Riley Paige > Quotes

“never thought I’d get this, never thought I’d get to call her mine again. But I do. And I’ll spend every single day making damn sure she never doubts it.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“No matter how much I try to tell myself I should be angry, that I should make her feel the ache of missing someone like she forced on me, I already know I won’t. Madison Blake is sitting on my front porch, and I still want her more than I want my next damn breath. But when her broken eyes meet mine, I get the feeling she didn’t come to stay.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“But what if I mess this up?" My voice cracks. "What if I run again?" Jaxon's lips curve into a soft smile. "Then I'll come find you, every time.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“To those who feel broken, lost, or unworthy of love—this book is for you. May you find healing in the pages and remember that you are worthy, whole, and loved, exactly as you are.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Like she knows I’m hers, even if she isn’t mine.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“If you don’t know, Madison. Then you have to let me go so I can let you go.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“You're the reigning champion of the Irish exit. The minute things get even semi-real, you're gone faster than free beer at a frat party.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I’m not overthinking,” she mutters. “I’m strategically panicking.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I shake my head, already knowing where this is going. “I’m not chasing her anymore.” Carter scoffs. “You never chased her, man. You showed up for her. You fought for her. That’s not the same thing.” I drop my bag onto the floor, dragging a hand down my face. “And where did that get me?” Carter doesn’t answer, because we both know where it got me—alone, standing on the sidelines of my own damn life, waiting for her to decide if I’m worth fighting for too. I let out a slow, controlled breath, shaking my head. “I love her, man. I do. But I can’t keep being the only one trying.” Carter studies me, his expression unreadable. “So that’s it?” I swallow hard, my throat tightening. “That’s up to her.” Carter doesn’t argue. He just nods like he understands. Because at the end of the day, I can’t make this decision for her. She has to make the move. And as much as it fucking kills me, I know—I know—I have to let her.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“He smiles, and it's soft and sure and steady. "It means it matters, Mads.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Since always, Mads. Since we were seven, and you told me my football uniform made me look like an overstuffed sausage.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“She hesitates for a moment, then walks up and takes her seat next to me. "Morning," I say, earning a sideways look from her. “I, uh, got you a coffee." “Jaxon…” she sighs. “You didn’t have to.” “I know, but I wanted to. Consider it a small peace offering.” I hand her the cup. “Peppermint mocha with an extra shot.” She looks over at me, her hazel eyes looking almost gold today, scanning my face for something she can’t seem to find.  "You remembered," she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“No concussion. No fractures, no internal bleeding. They said it was a bad hit, but you’re going to be okay." I nod slowly, processing. I should feel relieved, but the tightness in my chest doesn’t let up. Because there’s only one question on my mind. I shift slightly, my voice quieter. "Where's Madison?" Mom and Dad exchange a look, and that tells me everything I need to know. She’s not here. The knowledge slams into me like a second hit, sharp and brutal.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I try to picture it, what my life is going to look like in six months. Option One: I go first round. I end up on the East Coast, with one of the teams that’s been after me since the season started. New city. New apartment. New everything. I wake up, go to practice, and grind every damn day to prove I belong there, that I deserve the spot I was given. I go home to an empty place. I eat dinner alone. I stare at my phone, wondering if she’s thought about me, wondering if she even cares where I ended up. Wondering if she’s still here, on campus, finishing her last semester, pretending we never happened. Option Two: The exact same thing—except Madison is there. Except she’s waiting for me after practice, curled up on my couch, stealing my hoodies like they belong to her. Except we’re cooking dinner together, laughing as she burns the garlic bread, sneaking kisses while the TV plays in the background. Except she’s in the crowd at my first game, wearing my number, her hands tucked into the sleeves of my oversized sweatshirt, proud of me. Mine. I blink hard, forcing my grip to loosen on the wheel. But that future? It doesn’t exist.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I realize with startling clarity that I've been lying to myself, running from the truth that's been chasing me for years.  Jaxon’s feelings weren’t one sided.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“She might believe she's too broken to let someone in, but I know better. I've always known better. She isn't broken. She just needs someone who refuses to let her believe that lie.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“She has to know what she's doing to me, but I don't think she really has the slightest clue.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Every second of that carefree joy hits me like a punch to the gut. Mostly, I miss the days when I was the reason for that smile.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I force my voice to steady. "I just… I didn’t know if I could be what he needed. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I think I did anyway." Mr. Montgomery hums, like he’s processing. Then, softly—"Sometimes, the biggest risks are the ones worth taking. Sometimes that also means taking a step back and working on ourselves for a bit. You’ve had a rough go of it, Madison, I won’t lie to you. But you are a brilliant young lady. You are resilient, strong, smart, and my son has been head over heels for you since that boy first laid eyes on you.” I finally turn to look at him, and his expression is warm, understanding. "Sometimes, we have to take a step back and ask ourselves if the risk is worth the reward," he continues, "even with the potential heartache." With that, he pats my leg and heads back towards Jaxon’s room.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Carter yells from the truck, voice exasperated. “Would you two just kiss and make up already?”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I’d give her anything. I’d be anything. If she asked me to let her go, I would—I'd walk away, tear myself apart piece by piece, if that’s what she needed.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“The song ends, leading into another more up-tempo tune, but we just stand there, my arms still wrapped around her while I grin like a fool. And I don't let her go, not when she's finally where she belongs.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Madison isn't a distraction. She's not a mistake. She's not a reason to hesitate. She's the reason. For everything.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I exhale sharply, spinning on my heel to face her. "Lyla, I can't do this with him." Her smirk fades slightly, but she leans back, tipping her head. "And why is that exactly?" I scoff, throwing my arms out. "Because he's Jaxon! He's my best friend. He's the only thing in my life that has never let me down, never left me, never—" My voice catches, my throat tightening. I swallow hard, forcing myself to keep going. "If I screw this up, if I hurt him, I lose him forever. I can't risk that." The truth is, it's not just him I'm afraid of losing. It's the safety he represents, the certainty. He’s one stable thing in my life that's remained constant while everything else crumbled around me. If we cross that line and it doesn't work out, I don't just lose a relationship—I lose my anchor, my foundation.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“The sun starts to dip lower, turning the sky a deeper shade of gold, and I exhale softly, staring out at the waves. "It's so beautiful," I murmur, my voice quieter than before. Jaxon doesn't answer right away, but when he does, it’s soft, full of hesitation. "Yeah. Definitely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." When I glance over at him, he's looking at me, not the sunset, and the intensity in his eyes steals my breath. Because I know he's not talking about the view in front of us.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“dip my head, voice low, just for her. "I want more than just one night, Mads. I want you.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Let me be clear," he continues, his voice low and steady. "I'm not looking at other women. I'm not interested in other women. I haven't been for...a long time." There's something so raw, so honest in his expression, it steals my breath. "Since when?" I whisper, the words barely audible over the music. His lips quirk slightly, a hint of vulnerability beneath the confidence. "Since always, Mads. Since we were seven, and you told me my football uniform made me look like an overstuffed sausage.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“Math and I do not see eye to eye at all. Let’s be honest: there’s literally no way I will ever use the quadratic equation or exponential functions at any point in my day to day life.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“So what was worse? The pain of trying, or the pain of never knowing?”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play

“I’d held onto her fingers so tightly that day, as if my grip alone could keep her here, as if the force of my love could fight something as merciless as stage four cancer. It couldn’t. It never could. She took her last breath while I sat beside her, a part of my soul breaking with her as the monitors flatlined.”
― Riley Paige, Broken Play