“Fuck me, Becca knew too?”
“No! No, she didn’t. Mrs B invited her over. She has no idea.”
“Jenna, this secrecy shit is bollocks. Can you just stop already? Is there anything else I need to know?”
“No, that’s everything. Do you hate me?”
Her voice breaks as she asks, and my heart cracks open. Turning, I haul her into my body. “I could never hate you. Well, I did for a while when you were thirteen, but not now.”
Poking me in the ribs, Jenna laughs. “I’m sorry, Eden. I hated keeping it from you. I just wanted to do what was best for the both of you.”
Sighing, I hold her tighter. “I get it…but…it stings, I can’t lie.”
She nods against my chest. “I knew it would. I wanted to tell you she was okay so many times, but Sloane trustedme to keep quiet. She…she needed me more than you did, Eden.”
“Yeah,” I sigh again, “I know.”
“What do you need?” Jenna asks, sitting up.
“No idea, Luce. No fucking idea.”
“Oh great, I’m back to being the Devil?”
“Nah, it just makes me feel better winding you up. Come on, let’s go back down before Mum barges in being a nosey parker.”
“God, you have no idea, Eden. I kind of wish you still lived here because at least then they left me alone. Mum’s always up in my business now.”
Snorting, I clap her on the back. “Tough tits, Jen. She’s all yours now. But at least you only have a few months left.”
“Eden, she’s threatened to camp over in my dorm room on moving day!”
Bursting out laughing, I head to the door. “You’re her baby. She’s totally going to be an empty nester.”
“God, will you talk to her? I cannot have my mum staying with me in college!”
“Jenna, she’s fucking with you…I think.”
Jenna grumbles all the way back downstairs and outside. Bella looks at her phone and looks at me with sideeyes, making me laugh. I gather from her reaction Becca has finally messaged, and Bella’s now caught up with the situation. Bless her, she looks like she’s about to have a stroke.
Making my way over to her, I sit down. “I know. Jenna just told me.”
Air whooshes from her mouth. “Oh, thank fuck!”
“Everything okay?” Mum asks. She’s looking between me, Bella, and Jenna.
Clearing my throat, I sit a little taller. “Sloane is back in town.”
Fuck, it feels weird saying it and knowing it’s not just wishful thinking. Sloane Bishop is back, and my life is about to get infinitely more complicated.
Mum hands me another beer. “How do you feel about that, love?”
Mum and Dad have been wonderful over the breakup. They never blamed Sloane, which shows the type of people they are. Both Mum and Dad knew Sloane had struggled in the past with anxiety, so when I told them what happened the day I visited her at college, and she asked for a break, they were upset for me but understanding.
Before I can answer, Pia starts bawling. The sudden noise makes us all jump, but Mum recovers first, scoopingmy best friend into a loving hug. I can’t wait for that little rug rat to be born, because Pia’s hormones are fucking exhausting. If Jenna being a teenage demon hadn’t permanently put me off kids, watching Pia’s pregnancy certainly has. Fucking nightmare!
Once she’s stopped snotting everywhere, Mum turns back to me. “So?”
“Surprised, scared, happy. You name it I’m feelin’ it!”
