Because I realized during the past few days that I can’t leave doubt in anyone’s mind about to whom you belong. Especially not yours.

A lifetime with such a woman was not nearly enough.

Falling hard and fast. And there didn't seem to be a thing I could do about it.

To Jack, there was nothing more powerful than a promise made over a handshake. He would have died ー literally chosen death ー before breaking his word.

Hardy Cates," I said, coming into the room, "you behave, or I'll step on your tube." The nurse seemed taken aback by my unsympathetic bedside manner. But Hardy's gaze met mine in a moment of bright, hot voltage, and he relaxed, reassured in a way that cooing sympathy could never have done. "That only works if it's a breathing tube," he told me.

I like pessimists. They’re always the ones who bring life jackets for the boat.

I've always thought it was about finding the right person. But it's about choosing the right person, isn't it?