“All done,” Gordon announced. “I’m ready to hit the sack.”

Jackson glanced at his watch. “Dude, it’s only eight-thirty.” He needed to talk to his friends about their future.

Gordon was leaving at the beginning of the school year for the University of Arizona, and Vlad was starting Santa Monica College. At least he was staying in town.

“I’m tired. I just want to get in bed and watch a few episodes of Rick and Morty before I fall asleep.”

Both Gordon and Vlad were obsessed with the cartoon. It had a few funny episodes, but Jackson didn’t get their fascination with it.

“I want to talk to you guys.”

Gordon sighed. “About?”

“What am I going to do when you guys are in college?”

Vlad emerged from the kitchen with a six pack of soda cans. “I’m still here.”

“Yeah, but how many hours can you work?”

His friend folded his long and wiry frame into the front booth and popped the lid off one of the sodas. “I can still do the mornings, preparing the dough and doing the baking for the day, but I can’t stay after that.”

That was better than nothing, but not enough. Jackson pushed his bangs back and slid into the booth next to Vlad. “I’m thinking about closing the café.”

Gordon sat across from them and grabbed one of the sodas. “That’s extreme. Why don’t you hire a couple of humans?”

“It’s not going to be the same without you guys.”

Gordon put a hand over his heart. “I’m touched. But really, man, life goes on. You can’t expect things to stay the same.”

“I know. It sucks. Vlad and I will need to find a new drummer for the band.”

Jackson had known that one day they would need to part ways, but he’d hoped he had more time.

“What about the new place?” Vlad asked. “The village needs someone to run the café over there.”

The thought had crossed his mind. Nathalie couldn’t manage it for the foreseeable future, but Carol was doing fine without her.

“Kian will probably close the one in the keep and Carol will manage the new one.”

Gordon shook his head. “I overheard Bhathian talking about her training for some secret mission.”

Jackson’s ears perked up. “And you kept it to yourself? Talk!”

Gordon shrugged. “I don’t know what it’s about. Bhathian was talking to Andrew about it, and both of them were shaking their heads like it was the dumbest idea ever.”

Whatever it was, Carol leaving the café was news to Jackson. Without her, there would be no one to run the old or the new place, and people would be majorly bummed if that happened. Besides, it was a wasted business opportunity.

If he could figure out the logistics, maybe he could jump on it.

“I can’t run the place by myself.”

Vlad put his empty can on the table. “What about Onidu? He’s doing a fine job.”

“If Amanda agrees for him to continue, then I might be able to pull it off. But I still need you to bake.”

“I said I would.”

For a few moments, the three of them sat in silence, thinking.

Gordon lifted his head. “Maybe you could advertise a position on the clan’s digital bulletin board. Not everyone works full time. Before Carol took over Nathalie’s café, she was a bum. Does Sylvia work?”

Jackson shook his head. “I don’t know.”

The board was a good idea, though. Maybe some of those who had jobs would want to quit after moving to the village. The commute was going to be much longer. Besides, the place was so nice people would want to hang around.

“Tessa and I applied for a house.”

Gordon grinned and lifted his palm for a high five. “Congratulations, man. Moving in together is a big step.”

“We didn’t hear from Kian yet. Maybe we need to be officially mated first.”

Vlad toyed with his empty can, squeezing and bending it into different shapes. “That’s an even bigger step. Are you sure about it? You’re still a kid.”

“I don’t feel like a kid. And yes, I’m sure.”

Vlad flipped his long bangs back. “Then you’re lucky. I wish I could find a girl. I wouldn’t even mind a human.”

Jackson sighed. “Tessa is still one.”

Vlad patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. She will turn. The Fates would not have brought her to you just to dangle happiness in your face and then take it away.”

That was exactly what Jackson was afraid of. “The Fates are not always kind. Sometimes I think that they like to play with us. They get bored and look for poor saps like me to mess with.”

It felt both good and bad to finally voice his fears. He’d been keeping them inside him for too long, fronting optimism for Tessa’s sake.

Vlad shook his head. “I don’t think the Fates are capricious. I think they just have a bigger plan than we can see.”

Gordon pushed to his feet. “All this talk about Fates is one big bullshit. I’m going to bed. You guys can discuss philosophy without me.”

Jackson nodded. “Goodnight, Gordon.”

The guy took a few steps then turned around. “I’m sorry, Jackson. I know that you’re scared, and believing in some cosmic order makes you feel better. I shouldn't have said anything.”

“No, that’s okay. You’re right. The moment I start relying on the Fates is the moment I start relying less on myself, which is not good. I will do what I can, and if the Fates want to help, that’s great. But if they don’t, it’s fine too.”

Gordon smiled. “That's the Jackson we all know and love. One hell of a cocky bastard who thinks he can take on the world and win.”

“You betcha.”