister asked finally, her voice soft enough now that I had to strain to hear. “Things were bad in Montana. I’m not sending her back, and I am not shipping her off to some boarding school. And don’t give me that look—you were the one who told me to bring her here three years ago!”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer

“As far as I could tell, my history teacher had three passions in life: quoting Shakespeare, identifying historical inaccuracies in cable TV shows, and berating Ryan Washburn. “Eighteen sixty-three, Mr. Washburn. Is that so hard to remember? Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in eighteen sixty-three.” Ryan was a big guy: a little on the quiet side, a little shy. I had no idea what it was about him that had convinced Mr. Simpson he needed to be taken down a notch—or seven. But more and more, this was how history class went: Simpson called on Ryan, repeatedly, until he made a mistake. And then it began.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Fixer