Precious And Fragile Things

Precious And Fragile Things
Megan Hart

Gilly Soloman has been reduced to a mothering machine, taking care of everyone and everything except herself. But the machine has broken down.Burnt out by the endless days of crying children and menial tasks, and exhausted from always putting herself last, Gilly doesn't immediately consider the consequences when she's carjacked. With a knife to her throat, her first thought is that she'll finally get some rest. Someone can save her for a change. But salvation isn't so forthcoming.Stranded in a remote, snowbound cabin with this stranger, hours turn to days, days into weeks. As time forges a fragile bond between them, she learns her captor is not the lunatic she first believed, but a human being whose wasted life has been shaped by secrets and tragedy.Yet even as their connection begins to foster trust, Gilly knows she must never forget he's still a man teetering on the edge. One who just might take her with him.

Precious and Fragile Things

MEGAN HART

Precious and Fragile Things

First, to my friends and family who read this book in its many stages—thank you.

It’s a better book because of you.

To my agent Laura Bradford for not curling her lip when I first told her about the book, and for believing in it all along.

To Superman—

I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.

Thanks for catching the kids.

To my spawn—

I love you both, even if I did throw you out the window as “research.”

As always, I could write without music, but I’m ever so grateful I don’t have to. Much appreciation goes to the following artists whose songs made up the playlist for this book. Please support their music through legal sources.

“Give it Away”—Quincy Coleman

“Take Me Home”—Lisbeth Scott and Nathan Barr

“Everything”—Lifehouse

“This Woman’s Work”—Kate Bush

“You’ve Been Loved”—Joseph Arthur

“Iris”—Goo Goo Dolls

“Look After You”—The Fray

“The End”—The Doors

“One Last Breath”—Creed

“A Home for You”—Kaitlin Hopkins, Deven May

“Over My Head”—Christopher Dallman

And a special thanks to Jason Manns, whose version of “Hallelujah” wasn’t there when I started the book but was there all through the end.

Contents

January

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

February

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21