What About Us Quotes
by Kristen Proby
This page gathers standout lines from What About Us, a romance that mixes hockey intensity, small town history, and plenty of heat. The quotes here range from quick back and forth dialogue to private thoughts and narrative moments that show what the characters are really feeling.
What makes the book quotable is how direct it can be. Some lines are funny, some are vulnerable, and some are the kind you save because they hit that exact mix of wanting, protecting, and finally being chosen. You do not need to know every plot beat to feel the sting or the spark in them.
Top Quotes from What About Us
“Xander Hendrix. Yeah, I know him. I've only been in love with him since I was fifteen, and he barely acknowledges I exist. Awesome.”
— Ivy
After Sara tells Ivy she will be Xander’s full-time physical therapist, Ivy privately processes the news.
The dry final word perfectly balances old longing, self-deprecating humor, and dread at working so close to him.
“If my ass lands on that ice, I will stab you with my skate.”
— Ivy
On the ice, Xander coaxes Ivy through her fear of skating and new experiences.
It's a funny, defiant line that shows Ivy's spark and the easy chemistry between her and Xander.
“Stop squirming, wildcat. I finally got my hands on you.”
— Xander
During wall sits, Xander pulls Ivy into his lap and tells her to stop squirming.
It is both playful and possessive, capturing the charged push-pull of their relationship in a single flirtatious command.
“If you think you're anything but amazing, you're wrong. You won't be leaving, and you have nothing to be bashful about, wildcat. Now, I’ll leave you be so you can get dressed before I lay you out on that bed and fuck you into next week.”
— Xander
After Ivy steps out of the shower without towels, Xander brings her one and finds her hiding behind the door.
It is a raw, confident reassurance that turns Ivy's insecurity into unmistakable desire. The final line is both playful and fiercely intimate.
“Fuck that, and fuck distance. In case you missed it, I can’t keep my hands to myself, and you're exactly where I want you to be. No more of that. Got it?”
— Xander
After Ivy mentions keeping her distance and professionalism following their gym encounter.
It's a raw, possessive reassurance that he won't let her pull away. The blunt language makes his desire and commitment feel unmistakable.
“Besides, what about us? I just found you and this amazing thing we have going on. Cally loves it at my place, and I want you both there. I’m keeping you, Red.”
— Xander
Xander tells Ivy she won't move back into her ruined house and wants her and Cally to stay with him.
It's a warm, decisive commitment that makes Ivy and Cally part of his life. The simple final line is both romantic and unshakeable.
“You're not a motherfucking secret, do you hear me? Absolutely not. We're both adults, and we're not doing anything wrong.”
— Xander
When Ivy panics about keeping their relationship secret from his team, Xander refuses to hide her.
It is a bold defense of their relationship and of Ivy’s dignity.
Themes Behind the Quotes
The quotes keep circling around self-worth and the damage a toxic parent can leave behind. They show someone learning that being treated badly is not the same as deserving it, and that love should not make a person feel small, hidden, or disposable. It also touches on guilt and mixed feelings when family loyalty clashes with self-respect.
Another big thread is choosing each other out loud. There is attraction, jealousy, fierce protection, and the fear of losing someone who finally feels like home. The relationship grows through honesty, boundaries, and the idea that real intimacy means being seen fully, not kept as a secret or a convenience. It is about showing up, staying, and refusing to let distance or other people decide what the heart gets to keep.
Quotes by Chapter
Prologue and Chapters 1-3
“I live for everything about this. The smell of the ice, the way it feels like I’m flying on my skates, the sound of the fans, the sweat I’m bathed in. I fucking love all of it.”
— Xander
During the game against Dallas, Xander reflects on the sensory rush of playing hockey.
It captures the pure, almost sacred joy that makes his eventual injury feel so devastating.
“I'm not usually this guy. I keep my cool. I'm lighthearted. It takes a lot to piss me off. But being trapped in Denver while I hobble around my penthouse near Union Station when I want to be in Silver Springs is irritating the fuck out of me.”
— Xander
While recovering in Denver, Xander calls his surgeon to demand a meeting so he can return home to Montana.
It shows how far his injury has pushed him from his easygoing nature and how desperately he needs family and home.
“Pulling long days as a physical therapist at the hospital, followed by long evenings at the bar because my mother is too out of it to work her own shifts, is slowly sucking the soul right out of me.”
— Ivy
After Ben calls to say her mother missed another shift, Ivy reflects on the exhausting weight of her responsibilities.
It distills the quiet burnout of someone holding everything together while no one holds her up.
Chapters 4-6
“Because I hate the way my mom makes me feel. Small. Insignificant. Useless. It took me a long time to realize that I didn’t deserve the way she treated me. That I’m worth so much more than that.”
— Ivy
Ivy checks on her mother before work and reflects on their painful relationship.
It names the emotional abuse with stark clarity while asserting hard-won self-worth. The short, cutting words make the pain and resilience feel immediate.
“You're such a waste of air! I never should have had you!”
— Mom
After Ivy refuses to pour vodka, her drunk mother screams at her in the bar as she is pulled away.
The cruelty is shockingly direct and shows the source of Ivy's deepest wounds. It is a line that makes readers ache for her.
“Aves, you're not a doormat. You're one of the most outspoken, confident, kick-ass people I know. I can’t believe you're letting this jackass treat you like this. Kick him to the fucking curb and get on with your life.”
— Xander
Ava tells Xander that Chad wants to postpone the wedding again.
It shows Xander's fierce protectiveness and blunt loyalty to his sister. The mix of affection and tough love makes it memorable.
“I must have been hallucinating yesterday in my haze of Xander lust when I was leaving and he told me that I’m sexy when I blush. Because there’s no way in this or any other universe that Xander Hendrix thinks that anything I do is sexy.”
— Ivy
Ivy prepares for another session and doubts that Xander's compliment about her blush was real.
It captures her insecurity and self-doubt around Xander with humor and vulnerability. Readers feel how impossible his interest seems to her.
Chapters 7-9
“I've always been a wallflower. I’m in the background, observing. I don't want to be the center of attention, and I don’t want to be picked out of a crowd.”
— Ivy
After meeting Xander's friends, Ivy reflects on why social situations make her panic.
It names an introvert's instinct to stay unseen, making Ivy's anxiety feel deeply familiar.
“Your tits are the only thing worth looking at on you. You're ugly as fuck. And put that hair away. No one wants to fuck the little mermaid.”
— Mom
At the bar, Ivy's mother humiliates her in front of customers.
It is a brutal, unforgettable example of maternal cruelty and the way it shapes Ivy's self-image.
“I know, but you just looked so devastated, and I needed to let you know that you're not the only woman with a shit mom. I know what it's like to be embarrassed of her. It sucks. But it's not about you. You didn't do anything wrong.”
— Britney
In the restroom, Britney offers Ivy solidarity after her mother's cruelty.
It shows Britney's empathy and gives Ivy the validation she never gets at home.
Chapters 10-12
“My heart is hammering. I feel like a hummingbird about to have a freaking heart attack. Do hummingbirds have heart attacks? I don’t know, but if they do, this is what it must feel like.”
— Ivy
As Xander holds her in his lap, Ivy's internal panic over their attraction spirals into a frantic comparison to a hummingbird.
The humor and self-awareness make her overwhelming attraction feel both relatable and unforgettable.
“I don’t give a rat's ass if it's gold plated, I don’t want you wearing another man's name on your back.”
— Xander
After seeing Ivy in a vintage Mullins T-shirt, Xander angrily demands she not wear another man's name.
His irrational jealousy is raw and revealing, showing how quickly his feelings for Ivy have turned possessive.
“You're not finishing that sentence, Red. I’m with you.”
— Xander
When Ivy starts to tell Xander he doesn't have to accompany her to the fire, he cuts her off.
It is a simple, powerful promise of presence that offers stability in the middle of her crisis.
Chapters 13-15
“At any time, Red. I told you to call me if you needed me.”
— Xander
Xander holds Ivy after her mother's cruelty and asks why she did not call him.
It shows Xander offering unconditional support without making Ivy's pain an imposition. The line is tender, direct, and quietly romantic.
“I don’t think anyone has held me—truly held me—since I was a baby.”
— Ivy
Ivy is being held by Xander on the couch and realizes how rare the feeling is.
It reveals how starved Ivy has been for safe physical affection, making the embrace with Xander feel life-changing. The admission is simple, vulnerable, and deeply human.
“It doesn’t make you a shit person to have mixed feelings, Xander. Of course you do. Even if it's not any of your fault, it’s okay to be angry and hurt. At least you know Indie isn't an asshole. It could have been a stranger.”
— Ivy
Ivy comforts Xander after he learns Indigo is his half-sister and admits mixed feelings.
It validates complicated grief and anger toward a neglectful parent without requiring neat forgiveness. The line offers the kind of permission people often need to feel two things at once.
Chapters 16-19
“This isn't a motherfucking negotiation. You ruin everything you touch when it comes to her, and I won't have it. Never again. Lucky’s is Ivy's to do what she wants with it, and you’re going away. Whether that's jail or rehab, I don’t really give a fuck.”
— Xander
Xander confronts Brenda after she refuses to leave Ivy's house.
It's a fierce, protective declaration that draws a hard line against Brenda's cruelty. The mix of threats and finality shows how far Xander will go for Ivy.
“But more than all that, he looks so sure of himself. So positive that he can protect me against my own mother. And that’s the saddest part of all. That I need protection from her.”
— Ivy
Ivy watches Xander as they drive to her house to remove Brenda.
It captures the painful contrast between Xander's steady strength and the maternal betrayal Ivy has endured. The final line lands with quiet devastation.
Chapters 20-23
“I'm telling you that the thought of being without her makes me want to tear the world apart. I don't need five years with her to know that she’s amazing. I’m also not in a rush to do anything but spend time with her, learn more about her, and get her naked as often as possible.”
— Xander
Xander asks Ava to turn the east-facing bedroom into an art studio for Ivy and tells her how he feels about Ivy.
It captures the consuming certainty of new love and his refusal to treat Ivy as temporary.
“There's nothing else anyone can do for her. She has to figure it out for herself, and I'm washing my hands of her.”
— Ivy
After learning her mother checked out of rehab and went to Chris’s home, Ivy tells Xander she is done with her.
It marks a painful but necessary boundary, showing she can no longer save someone who will not help herself.
“I don’t watch hockey. I own hockey. I destroy the puck, the ice, and I don’t fucking sit out. Definitely not for a whole goddamn season.”
— Xander
Xander attends the season opener but is not playing because of his injury.
It reveals his competitive identity and how much being sidelined hurts.
Chapters 24-27
“Despite all that, I love her more than I'm afraid of what the outcome might be. The thought of losing her at all is terrifying. Full stop.”
— Xander
Xander lies awake with Ivy and wrestles with his fear of relationships.
It captures how love can outweigh fear while still acknowledging deep vulnerability. The blunt 'Full stop' makes the stakes feel absolute.
“You're my person, and it fucking enrages me that you're just a commodity to them.”
— Ivy
Ivy vents to Xander after his charity event about how others treat him as an asset.
It expresses fierce protective love and anger at superficial relationships. The line makes Ivy's loyalty feel raw and unmistakable.