Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys Quotes

“Boys are unpredictable. This maybe not be news, but I'm starting to think it's one of the best things about them.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“All I know is, he found out you left and he locked himself in the shed and barricaded the door. No one's seen him since," Doug said. "When I bolted, Sean and Evan were trying to boost Caleb up onto the roof so he could look through the skylight and make sure the kid wasn't dead or something.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Holy Abercrombie catalog, Megan thought.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Boys do tell you how they really feel. I think you just have to be in the right place at the right time or maybe be the right person”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“So are you comin' back with me or what?"

Megan lifted her head and sighed. "I have a few conditions."

"Shoulda known," Doug said, rolling his eyes.

"First of all, I did not sign up for a truck stop bathroom," Megan said. "You guys need to start cleaning up after yourselves in there. No more blood, no more hair, no more stains that I don't even want to identify."

"All right, all right," Doug said. "That it?"

"Hardly," Megan said. "I want a hands-off rule on all my stuff. Including my bike."

"Okay..."

"And I want everyone to stop calling me Megan C Cups behind my back."

Doug's jaw went slack as he flushed. "How did you know about that?"

Megan raised her eyebrows.

"All right, fine.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Observation #3: They gossip.

Can you believe it? I overheard Finn and Doug in the backyard talking about some girl named Dawn who blew off some guy named Simon for some other guy named Rick for like twenty minutes! They sounded like those old mole-hair ladies at Sal's Milshakes.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“They both fought to catch their breath, though Megan's oxygen deprivation had nothing to do with the game.

"You okay?" Finn asked.

"Yeah, you?" she replied. Every inch of her body was throbbing to touch him again.

"Yeah," he replied with a huge grin. He pushed himself around and got on all fours in front of her, pausing there with his face inches from hers. "I'm glad you stayed," he whispered, his breath warm on her face.

Megan somehow managed to reply. "Me too."

Then Finn pushed himself up and headed back toward the centre of the yard. For a moment, Megan couldn't move. Then Doug walked over and offered his arm. Megan grasped it thankfully and he yanked up to her shaky legs.

"Who's all in a twist now?" he asked with a smirk.

Megan laughed and shoved him from behind as they headed back to the line.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Evan stopped completely. He was staring at her with those intense eyes. Staring right into her. Just like he had in those couple of moments when she had thought for a split second, that he wanted to kiss her.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“One more thing," Megan said, stopping Doug in his tracks.

His shoulders slumped and he turned around. "What? You want my kidney?"

"I want in on the next ultimate Frisbee game," Megan said.

Doug grinned. "You're playing skins."

Megan grinned back. "We'll see about that.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Finally Doug broke the stalemate and looked at Megan.

"Thanks a lot," he said sarcastically. Then he yanked off his plastic gloves, tossed them at her feet, and stormed away.

Finn let out a sigh as he gazed after his brother. "You know, my parents really should have stopped with me.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“So, look, you can't leave," Doug said, sitting straight up and turning towards her. "if you do, Miller's gonna revert and Caleb and Ian are gonna ride roughshod and Sean'll go back to being ghost brother and Finn..."
Megan's heart slipped. "Finn what?"
"Finn will be destroyed," Doug said, looking her in the eye. "You got that dude all up in a twist, you know that, right?"
"What does that even mean?" Megan asked.
"All's I know is, he found out you left and he locked himself in the shed and barricaded the door. No one's seen him since," Doug said. "When I bolted, Sean and Evan were trying to boost Caleb up onto the roof so he could look through the skylight and make sure the kid wasn't dead or something."
Megan swallowed hard. "Wow.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Observation #8: Boys are icky.

Do not even get me started on the state of the bathroom. I'm thinking of calling in a haz-mat team. Seriously.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Boys everywhere. All seven of them plus their dad, running and laughing and shoving each other around on the front lawn, engaged in what appeared to be a full-contact, tackle version of ultimate Frizbee. They were playing shirts and skins. Shirts and might-fine-lookin' skins.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Megan could have kissed him. If there weren't a million obstacles, both physical and psychological, in her way, of course.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“TooDamn-Funky: It's a start, ok. Been thinking bout the boyz. 'member last year my bro did that immersion thing in Venezuela?
Kciker5525: Where he learned to speak Spanish???
TooDamn-Funky: Yeah! u go for 2 weeks talk nothing but Spanish u come back fluent.
Kicker5535: ...????
TooDamn-Funky: Well this is like a guy immersion program!
Kicker5525: So...what. I'm going 2 b fluent in GUY?
TooDamn-Funky: Exactly! u will c what they talk about alone. U will c how they r with each other. U will c how they THINK!! AND WHEN IT'S DONE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE A GUY GUIDE BOOK!!
Kicker5525: U r deranged.”
― Kate Brian , Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Do you guys even realize that you’re not really playing ultimate?” Megan asked. “I looked it up online and you’re doing it entirely wrong.”
“We’re doing it McGowan style,” Doug replied with a knowing nod.
“What does that mean?” Megan asked.
“It’s football with a Frisbee,” Finn told her. “And at the end of the game we like to high five a lot and make barking noises. No one knows why or when we started it; we just did.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Hey,” Finn said, glancing over his shoulder. He had the end of a paintbrush clenched between his teeth. “You’re just in time.”
“For what?” she asked as she slipped inside.
“My nervous breakdown,” Finn said with a wry smile, dropping his paintbrush onto the easel’s shelf. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and sat down on an old garden bench that was pushed up against the wall. “I suck. Did you know that you are in the presence of a person who completely and utterly sucks?”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys
Entry One

Observation #1: When they’re beautiful, they know they’re beautiful.
Like the second-to-oldest one, Evan. He’s a senior. He is perfection personified. And he knows it. You can tell because he just sort of smiles knowingly when you gape at him. Not that I’ve been gaping at him. Not at all. Anyway, too soon yet to tell if it negatively affects his behavior. (Like Mike Blukowsi and his Astrodome-sized ego problem.)

Observation #2: They like skin.
Especially skin they think they’re not necessarily supposed to be seeing. Like the space between your belly tee and your waistband.

Observation #3: They have no problem bringing up events that would mortify me into shamed silence if the roles were reversed.
Like Evan totally brought up the wiffleball bat incident, when if that had happened to me, I’d be wishing on every one of my birthday cakes for everyone to forget it.

Observation #4: They gossip.
Can you believe it? I overheard Finn and Doug in the backyard talking about some girl named Dawn who blew off some guy named Simon for some other guy named Rick for like TWENTY MINUTES! They sounded like those old mole-hair ladies at Sal’s Milkshakes. ‘Member the ones who lectured us for a whole hour that day about how young women shouldn’t wear shorts? Wait, okay, I got sidetracked.

Observation #5: The older ones are so cute with the younger ones.
They were playing ultimate Frisbee when I first got here and Evan totally let Caleb and Ian tackle him. It was soooooo cute. **sigh.**

Observation #6: They’re cliquey.
I mean, eye-rolling, secret-handshake, don’t-talk-to-us-unless-you’ve-got-an-X-and-a-Y cliquey. Very schooled in the art of the freeze-out.

Observation #7: They have no sense of personal space.
I need a lock on my door. STAT.

Observation #8: Boys are icky.
Do not even get me started on the state of the bathroom. I’m thinking of calling in a haz-mat team. Seriously.

Observation #9: They have really freaky things going on down there.
Yeah, I don’t think I’m ready to elaborate on that one yet.

Observation #10: They know how to make enemies.
Big time.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“you guys all suck you know that?" Meagan shouted, flinging open the door of the shed.
Finn dropped his paintbrush on the leg of his jeans where it left a streak of orange before hitting the dirty floor.
"sorry?" he said.
"you!you suck!" Meagan fumed.
"we've been over this. I know I suck."
"not your art.you!you...guys" Meagan shouted.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“From: Kicker5525@yahoo.com
To: TooDamn-Funky@rockin.com
Subject: Boy Guide

Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys
Entry Thirteen

Observation #1: Boys are unpredictable.
This may not be news, but I’m starting to think it’s one of the best things about them.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“We always thought it was cool that my mom only had boys, you know? Doug said, for once dropping his gangsta accent. “Who knew that we actually needed a sister?”
Megan looked down at her hands.
“Oh, man! Are you gonna go all blubbery on my ass?” Doug asked.
Megan laughed. “No.”
“So are you comin’ back with me or what?”
Megan lifted her head and sighed. “I have a few conditions.”
“Shoulda known,” Doug said, rolling his eyes.
“First of all, I did not sign up for a truck stop bathroom,” Megan said. “You guys need to start cleaning up after yourselves in there. No more blood, no more hair, no more random stains that I don’t even want identified.”
“All right, all right,” Doug said. “That it?”
“Hardly,” Megan said. “I want a hands-off rule on all my stuff. Including my bike.”
“Okay…”
“And I want everyone to stop calling me Megan C Cups behind my back.”
Doug’s jaw went slack as he flushed. “How did you know about that?”
Megan raised her eyebrows.
“All right, fine. Is that all?” Doug said.
“You think you can do these things for me?” Megan asked.
“Well, I may have to put the beatdown on a few people, but yeah. No problem,” Doug said casually.
“Don’t beat down anybody,” Megan said.
“Don’t tell me how to do my job,” Doug said, cracking his knuckles comically.
“Okay,” Megan said, standing. For the first time all day, she felt calm--certain. “I’ll come back.”
“Thank God!” Doug said. “Let’s get the hell outta this place.”
“Oh, wait! One more thing,” Megan said, stopping Doug in his tracks.
His shoulders slumped and he turned around. “What? You want my kidney?”
“I want in on the next ultimate Frisbee game,” Megan said.
Doug grinned. “You’re playin’ skins.”
Megan grinned back. “We’ll see about that.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“So, look, you can’t leave,” Doug said, sitting up straight and turning toward her. “If you do, Miller’s gonna revert and Caleb and Ian are gonna ride roughshod and Sean’ll go back to being Ghost Brother and Finn…”
Megan’s heart slipped. “Finn what?”
“Finn will be destroyed,” Doug said, looking her in the eye. “You got that dude all up in a twist, you know that, right?”
“What does that even mean?” Megan asked.
“All’s I know is, he found out you left and he locked himself in the shed and barricaded the door. No one’s seen him since,” Doug said. “When I bolted, Sean and Evan were trying to boost Caleb up onto the roof so he could look through the skylight and make sure the kid wasn’t dead or something.”
Megan swallowed hard. “Wow.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Now, all of a sudden, she had an overwhelming urge to talk to Finn. She turned and, out of habit, walked over to the shed, not even thinking about the fact that he had been banned from his home-away-from-home. One push opened the door and Megan’s entire world came to a screeching stop.
Standing on the easel directly across from her was her own image. Finn’s painting of her. Completed to the last eyelash. It took her breath away.
Slowly Megan approached the painting. It was unlike anything else Finn had ever painted. He hadn’t painted her profile or her shoulder or her hands or her ear. It was the only painting in the room that was a full, face-forward portrait, and it was amazing how much it looked like her. Only softer somehow. Prettier. More open. Her lips were pulled up on one side in a sort of knowing smile. Her skin practically glowed, and the smattering of freckles across her nose actually looked sweet to her. But it was the eyes that killed her. They swirled with at least five shades of green and had delicate gold flecks painted subtly through them. Was this what she really looked like to Finn? Did he really think she was this…beautiful?
Megan reached out and touched the edge of the canvas. The paint was completely dry.
When had he had time to finish this? She remembered suddenly that he had been grounded for the past few days. He must have been sneaking out here all week to work on it. And he had finished it. He had actually finished a painting. Of her.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“I wanted to tell you both that I’m leaving for Korea,” Megan announced. “In about half an hour.”
Evan’s jaw dropped and Doug froze in his tracks. He turned around slowly and plastered a smile on his face. “Finally,” he said.
“Yeah, well, before I go, there’s something I want to say to you guys,” Megan said.
“Famous last words?” Doug asked sarcastically.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Hey, Hailey, want a bracelet?” Pearl asked.
Everyone turned to look at her. Stilted conversation was one thing. Gifts were quite another.
“Uh…sure,” Hailey said.
She turned and unzipped the small pouch on her backpack. As she dug through it, Ria whacked Pearl on the arm.
“You’re gonna make her jewelry?” Ria whispered.
“Ow! What’s the big deal?” Pearl whispered back.
“That girl does not deserve presents,” Ria replied.
“Well, I can’t take it back now,” Pearl said, looking miserable.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Hailey let out a breath and launched the paper towel at the garbage can. It swished right in.
“Don’t tell me you play basketball, too,” Megan said lightly.
Hailey looked at Megan and sighed. “This is going to be one long year.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Megan stopped suddenly--Finn’s face had gone all weird. He wasn’t smiling anymore. It seemed like he had stopped breathing.
“What?” Megan said, her heart skipping a beat. He was studying her. Taking in every line of her face from her jaw to her cheekbone to her flyaway hair.
Finn reached over and ran his hand quickly over her hair, brushing it back. “This,” he said.
And then he leaned forward and kissed her. For an infinitesimal moment, Megan froze. She had no idea what to do with herself. No idea where to put her hands or whether to move her lips or how to even breathe.
Kiss him back, for God’s sake! she told herself.
Then she stifled a surprised, embarrassed, happy laugh and did as she was told. She returned his pressure and reached up to grab awkwardly at his sleeve. Finn’s hand cupped the back of her head and his other hand lightly touched her knee. Megan’s skin was on fire. Finn was kissing her. Finn was kissing her!
He pulled back, out of nowhere, and looked her in the eyes. “Is this okay?” he asked.
Megan mutely, dumbly, breathlessly nodded. She just wanted his lips on hers. He smiled and kissed her again, and this time Megan slid forward on the bench, leaning her body closer to his. What she couldn’t believe was how perfect this felt. How excited and happy and thrilling and safe all at the same time.
And then it hit her: Finn was the one.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“It was this whole huge deal,” Megan said. “But then we re-voted and I won! I still can’t believe it.”
“Well, congratulations,” Finn said.
“Thanks. I couldn’t wait t tell you,” Megan said, grinning at him. “You should have seen her face. It was like…”
Megan stopped suddenly--Finn’s face had gone all weird. He wasn’t smiling anymore. It seemed like he had stopped breathing.
“What?” Megan said, her heart skipping a beat. He was studying her. Taking in every line of her face from her jaw to her cheekbone to her flyaway hair.
Finn reached over and ran his hand quickly over her hair, brushing it back. “This,” he said.
And then he leaned forward and kissed her. For an infinitesimal moment, Megan froze. She had no idea what to do with herself. No idea where to put her hands or whether to move her lips or how to even breathe.
Kiss him back, for God’s sake! she told herself.
Then she stifled a surprised, embarrassed, happy laugh and did as she was told. She returned his pressure and reached up to grab awkwardly at his sleeve. Finn’s hand cupped the back of her head and his other hand lightly touched her knee. Megan’s skin was on fire. Finn was kissing her. Finn was kissing her!
He pulled back, out of nowhere, and looked her in the eyes. “Is this okay?” he asked.
Megan mutely, dumbly, breathlessly nodded. She just wanted his lips on hers. He smiled and kissed her again, and this time Megan slid forward on the bench, leaning her body closer to his. What she couldn’t believe was how perfect this felt. How excited and happy and thrilling and safe all at the same time.
And then it hit her: Finn was the one.
The one she’d wanted to share her great news with. The one she could talk to. The one she always thought of when something funny or weird or interesting happened. Finn was smart and hilarious and kind and thoughtful.
Why did I waste my time thinking about Evan? Megan wondered as Finn lightly trailed a finger down her cheek. How could I have done that when Finn was right here all along?
All she wanted to do was get as close to him as possible. It was suddenly impossible to believe that she had lasted this long in life without feeling this way.
The door behind Megan let out its telltale squeak and Finn sprang away from her so fast she almost fell forward. It wasn’t fast enough, however. Regina stood in the doorway, her arms crossed tightly over her stomach.
Megan gulped in a breath and looked at Finn, who hung his head as low as it could go. Yes, Finn McGowan was a lot of great things. But now he was also a dead man.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“Okay, well, I guess we should do nominations,” Pearl said finally.
Jessica raised her hand. “I nominate Hailey Farmer,” she said before anyone could acknowledge her.
There’s a big shock, Megan thought.
“Okay. Hailey, do you accept the nomination?” Pearl asked.
“Yes, I do,” Hailey said gravely.
“She totally rehearsed that,” Ria said in Megan’s ear.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

“I didn’t know you had a new friend, Miller; that’s great.”
“Megan’s my new friend too,” Miller said.
Finn looked at Megan, practically beaming. “Yeah, I know. That’s pretty clear.”
Megan was suddenly very interested in her salad. She felt like everyone at the table was watching her and she didn’t look up again until they had all started to eat. The second she did, Ria caught her eye and shot her an impressed glance.
“What?” Megan mouthed, knitting her brows.
Ria made a face and looked in Finn’s direction. Everything in her expression implied that she thought Finn was here for Megan. That Finn was here because he liked Megan.
Megan rolled her eyes, shook her head no, and looked down at her tray again to cut Ria off from expressing anything further. Holding her breath, she cast a look toward Finn and he glanced quickly away. He had been watching her.
Megan’s heart raced and she took a long sip of her soda. Ria was insane. Finn did not like her. Finn liked girls like Kayla Bird. That might not have worked out, but Kayla was clearly his type and clearly nothing like Megan. No. Ria was wrong. She just had to be.”
― Kate Brian, Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys