“When you love someone, when you make the choice to give them your heart, it’s scary as hell, but it comes back to that trust. Trust that you’ll be there for each other, that in those hard moments, the other person will pick you up. Real love doesn’t run because there’s a storm, it stands stronger. It outlasts. It survives.”
Together Like This
Together Like This
This might be a slippery slope.
Joel Wilkinson is many things. Funny, charming, charismatic, the best snuggler in the world. The boy who I share a bed with every single night… even though we’re not dating.
Did I mention we also kiss sometimes?
Yeah, it’s definitely a slippery slope, but it’s one I want to slide down—just slowly.
Because here’s the thing, I’m messy at best. And Joel… isn’t.
One more thing about him? He’s the most loving, patient guy in existence. He gives me everything I need, often before I realize I need it.
But I know I’m not in a place to give him the same. Joel has been my friend since I was five. He’s been my safe place in hard moments, never giving up on me no matter what I do. I can’t lose that.
No matter how strong I seem right now, knowing me, if I rush into this, I will mess it up.
So I’m taking it slow, blurring lines I refuse to cross, and praying that I don’t push him too far and make him walk away before we ever truly get started.
Together Like This is the fifth book in the Friends Like This series and the first book featuring Sarah and Joel’s love story. Though it is a new love story, book five is a direct continuation of the first four books. If you haven’t read them yet, head back to the beginning and jump on the roller coaster in Friends Like This.
Married Like This
“I’m gonna marry you someday.”
It’s been eleven years since he carved our initials under the slide and said those words. Since then we’ve walked through all the ups and downs of our lives together—even when we weren’t a couple. Through the hardest moments, we made it. Sometimes we were battered and bruised, but we did it.
All that was just the beginning.
We’re about to start our life together as husband and wife, and I can’t wait to see what twists and turns come next on the roller coaster of our lives. As long as I’ve got his hand in mine, I know we can make it through together.
Rae Cooper sounds like a good name. I could picture myself being Rae Cooper one day.
One day is now. And I can’t wait to marry the love of my life.
Follow along with Rae and Aaron as they go from engaged to married in this fun, sweet, and steamy Friends Like This bonus novella. If you haven’t read their story yet, head back to the beginning and jump on the roller coaster with Friends Like This.
Bethany Monaco Smith 