But love is love. It makes you do terribly stupid things.

She was also incredibly confident, with a way of moving and talking that communicated that she didn't need anyone to tell her she was beautiful or worthwhile.

Sometimes I wish we could rub out all of our mistakes and start fresh, from the beginning,' I said. 'And sometimes I think there isn't anything to us but our mistakes.

I'd never met anyone so vibrant or alive. He moved like light.

But when Bumby nursed, his fist clutching the fabric of my robe, his eyes soft and bottomless and locked on mine, as if I were the very heart of his universe, I couldn't help but melt into him.

I hope we'll get lucky enough to grow old together.

I would gladly have climbed out of my skin and into his that night, because I believed that was what love meant.