A framed photo on a dusty bookshelf caught his attention; he moved closer and picked it up silently. A small girl with long blond hair was standing under a tree, her face tilted up in delight as its feathery leaves brushed across her face, framing it. A willow tree. Willow.

— L.A. Weatherly

After a long time, I cleared my throat. “So anyway, when we get to Nevada... I think we should rethink your dad’s rule.” Alex glanced down at me and smiled – the first real smile I’d seen on his face in a long time. “You know what? It’s already been rethought and completely ditched,” he said. And he wrapped his arms around mean we stood looking up at the mountains, with the rising rays of the sun lighting them from the east.

— L.A. Weatherly

Alex grabbed our things from the bike and bought them inside; then he fastened the tent closed, securing us in." Come here, babe, I'll keep you warm.

— L.A. Weatherly

Alex took a silent step closer to the kitchen door and watched unseen as willow spooned instant coffee into a pair of mugs. With another yawn, she scraped her hair off her face and stretched. She looked so entirely human, so drowsy and sleep-rumpled. For a moment, Alex just gazed at her, taking in her long tumble of hair, her wide green eyes and pixies chin. Fleetingly, he imagined her eyes meeting his, wondering what she'd look like if she smiled

— L.A. Weatherly

As we drove uptown, I spotted a Kmart on a corner, with its familiar red sign. I cleared my throat." Wait. Can we stop for a minute?"" What for?"" Just - I need a few things." He looked irritated, but pulled into a metered space. "We don't really have time to go shopping." I glared at him."yeah, excuse me for being so frivolous. You have your suitcase all packed already; I don't even have clean underwear. I'll be right back.

— L.A. Weatherly

A teenage girl lay asleep on the sofa, curled up under a red-and-black knitted afghan. She was on her side, with one slender arm cradling a throw cushion nestled under her head. Long wavy blond hair spread across her back and her shoulders like a cape. Even though she was sleeping, Alex could see how pretty she was, with her delicate, almost elfin features. He stood in the doorway, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest.

— L.A. Weatherly

But I saw your aura looking healthy again, then looking sick after a hunt. And you keep getting migraines. You should take better care of yourself,” he added mildly. “Look for ways to not be so tense – long walks, meditation, these things would help.” Alex suddenly felt like SEB was his therapist; he had to resist the urge to shake him.

— L.A. Weatherly

His hands as he worked were deft and sure, but so gentle -- he was being careful not to hurt me any more than he had to. I sat very still, hardly daring to move. I was in love with him. The knowledge swept through me, truer than anything I'd ever known. Oh, my God, I was in love with him.

— L.A. Weatherly

I buried my face against his neck, breathing him in - the smell of machine oil, summer, a thousand memories

— L.A. Weatherly

Oh, my God," I whispered. "But how did they get my photo? Alex tapped his mouth with his thumb. "That ...book with everyone's picture in it, that you have in high school."" Yearbook," I said. Was he trying to be funny? But of course he was right; that's exactly where it was from.

— L.A. Weatherly