Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
ALLEY
THEN—A LITTLE LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AGO
We’re all gathered in Jensen’s parents’ spacious living room, the fireplace blazing warmly behind us, the Christmas tree twinkling in the corner. And currently in the middle of complete mayhem.
“Harry Potter!”
“Santa Claus!”
“Dobby the elf!”
“Oh my God, Dad!” Megan yells, chucking a pillow at him. “Not everything is Harry Potter!”
“Voldemort!” Jensen’s dad shouts triumphantly, completely ignoring her.
“Is he even trying?” someone mutters under their breath.
I can’t hold back my laughter at the ridiculous chaos. It’s beautiful.
Amber throws her hands in the air, shaking her head in frustration. “You’re all hopeless!” she shouts, exasperated.
“Bellatrix!” Jensen’s dad guesses—still stuck on Harry Potter.
“Dad! Shut up!” Megan throws another pillow at him.
To be fair, Amber is continuously making an exaggerated flicking motion with her wrist, it looks like she’s casting a spell.
Lightbulb. “The Fairy Godmother!” I shout.
Amber throws her arms up in victory. “Finally! Thank God, Alley’s here to save all of you degenerates!”
Charades is the game—and proceed with caution, because Jensen’s family? They’re competitive.
It’s Christmas Eve, my first time meeting Jensen’s family, and I’m having an absolute blast. His mom and dad are most definitely drunk, Megan has a ruthless competitive streak, and Jensen… well, let’s just say charades is not his calling in life. He sucks at this game.
My team consists of me, Jensen (yes, unfortunately), his sister Megan, his dad Tom, and his sister-in-law Amber. We’re up against his mom Christy, Matt—who apparently spends every Christmas Eve with Jensen’s family—his brother Jeff, and brother-in-law Kevin.
We’re getting our asses handed to us, and we even have an extra person. Jeff, Matt, and Christy are surprisingly good at this game. Like, weirdly good.
Jensen’s hand grips my thigh. “Nice job, babe,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. Something so simple, yet it spreads a warmth and tingly sensation through my entire body.
We’ve been seeing each other for three months now.
We had the official “let’s be exclusive” talk a few weeks ago, and while it’s moving fast, it doesn’t feel rushed.
We spend so much time together—talking all day, every day via text, and after work, it’s either my place or his.
When we’re apart, we’re on the phone. I’m falling for him—fast and hard.
I haven’t been this fully happy in so long. Jensen fills my cup in every way, in ways I didn’t even realize I needed.
His family only solidifies what I feel for him. They’re kind, hilarious, and have a love for each other that I didn’t know existed in families. They’re so close, and they genuinely enjoy spending time together. I never had this growing up. Michael is amazing, but this? This feels like a gift.
Jensen’s the baby of the family, his sister Megan is two years older, and his brother Jeff is four years older. Each of them has two kids, and the oldest, Grace, who’s twelve, is being paid to watch the three littler ones so the adults can drink and play games in peace.
Matt’s up, and Megan groans. “Isn’t it Kevin’s turn?”
“Hey! I resent that, babe,” Kevin says, gesturing to his crotch. “See this? It’s off-limits tonight. Don’t even try to get some because this shop? It’s closed.”
Megan rolls her eyes, laughing. “Oh no, whatever shall I do?”
“Shut up, both of you, and pay attention!” Matt yells. “Also, Kev, don’t ever gesture to your dick again. That was weird.” He flips the timer over and immediately begins. He mimes stepping into pants, pulling them up over his waist, then drawing back a bowstring.
“Robin Hood!” Christy shouts.
“Dammit!” Megan cries. “That was way too easy. You guys always get the easy ones.”
“It’s called skill, Megan,” Matt says with a smirk. “I’m telling you, Hollywood is missing out. I should’ve gone into acting.”
He bows dramatically and takes a seat.
Crap. It’s my turn, and while I’m thoroughly enjoying myself, I’m not exactly thrilled about making a fool of myself in front of Jensen’s entire family.
I draw my paper, and relief washes over me. Rose, from Titanic. Easy peasy. I flip the timer, spread my arms out wide, and tilt my face to the ceiling.
“Jack! Rose! Titanic!” Megan shouts triumphantly. “Yes!” She pumps her fist in the air. “Suck it, bitches!” Laughing, she jabs her hands toward her crotch in a mock suck it gesture.
Jeff and Matt simultaneously flip her off, grinning.
This goes on for another hour, until everyone has had three turns. We lose, but my hell, I feel like a winner just sitting here with Jensen and his family.
His mom disappears for a moment and reappears in the living room, holding a handful of prizes.
“What’s this for?” I ask Jensen, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, we now have the charades awards ceremony. MVP, best guesser, and the cutest—which is basically the person who sucks the most but looks cute doing it.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re joking.”
Jensen grins, his dimples on full display. “Never. This is serious shit, Al. I’d never joke about something like this.”
“Oh my God. Be honest, how many times have you won?”
He leans in, chuckling. “Oh, I win every year, babe. There’s a reason I suck at this game.” He winks, and dammit, I fall a little harder for him.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, listen up,” Christy announces, taking a generous sip of her wine. Good Lord, this has to be her fourth glass. How is she still standing? She holds up a small basket, neatly wrapped in cellophane. “Cutest player goes to… drum roll, please!”
Everyone literally drum rolls, and for a moment, I swear I’m not in a room full of adults but at a middle school assembly.
“Jensen!”
A chorus of boos erupts from everyone, laughter following close behind. Megan chucks a pillow at him and shouts, “I refuse to be on your team next year!”
“You suck!” someone else calls out, and everyone doubles over laughing.
This is, hands down, the best thing. Ever.
Jensen plops back down beside me, holding his gift basket like a trophy and grinning like a fool.
Christy raises her voice over the commotion. “Alright, alright! Best guesser goes to…” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Drum roll!”
Again, everyone drum rolls.
“Alley!”
I blink in surprise, then grin, but before I can even process the moment, Megan calls out, “Well, no shit. We have Jensen on our team, and she sees his dick!”
Megan is, without a doubt, both the best and the worst.
I stand to accept my prize, whistles and catcalls filling the room. Between all the attention and Megan’s comment, I’m certain my cheeks are blazing red. I give an exaggerated curtsy, earning a fresh round of laughter, and quickly sit back down.
“And last but not least, our most valuable player,” Christy announces.
Jensen leans in, his breath warm against my ear. “It’ll be Matt. Mom has a soft spot for him.”
“It was a close one this year,” Christy continues, drawing out the suspense, “between Jeff and Matt… But the winner is… drumroll, please!”
Like clockwork, nine adults drumroll, and Christy beams. “Matt!”
Matt makes absolutely no effort to be humble. He leaps up, flexing his biceps like he’s on a bodybuilding stage, then kisses each one for good measure. He bows dramatically, over and over, before mock-holding an invisible microphone.
“First and foremost, I’d like to thank God,” he begins, pointing upward, his grin so smug and charming it could make any woman weak in the knees.
It’s over the top, ridiculous, and the verdict is in—I absolutely love Jensen’s family.
“So, Alley, has Jensen told you what a spoiled little shit he used to be?” Megan asks, her eyes darting toward Jensen with a mischievous grin.
“Oh, God. Here we go,” Jensen groans, shaking his head.
“What? You were!” Megan says, doubling down without hesitation.
“You really were, buddy,” Jeff chimes in, earning nods and murmurs of agreement from the rest of the table.
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 you were 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 as she 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.
I smile, warmth spreading through me. “Thank you. That means a lot. This has been so much fun. Honestly, I’m jealous you all have each other. It’s incredible.”
Jensen wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “Don’t listen to anything they say about me. I’m crazy about you.”
Oohs and ahs echo around the table as Jensen leans in, his lips meeting mine in a sweet but heated kiss. My heart races, and I know, without question, that I’m one hundred and ten percent smitten.
Absolutely falling.
In.
Love.
With.
This.
Man.