Page 138 of Knot That Serious

Beckett fought the urge to adjust his collar.

“I think the four of us would make a good pack. As long as Eli’s happy.”

“As long as Eli’s happy,” Beckett agreed, lifting his glass. If Eli was happy, Jack would be happy, too.

The clink of their glasses was as final as the bang of a gavel, and the tension in Beckett’s shoulders eased.

“So, how do we go about this?”

“Well. I figured I would sprinkle a few mentions of it to Jack. And maybe you could work on Eli?”

“But how?”

“I don’t know,” Beckett mused. “I’m going to show Jack a house.”

Raj choked on his water, setting it down carefully. “Well, that’s lovely for you, but I can’t exactly take Eli house hunting for our third date, can I?”

“Aw, why not?” Beckett teased. “Kidding. I don’t know. Maybe we shift focus off the pack itself and…” Beckett hummed. “Laser tag was fun. Being all together. Maybe that’s what we need to emphasize. Maybe she’ll even come to the conclusion herself, once she realizes how good we all are… together.”

“Carefully-manufactured pack moments in order to plant the seed,” Raj murmured. “I think that could work.”

“Well, now it just sounds clinical,” Beckett complained.

Raj chuckled. “What kinds of things would be good as group dates?”

Beckett racked his brain, and Raj glanced between their glasses. “Would you like a beer? I can sense this might take a while.”

“Yes, please,” Beckett answered.

“Group dates. Laser tag… paintball? No, too violent,” Raj shook his head, opening the fridge.

“Agreed. The only bruises I want to see on Jack are from me.”

Raj turned and sat two bottles on the counter, twisting the tops off without even needing a bottle opener. Hot.

“Escape room,” Raj said, tilting his bottle at him. “Eli liked kicking ass at laser tag. She’d like solving more clues than Jack.”

Beckett smothered a laugh into the lip of his beer. “Perfect. We can just pit them against each other until the tension snaps.”

“I’ll bring it up to her. Ask her if she’d mind if I invited you two.”

“Is this… wrong?” Raj asked. “Aren’t we manipulating them?”

“Not really,” Beckett said. “I mean, yes. We are manipulating them, if that’s how you wanna look at it. But we have their best interests at heart.”

Raj nodded. “Okay, fine. I can look at it that way, if that’s what it takes. I can tell she misses Jack. She talks about him a lot.”

“Oh my god, right?” Beckett asked, setting his beer down with a clack. “Jack talks about her all the time, which is kind of funny right now, because I’m pretty sure I talk to her more than he does.”

“Oh, yeah, you’ve been making her lunch and stuff,” Raj nodded. “She told me about that.”

Now that gave Beckett pause. “She did?”

“Yep. She says you’re a really good cook. And a good listener. I think she likes you.”

Beckett’s cheeks were heating again, and he wondered if pressing the cold bottle to them would help.

“I told her you and Jack were courting her, and just didn’t know it.” He tilted his head at him. “But you totally do know it, don’t you?”

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