Page 92 of Knot Your Sunshine
"Apparently not." But I'm smiling as he leans down to kiss me, soft and thorough, tasting of rain and possibility.
"Definitely his loss," Keanu murmurs against my lips. Noa lets Keanu take his spot so he can dry in front of the fire, then he settles behind me, pulling me back against his chest.
God, I love being cocooned by them…
"We should send him a thank-you card," Josh says after a beat, reclaiming my foot. "Thanks for being an idiot."
"Include a photo," Noa suggests, his hand sliding under my shirt to rest warm against my stomach. "From the pajama party."
"Which part?" Keanu asks, eyes dancing with mischief.
"Okay!" I laugh, heat flooding my cheeks. "Yes, he's an idiot. We were just casually dating anyway. I'm over it."
"Regardless," Josh says, his grin turning wicked. "We have so many more pajama parties planned…"
"Many, many more," Noa agrees, and the promise in his voice makes me shiver.
The fire settles into a steady burn, casting dancing shadows on the rock wall. Josh pulls out steel sticks and a pack of marshmallows from his waterproof bag, and we take turns roasting them. The storm feels distant now, just white noise beyond our circle of warmth.
"You know what means everything to me?" I say softly, watching the flames. "You actually support my dream. Not just in words, but in actions. The franchise would still be scribbles in a journal without you three."
"We'd do anything for you," Josh says simply.
"Because you're incredible," Keanu adds, squeezing my waist.
"Whatever makes you happy," Noa murmurs against my hair.
Lightning flashes, illuminating the beach for a heartbeat before darkness reclaims it. A strong gust drives spray under the overhang, catching Noa's back. He shifts forward, moving to sit at an angle where he can still see me but avoid the spray.
"This reminds me of our old spot," he says, settling into position. "An overhang like this where Josh, Keanu and I used to meet during storms."
Something in his tone shifts the mood. Josh's hands pause on my foot. Keanu goes still beside me.
"Our roofs leaked," Noa continues, staring into the fire. "Every storm meant buckets and towels and still getting wet. So we'd meet under this rock ledge. Plan how we'd change everything."
"I knew you didn't come from money, but..." I trail off.
"We had love but not much else," Josh says quietly. "Watched our parents work themselves raw for never-quite-enough."
They paint the picture slowly: three boys sketching business plans in dirt while rain turned the world to mud. The garage that became their first office. Computers held together with duct tape and prayer. Sixteen-hour workdays fueled by instant ramen. Friends who forgot they existed. Birthdays spent coding instead of celebrating.
The fire burns lower as their story unfolds. Keanu feeds it fresh wood absently, lost in memory.
"We almost lost ourselves," Keanu says. "Got so focused on the goal we forgot why we started. Swore we'd never let work consume us like that again."
"That's why you sold," I say, understanding clicking into place.
"As soon as the right opportunity came." Noa's expression grows heavy. "And why we want to help you avoid our mistakes."
"I appreciate that." I try for lightness, squeezing Noa's thigh. "Really. But I have you three. That changes everything."
Josh squeezes my foot gently. "We're serious, you know. We've been where you are, the drive, the total focus. We know what it costs."
"But this is different," I insist. "I'm not alone. I have experienced guides."
"You do," Keanu agrees. "Always."
Three heartbeats of silence. Then:
