Quotes from Rachel Hawthorne

Under the pretense of wanting to record the history of my brother's year at college, I'd asked to take a picture of Sam with his roommate. Unfortunately, the zoom on my digital camera had somehow been pressed—by a renegade finger, I assumed—and I'd only been able to get a really good close-up shot of Brad. No evidence of Sam in sight. Gosh, darn. What a shame! The photo was now the background wallpaper on my computer desktop.

It was a long while later before I heard footsteps on the stairs. Jason looked into the game room, grinned, and opened the door. "I was hoping I'd find you here." "What took you so long?" He held up the DVD for The Rookie and a bag from Ben & Jerry's. Grinning, I patted the love seat. We could be together in the house without getting into trouble. At least, we could try.

How was work?" I asked to keep the conversation going. Even if it was a downhill direction, movement was movement.

Why don't you come to Ruby Tuesday for lunch?" "Okay." "Then practice." "Definitely." "Maybe we could do something afterward." "Absolutely.

Tiffany had taken Mac to Lettuce Eat, a salad bar extravaganza. I couldn't see that working out, but if it did, I figured Mac's feelings for her were true.

How does she do that?" Bird asked. I didn't have to ask who the she was. I knew it was Tiffany. Nor did I have to ask what Bird was referring to. Jason and Mac were leaning toward Tiffany, listening to whatever it was she was saying, like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Does she wear, like, turn-'em-stupid perfume or something?" Bird asked.

The team manager had sent Dad an information sheet with everything he needed to know about Jason--emergency numbers, health information, but nothing that was really important. I mean, it didn't provide vital stats like eye color, hair color, or girlfriend status.

Can I ask you a question?" I asked after a few minutes. "Sure." "I've always wondered…what exactly do a catcher and pitcher discuss at the mound?" He studied me for a second, before finally saying, "Last night we talked about you.

It's even autographed," Jason said, the awe evident in his voice. "It's not personalized." Which was a silly thing to say, since he could obviously see it wasn't. "Still," he said. "Yeah, still." I could hear him saying, "Hey, guys, let me introduce you to my conversationally challenged host sister.

Since you like baseball, I guess you know what a closer is?" "Of course." "Tiffany doesn't." "Tiffany is so not into sports." She thought a baseball diamond was a type of gemstone. Seriously. Don't even ask how that revelation came up.

I'm going to miss all the takeout," Jason said later, after dinner, when I walked him out to his car. "Coach said his wife cooks their meals every night." "That's really why you're leaving, isn't it?" I asked. "For real home-cooked meals?

I blew it." "How'd you do that?" she asked. I gave her a quick rundown of all my most memorable moments, including the mascara fiasco. "Like he noticed," Bird said when I was finished. "Oh, he noticed. I've never had a guy look at me that hard before. He was probably trying to figure out if it was a birthmark, a tattoo, or if I was preparing for Halloween a few months early.

If one of his teammates asked about me, I didn't want his recommendation to be, "She has a great arm.

You know, they call third base the 'hot corner.' I think our third baseman might be the reason.

I was surprised to see you at practice." "Are you kidding? I'm all about baseball." "Really?" "Oh, yeah. Bird and I haven't missed a Rattler practice or game since the town got the team." "I've never known a girl who was that into baseball." "Well, now you do." Tell your friends. Step right up. Meet the most amazing girl you've ever known.

Of course, there were no paper towels to clean up with…just hand dryers. I rubbed my wet fingers over the ice cream, creating a big wet spot right in the center of my chest. Oh, yeah, beauty and poise contest, here I come.

I started falling for you as soon as you bumped into me. I knew I could be a goner so easily." "Really?" "Oh, yeah. And when I pictured you in shoulder pads and a helmet--" I shoved his shoulder. "You did not!" "Oh, yeah, I did. And I thought, of all the girls in this town, she is the one that I absolutely can't find fascinating.

Without another word, she hurried up the stairs. I hoped Jason had locked the bathroom door. Knowing Tiffany, she was hoping for an "accidental" locker room preview. Oops, sorry! Thought this was my bathroom. I'm always confusing the left side of the hallway with the right. Silly me.

Hadn't we said no kissing in the house? Not that the rule had stopped us from kissing in the game room last night after we'd finished our ice cream. "I'm still craving the flavor of chocolate chip cookie dough," he'd said. So of course, I'd let him sample. But it had been . . . stressful. Because every time the house creaked, we were looking at the French doors expecting to see Dad standing there with a baseball bat in hand.

Are you okay?" she asked. "I'm fine. I'm totally up for going to Bird's party." "I don't think so. Not this late. How could you not see a baseball coming at you?" "It happened so fast." "Are you hungry? I could fix something--" She had to really be worried if she was offering to cook.

And I thought, of all the girls in this town, she is the one that I absolutely can't find fascinating." "Is that the reason you sounded like you really didn't want to take me home after that first night of pizza?" "Yep. I wanted to limit contact. I was trying so hard not to fall for you." "Well, that's why I knocked you over," I said. He laughed.

Mom told me you got hit by a ball last night, but I didn't think it would be that nasty looking. Does it hurt?" "It's tender," I admitted. "I have some makeup that will cover it right up. No one will know." "Maybe I want people to know. Maybe I see it as a badge of honor." "Please. It looks like the first stage of turning into a zombie.

Hey, Kate, we missed you," Leah said, as she sat on a stool at the counter. "We were so busy today, I hardly had time to think. I don't know what Aunt Sue would have done if I hadn't been here to help out. It was chaos." I was babbling. "What can I get you guys?" Another lie, maybe?

Joe wasn't saying anything, just sipping on his hot chocolate, watching me, like he was patiently waiting for the moment when I reached across the counter, wrapped my hands around Cynthia's throat, and strangled her.