“Laine slowly rolled out of bed. The queen size was one of the few new things in the house. But now, even the new bed felt tainted. It was an inner-spring monument to lies, a petri dish of mendacity she… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share Image
“A month ago, Gavin had given his employer four weeks' notice. "I'll get a job around here," he'd told her. "Something low-stress, part-time, maybe. We're not paying rent, and Dad's left us plenty. You should quit, too." A year earlier… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share Image
“I need to ask, are you afraid of spiders?" Nicholas blinked, suddenly caught off guard, "Yes, I'm afraid of spiders." "Were you always?" "What… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
After Nicholas hung up the phone, he watched his mother carry buckets and garden tools across the couch grass toward a bed that would,… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“She put her tongue out and felt the raw edges of the torn silk. She looped her tongue around them and drew them into… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“Laine slowly rolled out of bed. The queen size was one of the few new things in the house. But now, even the new… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“Laine taped the last box shut. That was it, then: All of Gavin's belongings put away; some for charity, some for the dump, some… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“It's easy to love men when you're sixteen. Every year after that, it gets just a little bit harder. Or maybe men just get… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“Laine had been very proud of herself last night. Nicholas had talked about ghosts and magic and woven a bit of a spell himself.… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
Hannah expected this to make her sob even more, but instead she found her tears drying up and her tummy growing warm. How dare… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“A month ago, Gavin had given his employer four weeks' notice. "I'll get a job around here," he'd told her. "Something low-stress, part-time, maybe.… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“And the kids?" "Quincy, nothing. All she wants to do is look for Saturn's rings and bring home every creature from the pound. Nelson,… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“The rain thundered down so heavily that Pritam could imagine that space itself was made of water and was pouring through rents in the… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“Tears sprang from her eyes and she bit her lip to stop herself from howling at the bright pain.” — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“Christ can forgive you," he whispered, though he didn't believe it. There wasn't a hint of compassion in those ice-blue eyes. "That's grand," she… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“His hatred for her was now as solid as the boards he lay on, as the stones ringing the firepit.” — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
“But a smell shivered him awake. It was a scent as old as the world. It was a hundred aromas of a thousand places.… — Stephen M. Irwin Copy Share
