“Whoa. What’s that supposed to mean?” Adam asks.
“Means they talk about your sex life, man,” Jensen says, perfectly matter-of-fact. “Ninety percent of what you tell Scarlett—you might as well tell Alley.”
My eyes land on Adam. “Don’t feel special. I know about Ryan and Leo’s sex lives too. And unfortunately, way too much about my brother’s.” I wince, gaze shifting to Stella, sitting beside Michael. Then I glance at my dad. “Sorry, Dad.”
He waves a hand, muttering something about us all being adults.
Stella taps a fork against her glass and stands, eyes sparkling as she looks around the group. The chatter fades as heads turn her way.
She lifts her glass. “Since it’s Alley’s birthday, I thought it’d be fun if we all shared a favorite memory of her.”
A mix of cheers and teasing groans ripple through the patio.
“Oh, this’ll be good.” Michael smirks.
“Careful,” Cooper chimes in. “I’ve got stories.”
“I hope they’re embarrassing,” Adam adds, grinning.
“I’ll go first,” Stella says, before telling the story of the first time she met me. Michael’s next, then my dad.
Then Adam. “Well, there’s the socks and Subway, but nothing will ever surpass that riverboat tour when she thought Art Deco was a person.” He flashes a grin, and everyone cracks up. I roll my eyes, shaking my head.
Scarlett dives into a story about me making a complete fool of myself at the bar in front of a couple hot guys.
Cooper follows, grinning. “Oh, I’ve got one. Remember when Viv asked us to babysit for like ten minutes? Neither of us had ever changed a diaper in our lives. We were gagging, shit waseverywhere, and just when we finally got him clean”—she throws up a hand, laughing—“little man let loose with the firehose and peed all over you.”
Everyone cracks up, Jensen included, while I groan through my laughter. “Oh my God, I’ve never moved so fast in my life. Fastest way to learn how to change a diaper? Get peed on.”
Cooper’s wiping tears from her eyes. “When Viv came home, I couldn’t even breathe I was laughing so hard. Even Isla was laughing.”
Ryan slings an arm over her chair, brows pinched, smirking. “And she says she doesn’t want kids.”
They all laugh again, but Jensen and I share a look. Mine’s mortified, because holy shit, if I can’t handle a diaper, how am I supposed to handle a baby? His is steady, almost reassuring—like he’s silently telling me,we’ll figure it out.
Ryan goes next, then Vivian—each sharing a short, funny snippet from the past few months.
Then it’s Leo’s turn. He’s quiet for a moment, and when he looks up, his expression is serious and thoughtful. “Where do I even begin, Al?” He chuckles softly, a glint in his eye. “I’ve got a lot of great memories with you—family dinners, game nights at mine and Michael’s apartment, where you’d flirt with our friends and try to convince them you were in college when you were still in high school.”
Jensen side-eyes me, brow cocked, and I flash him a shameless grin.
“You’ve always filled a special place in my heart. You’ve been like a sister to me. And maybe this isn’t my favorite memory, but it’s one that’s always stayed with me—when I picked you up from the airport after you started seeing Jensen. All the years before, when you’d visit, you were always your happy-go-lucky self on the surface. But deep down?” His voice dips. “You were sad. After your mum died. When you weren’t talking to yourdad. When you barely saw Michael.” He pauses, smile softening. “But that day… when you got in my car and started talking about Jensen—you lit up. I’d never seen you so excited. So happy. I’ll never forget it. That transition? That’ll always be a favorite for me. And then, of course, you made fun of me for being incapable of dating.”
He chuckles, shooting Vivian a quick wink before his gaze comes back to me. My eyes sting as I hold the tears back and mouth a quietthank you.
He slaps Matt on the back. “You’re up, mate.”
“Well, shit, how do I follow that?” He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t think I can pick just one. You’ve tripped over your own feet more times than I can count, and you always have my back when the Adams siblings gang up on me. But honestly?” His smile softens as his gaze locks on mine—pure sincerity. “Just knowing you and having you in my life has been one of the greatest blessings.”
He shakes his head, letting out a breath. “You and Jensen have been so inspiring to watch as a couple. I’ve never known anyone to love as hard as you two do.” His eyes turn glassy, and it takes me by surprise. Matt really isn’t one to get emotional, not over this kind of thing. And certainly not in front of people. “It’s made me realize I want more out of my own life. That I want what you two have.” He scoffs, laughing like he can’t believe he just admitted it. “Looks like I’ve missed that boat, though.”
I shake my head, the dam of tears about to spill over. “No, you haven’t,” I whisper.
He glances around at the serious faces—some teary, some smiling—and shifts in his seat. “Ah, fuck.” Then he winces when he notices my dad, like he didn’t mean to drop an f-bomb. “Sorry to kill the mood. All that to say, I already miss you, Alley. Happy birthday.” He clears his throat and looks to Jensen. “Your turn, buddy.”
“Thank you, Matt.” My smile’s soft, warmth spreading through my chest as I fight the rush of emotion.
Jensen leans forward, elbows on his knees, gaze locked on me. “I don’t need to dig through memories. Every one with you is my favorite. Even the ones where you’re mad at me.” He smirks, drawing a few chuckles from the patio. His hand finds mine, squeezing tight. “Because those moments brought us here. To this. You. Me. Our life together. Every day with you is an adventure. And every moment that becomes a favorite is only trumped by another the very next day.” His eyes shine. “I love you. And I’m excited for this new chapter with you.” He glances around the group. “With all of you.” Then his gaze returns to mine. “Happy birthday, baby.”
