Page 32 of Knot Your Karma
“And Declan?”
“Declan was the TA.” Adrian adds pasta to the boiling water with practiced ease. “Three years older, former hockey player, took absolutely no shit from anyone. Reed had a massive crush on him within about five minutes of the first class.”
“Reed had a crush on Declan?” This is delicious gossip, and I’m here for all of it.
“Oh, it was painful to watch. Nothing sexual but it was the first sign we were pack. Reed would ask these incredibly detailed questions about load-bearing walls just to keep Declan talking. Meanwhile, Declan was completely oblivious because he was too busy being impressed by Reed’s design instincts and my restoration techniques.”
I picture them—young, figuring out their dynamics, probably completely clueless about what they meant to each other. “How long did it take you all to figure it out?”
“That we were pack? Senior year. Though looking back, we were already functioning like pack by sophomore year—Reed mediating between me and Declan when we disagreed about project approaches, Declan making sure we all ate during finals week, me building furniture for our increasingly elaborate shared off-campus house.”
“You lived together?”
“Three-bedroom place near campus. Reed insisted on cooking elaborate Sunday dinners, Declan turned the basement into a workshop, I built custom shelves for Reed’s ridiculous romance book collection and fixed everything that broke.” Adrian tests the pasta, deems it ready. “We told ourselves we were just practical roommates who worked well together.”
“And then?”
“Then graduation was coming up, and we realized we didn’t want to split up. Started Second Chances Restoration about six months after we graduated, and have been traveling together ever since.” He begins the delicate process of combining pasta, eggs, and cheese. “Took us another few years to admit we were basically already functioning as pack.”
“That’s really sweet,” I say, and mean it. There’s something wonderful about the idea that they built their relationship slowly, out of friendship and compatibility rather than just biological attraction.
“What about you? Always been on your own, or...”
“Always been on my own,” I confirm. “My grandmother encouraged my independence. Said I was too smart to settle for someone who didn’t appreciate what I brought to the table.”
“She was right.” Adrian plates the carbonara with careful attention, adding fresh pepper and extra cheese. “Though if I’m reading the situation correctly, that might be changing.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “Maybe.”
He sets the plate in front of me, and it smells incredible—rich and comforting and made with the kind of care that makes my chest tight with something I don’t quite know how to name.
“Adrian,” I say as he settles across from me with his own plate.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For this, for coming over, for not being weird about me attacking you in my front yard.”
His smile is soft, genuine. “Thank you for trusting me enough to let me in your kitchen. And for what it’s worth—I think Reed was right about the chemistry.”
I take a bite of pasta to hide my blush, but I can’t hide the way my scent probably just shifted to something warm and pleased. This is definitely the best carbonara I’ve ever had,but more than that, it’s the best I’ve felt in my own kitchen in longer than I can remember.
“Can I ask you something?” he says after we’ve been eating in comfortable silence.
“Sure.”
“The compass Declan’s looking for—professional opinion?”
I reorganize my napkin to keep my hands busy while lying to his face. “Maritime antiques with that kind of provenance usually go through private collectors.”
“Which is why it’s good you know the market. If anyone can track it down, it’s someone with real expertise.”
“Family heirlooms belong with people who understand their significance,” I tell him, then immediately busy myself with another bite of pasta. The irony tastes bitter alongside the rich cream sauce.
“Declan mentioned you’re helping with the search. Means a lot to him. To all of us.”
“It’s what I do. Help people find pieces of their history.”
“Even when it’s complicated?”
