Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome, #3)

by Sarah Adams

Hello, little honey bees. You glorious, sharp-edged, perfection seekers. You’ve been working so hard, holding everything together; come sit down with me for a while and take a load off.

if you want something done right, you mostly have to do it yourself.

But why am I hoping it’s true?

Not because I’m protecting him, but because I’d rather do it to his face where he can react. It’s more fun that way.

Noah

نووواه وححششنننيي

Ignoring the weird flock of butterflies storming my stomach,

Jackson Bennett is no longer in a relationship. I don’t know what to do with this information. Not that it has anything to do with me.

“So I can see your jealous scowl more clearly.”

“Emily Walker. You might be able to steamroll everyone else around here into submission. But not me. Never me. If you want something from me, you’ll have to ask politely.”

Emily’s smirking face popped into my mind and I could perfectly picture her saying: Do it, Jack. I dare you.

I was so lonely and desperate for someone to wake up to in the mornings that I overlooked too much. Loneliness will make a person do scary things.

What a very specific and random attack. I like it.

See you on Love Island.”

“Why would I move to Italy? My favorite corner table is right here.”

There she goes again—barking orders at me as if she owns me.

this must be summertime Emily.

“I’ll buy all of this right now if you swear not to tell anyone what just happened.”

Red. The boots are red. They match her nails.

And it’s so damn charming.

I kept finding myself wondering what Emily was doing at random moments in the day.

I have more respect for Emily than I’ve ever had for any other person.

she told me to find someone someday who will hug me when I’m sad and then help me look on the bright side of things when all I can see is the dark.

“I’m not sorry you thought I was someone else because for once I got a taste of what it’s like to be a person you don’t hate,

Huh. Jack as a child—there’s a thought. Jack with a motorcycle. Jack with an entire life outside of school. Jack as a multifaceted human.

“My hands are very competent, Emily.”

What a twisted relationship we have.

And i love it

“Just how often do you picture me, Jackson?” I guess a little of that flirtation from the road has lingered. His smile is a feral thing. “More than either of us is comfortable with.” Oh.

I know, isn’t it great?

Careful, it almost seems like you care about my well-being.

And I hate it. It’s all wrong. It feels like the town has chosen my side over Emily’s—and in the past,

حصرررخ عسسسل

looking down at the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen, and she looks like she wants to slap me.

I like getting to know Emily in a different way too.

as appealing as chasing that smile.

No one needs me. And when they don’t need me, they don’t come around anymore either because I am a utility sponge. I am useful. And if I’m no use to someone anymore, they throw me under the sink.

“Tell me you’re okay. I need to hear you say it.”

I want to crawl in a hole. I want to hide and never come out.

“Name it. I’ll do it for you.”

I'm Screaming

“Emily, you are the difference. I’m realizing that.”

Does he know what the sight of him like this is doing to me?

Does he ever think about me?

Emily—the woman who seems to single-handedly carry the world on her shoulders better than Superman ever could dream—is an emotional (and physical) wreck.

“You know my birthday?”

Maybe I’ve always picked fights with her because I enjoy it. Because I enjoy her.

I can see the corner of her mouth curl up from behind her arm. It does something to me.

“You think I’m an idiot now.” “Stop putting words in my mouth, I would never think that about you,”

“Because…” I know it would feel terrible to have my writing exposed before I was ready. Because I think we’re friends. Because I’d like to spend time with you.

but she has mine…and

Emily Walker thinks I’m a good writer.

the movie Roman Holiday. We watched it together during our very first girls’ night before she and Noah were officially together and she was still just a pop star hiding out in our small town for a breather.

حبكي وحشوني and it became my fav too

“Because I live to hear what colorful vocabulary you’ll use when I piss you off.”