"The shame in his voice was like a vacuum, stealing all the air from the room. Eyes rising to meet mine, he reached out and ran his finger along the line of my chin and to my cheek, letting his touch linger for a few moments. I found myself wanting to take it all away" (Chapter 3, p. 21).

"I didn't know how to respond. Imagine that. Me. Speechless. Glaciers were probably popping up all over hell" (Chapter 5, p. 39).

"Tiny prickles of happy sparked a reaction from every nerve ending in my system. A complicated swell of emotion - something I hadn't felt in, well, ever - came rushing to the surface. I wanted him to elaborate" (Chapter 6, p. 46).

"Somewhere in the closed-off, dark corner of my soul, I wanted it to be true. I ached for it - to be Dad's sunshine smile girl again. But I wasn't. And...