Page 168 of Knot That Serious

But it was Jack that began the story. “It all started because I’m an idiot,” Jack confessed.

Eli arched a brow at him, chest filled with sticky sweet happiness. “What else is new?”

33. One Big Secret

Eli

“Ready?” Eli asked, stepping forward and lifting her hand to the door.

“As we’ll ever be,” Jack drawled, and Eli rapped her knuckles against the wood.

It flew open seconds later, a small blond woman on the other side. She squealed, shuffling quickly from one foot to the other in excitement.

“Oh my god, you made it!” her mom cried, and threw her arms around Eli.

Eli chuckled at the force of her affection, squeezing her mom tightly. “Look at you!” Eli said, and pulled back. Her mom was dressed in black to match the theme. “Is that mine?” she asked, pointing to the band tee shirt.

She tugged at the hem and shrugged. “You left it here and it found its way into the laundry basket… and then into my closet. It fits the theme! And look at all of you,” she said.

Eli and Jack were dressed in black head to toe with jeans and boots. She was even wearing one of the many black shirts Jack owned, tied at her waist to keep it from draping her frame, but of course her pink leather jacket was still on her shoulders.

“And who are these two gentlemen? Friends?” she asked, finally meeting Raj and Beckett’s gazes. She stuck out a hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Eli’s mom, Bethany, but you can call me Beth.”

Raj and Beckett shook hands with her, polite as ever.

“Mom, this is Raj and Beckett. They’re… our pack,” she said, motioning to Jack.

Beth froze, gaze stopping on Eli before trailing to Jack, disbelief in her eyes.

“Your pack,” she said slowly, brow furrowing. “With Jack?”

Eli’s stomach dropped. She’d assumed everyone would be happy—

“Tom!” Beth cried over her shoulder, shattering Eli’s ear drum. She winced and stepped back.

“What—” Eli began, but Beth turned away from them and ran through the living room, disappearing.

“Colin!” she shouted, and Eli sighed. “Walt!”

“Well. Welcome home, I guess,” Jack said softly.

Eli turned a wobbly smile over her shoulder to Beckett and Raj. “This is just the beginning.”

She took a moment to appreciate the black slacks and button up Beckett was wearing before sliding to Raj and smoothing a hand down the black shirt and sweater he wore, along with regular washed jeans and boots. He squeezed her hand for a split second before releasing it.

“Well, let’s go,” Eli said, and led the charge. They tracked through the living room, over hardwood floors Eli used to run across barefoot, usually chased by Jack when their moms would get together. The space had clearly been well-loved, lightly cluttered, with pictures of her and her brother all over the walls and on the mantle of the fireplace.

Funny how most of her pictures seemed to contain Jack, too.

The kitchen bar was full with foil-covered items, and Eli added the three boxes of donuts she and Raj had eventually finished up.

Feeling nosy, she peeled a corner of foil back off a few items and hummed at the choices.

“Everyone must be here already,” she mused.

“Ready to face the music?” Jack asked.

Eli groaned, a flutter of nerves tickling her stomach. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

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