Page 25 of A Love That Broke Us
My eyes flick from Jensen to Megan, a laugh already bubbling up. “Whaaat? You were?” I tease. “No, he has definitely managed to keep this little tidbit from me.” I nudge him playfully. “What did you do to earn this kind of reputation?”
It’s almost midnight, and all the siblings and in-laws are gathered around the kitchen table. Jensen’s parents went to bed about an hour ago, along with the kids. I learned earlier that it’s tradition for everyone to sleep over on Christmas Eve. Santa comes to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for the kids, which means waking up together as one big family. It’s a concept I’m still wrapping my head around, but one I absolutely adore. The idea of choosing each other—of sacrificing individual Christmas mornings for this—blows me away.
Jensen’s parents live in Scarsdale in a spacious six-bedroom home.They weren’t weird about Jensen and me coming, or even about us staying in the same room. In fact, they’ve been nothing but welcoming and accommodating. Before heading to bed, Jensen’s mom pulled me aside and told me how much they liked me, adding that Jensen hadn’t brought anyone home in years. Her words meant the world to me, but they also hit me in a way I wasn’t prepared for.
I missed my mom so much in that moment, I almost cried. God, I hadn’t realized how much I needed this—a family’s love. I ran from home the second my mom passed away, leaving behind the only family I had left. And I haven’t looked back. But this? This makes me wish I lived closer to Michael.
Thankfully, I’ll get to see him in just a few days.
“You guys are assholes,” Jensen says with a grin, pulling me back to the present.
“Hmm,” Megan muses, looking around the table. “Where should we start, guys?”
“How about the time Mom caught him with a stash of weed, and he blamed it on me?” Jeff says with a smirk.
My brows shoot up.
“Yeah, or the time he said the box of condoms were mine and Will’s.” Megan turns to me, rolling her eyes. “Will was my high-school boyfriend junior year, and this little shit”—she points at Jensen—“was hooking up with Summer Barker and wrote on the box with a Sharpie, ‘Megan’s—touch these and you die.’ Like I’d ever be dumb enough to write my name on a box of condoms. But sure enough, Mom believed everything her ‘baby boy’ said.”
Jeff snickers. “Classic Jensen. Mom’s golden boy. He could do no wrong.”
“But he literally did everything wrong. And to Mom? Whatever he said was truth. Gospel even,” Megan says, exasperated.
Jensen shakes his head. “Stop. You two exaggerate so bad.”
“Did I or did I not get in trouble for having a box of condoms?” Megan asks.
Jensen grins sheepishly. “Yeah, but come on, it’s not like you weren’t having sex. Not only were you sleeping with Will, but youwere totally messing around with Nathan Humphreys at the same time.”
Megan opens her mouth to protest, but Jensen cuts her off, pointing a finger at her. “Don’t even try to deny it. I saw you two at a party.”
Megan’s hands fly up in mock innocence. “Fine. Maybe I was. But I wasn’t an idiot. I hid my condoms on my bookshelf behind the Bible.”
We all burst out laughing.
“Don’t forget the time he rammed Tom’s car into the curb driving home from a party drunk,” Matt says, lifting his glass. “That one actually wasn’t funny,” he adds, his tone serious.
“Oh my God, how did I forget about that?” Megan laughs. “Dad was so mad he wanted to call the cops to teach Jensen a lesson, but Mom shut that down real quick.”
“Wow.” I gape at Jensen, shaking my head in disbelief. “I had no idea you were such a bad boy!” The thought is almost comical. I’ve only ever seen him as put-together and practically perfect. This doesn’t match the image I’ve built of him at all.
Jensen shrugs. “I had a wild streak for a minute.”
Megan scoffs. “Ha! That’s the understatement of the year. A rebellious stoner is more like it—drugs, alcohol, girls… you name it. He was always one bad decision away from ending up in juvie. Slept his way through half the girls at our school, probably some of the staff too.” She looks at Matt. “Wait, but Matt was way sluttier than you. Still is. Just a thirty-year-old fuckboy now, aren’t you, Mattie boy?”
Matt and Jensen both laugh it off.
“You were all assholes,” Jeff says, shaking his head. “I was the only one who didn’t party, cheat,” he says pointedly at Megan, “take drugs, or sleep around.”
Megan rolls her eyes. “Yeah, you just came out of the womb as a boring adult.” She turns to me. “Jeff and Amber met in middle school and have been together since.”
“Aw, that’s sweet,” I say genuinely.
“Thank you, Alley,” Amber replies, her tone sharp but playful asshe narrows her eyes at Megan. “And we think you’re sweet. Seriously, we all really like you.”
“Yeah, don’t fuck this up, Jensen. Really, Alley, you’re way too good for him,” Megan adds with a grin.
“Stop trying to scare her off,” Jensen says, tossing a carrot stick at Megan.
