I glance at Levi, who’s giving me a curious look, not wanting to explain the whole Roxy’s ordeal. “Amelia.” His eyebrows rise, before her name registers, and the smoke is practically coming out of my ears now.
Jake’s eyes widen before his face turns beet red, but not from anger or embarrassment—the asshat is trying not to laugh.
“If you laugh, I swear?—”
He suddenly doubles over, clutching his stomach, as Levi, the traitor, tries to suppress his smile with a hand. I narrow my eyes at both of them and sit across from Jake. “You guyssuck.”
“Hey, don’t drag me into this.” Levi sips his drink, his dark blue eyes the picture of innocence. “At least he didn’t do it on purpose.” His eyebrows quirk. “Or did he?”
I’m going to kill them both. This isn’t how I pictured my semester starting.
Jake’s face goes back to a normal color, and his breathing calms down. “Dude, that’s priceless, but we both know I had no idea she was your editor.”
Huffing out a long breath, I mumble a curse to myself. He’s telling me the truth, but it annoys me all the same.
“Why me?” I cry and drop my forehead to my hands.
Jake snorts, and I shoot daggers at him. He must realize how serious I am because he switches into problem-solving mode. “It was a one-night thing, and we had nothing in common except wanting to fuck. I never lie to women, Em, and we were both on the same page. Is she giving you any trouble?”
I roll my eyes. “No, she said the same thing. Without cursing, of course. She’s a professional.”
Levi waves a hand. “There you go. Problem solved.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Like I wasn’t already nervous enough being on the paper this semester.
Even though Jake didn’t do anything intentionally, I might as well mess with him and teach him some sort of lesson. “It’s fine. She gave me this really cool assignment to go to a lecture aboutfashion, and they’re bringing some women to try on bikinis, dresses?—”
“When and where?” Jake is quick to ask.
Hook, line, and sinker.Get ready for a three-hour history lecture, my friend.
Chapter Five
EMMA
It’s been two weeks since I joined the newspaper, and I still haven’t gotten an assignment I’m remotely interested in.
Jake almost killed me after I tricked him into going to the three-hour history lecture that I told him was supposed to be a fashion coverage with supermodels. After that, I was stuck writing about a poetry reading in town, a story about the new bus line to the city, and the first volleyball game of the season.
I thought I was done with these kinds of articles after months of trying to get on the paper, but it’s evident that I still have to earn my rightful place here.
I’m just not sure how.
The other writers and editors don’t take me seriously either. All my pieces have been well received and published, so that’s a good sign, but I need to take some kind of initiative before I drive a pencil into my eye.
Reaching the newsroom, I open the door to a hectic scene filled with people rushing to meet their deadlines for the printed edition of the paper on Friday. I dash past everyone as if I’m trying to avoid cars hitting me on the street and find my desk, where my vintage-looking keyboard is, along with a picturefrom Stevie and Levi’s wedding with the whole group, one in King’s Wolf with our other friends, who we don’t see as often, and one with my parents.
Thankfully, I’m organized and have left everything in its proper place to finish editing the article on the latest update to the new parking lot.Yay me. I also managed to do my makeup during the free hour I had between classes and fixed my hair with the dry shampoo I keep in my everyday purse. I looked like too much of a mess to come in here before that.
I sit back and take a deep breath, glancing at the time to see I have half an hour left to finish, and less than a few hours before I need to change and head to the bar in town with the gang.
Easy-peasy.
I drown out the noise of everyone talking and Amelia yelling to add my last few notes. Ten minutes later, I finish.
“Emma!”
Jumping right as I hit save for the last time, I look up to see Amelia coming toward me, head down. I straighten in my chair, waiting for her orders. Amelia has kept our relationship very professional and is, overall, an excellent editor, but she can get a little antsy on Fridays…not that I blame her.
