" Seriously, Shane, I can handle this. I don’t need help.”

“Were you always this stubborn?”

“Were you always this desperate for my attention?” I throw back but soften the cutting words with a smile. “Go and play with your son. I can handle carrying a few cans of paint on my own. I’m not one of your damsels in distress.” He watches me intently, as if he wants to say something more. "

― K.A. Tucker , The Player Next Door (Polson Falls, #1)