Page 141 of Knot That Serious

Even though Jack’s lips were pulling on the joint, she saw them twitch.

“Since we have the night to ourselves, how do you feel about helping me move to another country?”

Jack sputtered out a laugh and shook his head, smoke spilling between his lips. “You do not have to move. Did he text you or anything?”

Eli rolled her eyes. “Yes. Something cute about feeling like a winner.”

Clapping a hand to his chest, Jack leaned back as if he’d been shot. “Fuck me, that’s adorable.”

“I know!” Eli cried. “He’s so sweet and nice and he’s so incredibly hot, Jack, I mean—”

Now that the high was gently creeping in, they were chattering back and forth as easily as ever.

“Oh, I saw him, dude. And Beckett—”

“His cheeks were so red, like, all of laser tag last night,” Eli said, laughing at the memory.

“He was flustered. He’s not used to being shorter than someone. I think it threw him for a loop.”

Eli rolled the joint between her fingers, staring at the glowing red tip. “And it didn’t bother you?”

“What?”

“That he clearly found Raj attractive?” She let her stare skip to him before she chickened out, staring at the joint again before lifting it for another hit.

“Pfft, no. I mean, I find Raj attractive. Wouldn’t be very fair of me to be upset over the same thing, would it?”

“Are you guys… exclusive?” she asked.

Jack shrugged. “I don’t think either of us are seeing other people, but that’s just a coincidence; it’s not a rule.”

“So you don’t get jealous?”

“Well…” Jack’s gaze landed on her for a second before skittering away. “I wouldn’t say that.”

Eli passed him the joint back, wondering if she was high, or if she was supposed to read into that as much as she wanted to. “I think I’m good,” she said, suspicious. As if the weed might be some secret love potion strain. Then she wondered how she’d incorporate that into her menu. Bet they’d sell like hot cakes. Oh. That’s what she could make. She’d call them… hot-for-you-cakes.

Eli snickered at her own thoughts and felt Jack’s gaze return to her. “Don’t ask,” she said, because explaining why she was afraid of a love potion strain of weed would require too much backstory.

Speaking of… Eli glanced toward the breakfast bar, the envelope scrawled with her and Jack’s names on it still standing. “Guess what came today?”

Jack sat up, followed her eyeline with a twist of his head, and sat up straighter. “Oh, shit. Is it—”

“Family reunion time!” she said, shaking off her blanket so she could go get it.

She trailed barefoot across the room, weaving through the coffee table and spare chair until she plucked the envelope up and carried it back.

“I got to open it last year—you go,” Eli said, shoving it at him. He’d stubbed the joint out in the little airtight jar and shoved it back into the box.

“Gimme,” he said, and took it. They moved back to the couch but left the window open to help clear out any lingering smell.

Eli sank into Jack’s indent on the couch, leaning against his shoulder as he dug a finger beneath the backside of the envelope and tugged it open inch by inch.

He placed the envelope on the table and unfolded the letter.

“You are invited—” he announced, “—to the annual Moore + Caldwell family reunion.”

The location was always the same, the date marked on her calendar every year, and yet it was a silly little tradition to send mailed invitations instead of a Google calendar invite.

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