Chapter 11
“I wasn’t aware you were bringing my parents,” said Jensen.
“You said you needed some company so I figured it was a good time to get all of us together again and perhaps meet the woman who has been preoccupying my big brother these days?” Stella leaned to the side so she could look around Jensen toward Megan. She leaned against the door until Stella made eye contact with her. Stella smiled and held her hand out toward her.
Jensen turned and took the bags from Megan’s arms, setting them down next to his on the couch, then taking her hand he pulled her into the room. “Megan, you remember my sister, Stella.”
“Yes,” she smiled. “Hello.” She felt a bit intimidated in the midst of all of Jensen’s family.
“It’s lovely to see you again.”
He led her to his parents and watched her face intently as he introduced them. “Megan, this is my mother, Penelope.”
“Please, call me Penny,” she said. Megan shook her hand.
“This is my father, Edward. Mom, dad, this is Megan, my girlfriend.”
Megan felt a twinge in her stomach upon hearing the way he introduced her to them. She quickly looked at him and saw the beautiful smile on his face. He wanted her to be his and it showed. She looked at his parents for approval and saw the same smiles on their faces as Edward reached his hand toward her.
“It is lovely to meet you, Megan,” he said. Although he looked much older than his wife, he was a very good looking man, distinguished and looked all of the part of a successful man, much like his son. Megan could see the resemblance and it helped ease her nerves as she smiled back at him.
Penny was striking with her dark hair cascading down her shoulders. Her flawless skin glowed and Megan could tell by her body language that she was completely in love with Edward. She stood very close to him and continuously touched him in some way, whether it was her fingertips on his elbow or her arm next to his side. Megan craved that with someone someday. Would Jensen be that someone? She looked at him and caught him staring at her as if he had the same thoughts she did.
“It is so nice to meet you both,” said Megan. She wished she could have finished her comment with Jensen has told me so much about you, but in all honesty, she couldn’t remember him even mentioning them.
“Are there more groceries? Do you need help?” asked Penny already heading toward the door. Megan watched as Jensen’s parents automatically started to pitch in and help. Stella picked up a few of the bags on the couch and went to the kitchen. Megan followed with the rest of the groceries already brought in.
“So, tell me,” said Stella. “How have things been going since I last saw you?”
What could Megan say? Should she tell her the entire long and drawn out story of how she wasn’t really with Jensen in Paris, and that she had been away from him almost the entire time that Stella was? Did she tell her how she thought Jensen and Kristina were still engaged making Megan feel like the other woman? How much did Jensen talk about her to his family? Did he tell them anything? She didn’t know if she was a surprise to them or if they would even like her.
“Oh, you know. I put up with him,” she joked.
“You aren’t telling me anything new. My brother can be quite a handful, but he is a good person. I hope things are going okay for you.” She seemed genuinely concerned as if she knew some of what had happened.
“They are.” She didn’t dare say too much.
“It’s so good to see you back together. Honestly, he was absolutely miserable without you in his life.” Megan’s heart swelled.
“Does he talk about me at all? I mean did his parents know I even existed before today?”
Before Stella could answer, they all walked in from the living room with armfuls of groceries.
“If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you did all of your shopping at once.” Penny put the bags she carried on the counter. Megan didn’t have the heart to tell them how much of a slob their precious baby boy actually was, but she guessed they had a pretty good idea since the mansion was still in such disarray. She wanted to clean it up, but she didn’t get the chance before they showed up so unexpectedly.
“I haven’t had the time to do much around here and I haven’t had a chance to hire a housekeeper.”
“We see that.” Penny unloaded the contents of the bags and tried to figure out what went where.
“Why don’t you leave the cooking up to me and Stella. Jensen, take your parents into the living room. Visit. Catch up on conversation. We will take care of all of this.” Megan smiled at them feeling like she wanted to take control for once.
“I think we will take you up on that offer.” Edward put his arm around his wife and led her into the living room. Jensen hesitated, looking at Megan, admiring her and falling a little bit more in love with her. As soon as she made eye contact with him, he winked at her and smiled.
When he disappeared into the living room Stella and Megan began their feat of putting a dinner together for the family.
“How did you like Paris?” Megan asked.
“I absolutely love it there. I lived there for a few short years.”
“Why did you move back if you loved it so much?”
“Business. My father wanted me to help with a business venture. I could have done well with it in Paris, but I would have rather worked with him by his side.”
“It’s so nice that you are so close with your family. I never had that.”
“Well, you have Jensen and now… you have us.”
Megan liked the sound of that.
“So, what do you think, beef roast or ham?” Megan held the roast in one hand and the ham in the other.
“Let’s do the roast. I have a great seasoning recipe that I use, makes the best roast.”
Megan handed the roast off to Stella. “You got it. I’ll start the potatoes.”
As they worked together and the aromas of the food they prepared began to fill the room, Stella and Megan talked about everything. Megan was having a wonderful time until Kristina came up in conversation.
“I’m just saying that she wasn’t easy to get along with,” Stella said after realizing she hit a nerve with Megan.
“She is the reason I left.”
“I know. Jensen told me. But he wasn’t lying to you, ya know. She really is a psycho bitch.”
“Did you know her well?”
“I did. We were good friends.” Megan’s heart sank. “That is until she became obsessed with her career.”
“Tell me about her.” Megan thought if she became familiar with the woman, she could relate a little better or at least understand where she stood in comparison.
“When she first met Jensen she wasn’t bad. A little arrogant but nothing that couldn’t be controlled with a fun trip shopping or a girls’ night out. I always adored her because of her beauty and poise, but I only tolerated her because I thought my brother was in love with her. When she got more into modeling career, it started controlling her and she became this obsessive compulsive bitch who seemed to think she was better than everyone else. She would expect people to bow down to her and do everything for her, including Jensen. She started playing this fictitious future out in her head that involved marrying my brother, but she always needed to be in the spotlight. Everything was about her and when Jensen wouldn’t do the things she expected, she lashed out and got very mean. She even expected him to give up his work when she needed to travel out of town for her photo shoots.”
“Wow. Why did he stay with her so long?”
“I don’t know if he felt bad for her or what it was. Each time he broke up with her, I would see them back together not even a couple of days later. According to him, she always played this poor broken soul and made her feel bad that he was dumping her. She always promised to change, but never even attempted it.”
“So, when did he break up with her for good?”
“Just after she caused Jensen’s housekeeper to quit after ten years of service.”
“She… did that?”
Stella nodded. “She was that horrible.”
“Then why is Kristina still trying to contact him?”
“She loves him in her own sick and twisted way. She wants the perfect husband and she seems to think Jensen fits the part. She isn’t one to give up very easily and I will tell you this. If she is still trying to get him back, watch yourself.”
“What? Why?”
“She is vindictive and I believe she will do whatever it takes to get what she wants.”
“Great.”
“Anyway, after she changed so much, I stopped hanging around her.”
“You didn’t like her after that?”
“I couldn’t stand her.” She started to laugh which made Megan laugh. She felt better knowing she wasn’t the only one who had a problem with Kristina.
When dinner was on the table, Stella called everyone out and they all seated around a beautiful table with succulent roast beef, carrots, broccoli and potatoes with gravy. Jensen set a bottle of red wine in the ice bucket after uncorking it and they all sat down.
“This looks amazing,” he said.
“Let’s hope it tastes as good as it looks.”
“Well, I’m sure with you ladies at the helm, nothing could taste bad.”
“Awe, big brother, always wooing the ladies.”
Conversation went well, even though Megan still felt quite intimidated around Edward and Penny. She tried to calm herself and enjoy the meal, but she was nervous and timid, worrying about making a good impression and living up to Kristina’s standards. If Stella was good friends with her at one time, Penny and Edward must have adored her. Maybe she put up a front when she was around them.
“Megan,” Jensen said. “Did you tell Stella about the fashion show?”
“Um, no. I didn’t.” She tried to divert her thoughts away from Kristina. “Are you into the fashion scene?” she asked Stella.
“Very much so. I love going to the shows and I have even written a few reviews for some local fashion magazines.”
“Megan and her roommate are going to London Fashion Week.”
“Shut up! Seriously? That’s in a couple of days. How did you get tickets?”
“Jensen got them for us.”
“I am so jealous. Way to look out for your big sister,” she scolded, reaching across the table and slapping his arm.
“You should come along. Meet my roommate, Lorena. She is obsessed with fashion. She even designs her own dresses. I bet you two would hit it off nicely.”
“I would love to, but tickets to such an event are not so easily attainable, I’m afraid.”
“Oh,” Megan said feeling awkward. She stuffed a forkful of potatoes in her mouth for lack of something worthy to say. There she sat, amongst a family with no financial burdens, happy as hell that she was able to go to such a renowned event, but feeling like a heel for inviting Stella to a sold out event.
“Maybe we can get together for lunch or dinner afterwards,” said Stella, rescuing conversation. “You can tell me all about it and show me the dozens of pictures you are going to promise to take for me.”
Megan nodded. “I promise, and I’d like that.”
“So, tell me Megan.” Penny finished the wine in her glass and held it up toward Jensen. After he was finished pouring her another glass, she took a sip then continued her thought. “How did you two meet?”
“Um,” Megan felt even more awkward. “I was in Paris… on business.” She didn’t want to mention Tristan’s name. “Jensen was there with Stella and I ran into her there. She introduced herself to me. I didn’t know she knew who I was….” Penny laughed as she set her glass down.
“No, dear. I meant you and Jensen.”
Megan’s face grew very warm. “Oh.” She smiled awkwardly and glanced at Jensen who seemed quite amused at Megan and her squirming. “I answered an ad for a job he put online.”
“Oh so you work for his firm?”
“Um, not exactly.” She realized she was just about to admit that she was his housekeeper and cleaned up after him. Not the most alluring job to have, especially in the eyes of family members who were all successful in their own ventures. In fact, the more Megan thought about it, the more she realized how different she was from them. How could they accept her after learning who she really was and where she really came from? How could she come close to measuring up to Kristina who is a highly successful fashion model?
“Don’t you remember, mom?” And there was Stella again, coming to Megan’s rescue. “She was hired to help Jensen get his personal life back in order after Kristina and her tornado went through.”
“Kristina,” Edward scoffed. “There’s a name I would love to never hear again.”
“Edward,” Penny scolded. “Behave.”
“I am behaving. I am just happy as a lark that my son is with someone other than that God awful woman.” He holds up his glass and smiles. When the others joined him, he made his small toast. “To Megan. Very pretty in mind, body and soul and hopefully a good fit for my son.”
Megan didn’t know quite how to take that but she smiled anyway and took a sip of her wine. Did they like her, or just the fact that she wasn’t Kristina?
Jensen pulled the bottle and gave his sister another half of a glass. “Would anyone else like a bit more?”
“Oh, no.” Penny held up her hand. “I do believe I have had more than my limit.” She widened her eyes and looked at Edward. No words were said, but Edward knew Penny was tipsy enough that she was done for the night. He stood up and helped her out of her chair.
“I suppose we are going to retire for the evening. Thank you for a wonderful dinner.” He nodded at Stella and Megan.
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it,” said Megan. “Good night.” She watched as they walked off to the guest room before she turned back to the dinner in front of her. There was a lot of clean up to be done and she was exhausted from the stress of the Kristina drama and the questioning she got from his family. She stood up and started putting the dishes together.
“Will you do me a favor?” Stella stood up and touched Megan’s arm. Megan looked at her with confusion.
“What is it?”
“Let me do this. You look exhausted and I am not the least bit tired.” Megan looked at the table full of leftovers and dirty dishes. “It will give me something to do.”
“I can’t let you….”
“Jensen, would you please put her to bed?”
“I’d be glad to.” His voice was seductive and anything but sincere.
“And keep the noise down will ya?” Stella cocked her head and smiled, winking at Megan when she looked over at her. Why was Stella so wonderful? Megan could see an amazing friendship forming with her. She let Jensen walk her into his bedroom and when the door closed, she turned and looked at him. He saw the worry in her face and the tension she had built up over the course of the night.
“Come here,” he said. He sat on the edge of the bed and scooted back so she had room to sit in front of him. He massaged her shoulders and squeezed her muscles trying to loosen them and work out the knots.
“Oh, that feels so good.” She flopped her head forward as he squeezed and worked his fingers on her shoulders.
“I hope my parents weren’t too hard on you.”
“They weren’t. I just get so nervous in unfamiliar situations and I forget what I’m doing.”
He moved her hair to the side and kissed her neck. “Well, I thought you were wonderful.” He kissed her again, moving his small, lingering kisses down her neck and over her shoulder. He pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her. “They would be stupid not to love you.” He leaned her back and looked into her eyes. “I know I do.” He covered her mouth with his and his words made her shiver as she relaxed into his kiss. She was beginning to feel like she could be part of something really wonderful and she didn’t want that feeling to end.