“You did well, Roni.” Turner clapped his back. “I think you’re ready to join a class.”

They had been training once or twice a week depending on Turner’s schedule. Still, Roni was far from ready to show his moves to anyone other than his new trainer. Besides, he liked spending time with the old man.

So yeah, the dude rarely smiled, and he didn’t talk much, but when he did, he wasn’t spouting nonsense or gossip like most other people. They had talked about a lot of interesting stuff. Things Roni couldn’t talk about with anyone else without boring them to death.

Well, not death, he was hanging out with immortals, but they might wish they were dead if he bugged them with his theories about gravity and what it had to do with dark matter in the universe.

Grabbing a towel from his bag, he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Not yet. I like training with you and talking about shit no one else wants to talk about.”

Turner treated him to one of his rare smiles. “You’ve got a point there. Problem is that in less than two weeks, I might not be around to train you.”

“Why?”

“Hopefully, I’ll be busy transitioning.”

“Aren’t you too old for that?”

“Maybe. But I’m going to try it anyway. Except, I’m most likely not a Dormant and nothing will happen.”

“Or you are a Dormant, and you will end up dead. Don’t do it, dude. I’m nineteen, and the transition put me in a three-day coma.”

“This is not up for discussion.”

Well, fuck. Turner was pulling that adult talking to a kid thing. “I might be young, but I’m not stupid. Don’t talk to me like that.”

Turner paused in the middle of taking off his training shirt. “It has nothing to do with your age. I’ve made up my mind, and I’m not discussing it with anyone.”

Roni eyed Turner’s abs with envy. The guy was built, and not only for an old man, for any guy. He could compete with the Guardians.

“I’ll be sorry to see you go. That’s all I have to say.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.” Turner shrugged on a new T-shirt.

Roni wasn’t going to let it go that easily. He liked the guy too much to give up on him. “How about you come up for a drink, and we can talk some more?”

“I told you. It’s a done deal. You’re not going to talk me out of it.”

“I’m not going to try.” Yes, he was. “I enjoy talking to you about stuff. Besides, Sylvia is bugging me to invite you. I promised her I would.”

Turner grimaced. “I need to go home and shower. Maybe some other time.”

“How about later this evening? You can bring Doctor Bridget with you, and we can have dinner together. Ruth, Sylvia’s mom, is a great cook. You guys are going to have a good time, and Ruth is going to enjoy some adult company for a change.” Not true, but it sounded good. Ruth preferred no company at all.

“I’ll ask Bridget.”

“Awesome.” Roni grinned. Bridget was not going to say no. “I’ll tell Ruth to start cooking.”

“Don’t. I’ll call you and let you know if we are coming or not.”

Roni waved a hand. “See you later.”

He was going to tell Ruth right away. The woman loved cooking but hated pressure. If he sprung dinner on her at the last moment, she was going to lose her ever-loving shit.

Despite her quirks and oddities, he liked having Ruth around. In fact, he felt guilty when she went home at night. Imagining her alone in her little house with no one to talk to didn’t sit well with him. He knew how it felt to be isolated. Perhaps he should suggest for her to move in with him and Sylvia.

He wouldn’t mind, but Sylvia probably would. She loved her mother, but she also wanted her freedom.

As he exited the elevator and headed down the corridor, the smells of cooking made him realize that he might be too late and Ruth had already started on dinner. No one else on their floor cooked, so the smells must’ve been coming from his apartment.

He opened the door and went straight to the kitchen. “Ruth, can you handle two more guests for dinner, or am I too late?”

She looked at him over her shoulder. “Who did you invite?”

“Doctor Bridget and Turner. I don’t know yet if they will come, Turner has to ask Bridget, but I wanted to check with you first to see if I need to order takeout.”

As if she would ever allow him to do that. But he didn’t want to appear as if he expected her to cook for him on demand.

“Don’t be silly. There is enough food in here for two more. I’ll just add another salad to make the table look fancier.”

He leaned and kissed her cheek. “You’re the best, Ruth.”

With a goofy smile, she waved the mixing spoon. “Yeah, yeah.”

Roni found Sylvia in the bedroom, lying on her tummy and reading a book on her tablet.

“Are you reading one of those steamy romances of yours?”

She turned her head. “It’s a romance, but it’s not steamy.”

He pounced on top of her. “Read something else.”

“Why?”

“I love it when you’re all hot and bothered from reading smutty books and attack me.”

She pushed him off her with a shove of her butt and flipped around. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He kissed her. “We might be having guests for dinner. I invited Turner and Bridget.”

“Oh, good. I’m dying to get to know him. I’ve seen him a couple of times, but we never talked. He looks so serious all of the time.”

“He is a smart dude. I like him.”

“I know. That’s why I want to meet him.”

He nuzzled her cheek. “I’ve been thinking.”

“About what?”

“Your mom. I hate the thought of her all alone in her house. Would you mind if she moved in with us?”

Sylvia’s eyes widened. “You would do that for me?”

“Not only for you. For Ruth. And for myself. She is an awesome cook.”

“You’re incredible, you know that?”

“Duh.” He kissed her lips.

“I don’t think she would want to, though.”

“Why not? She looks so sad every night when she leaves.”

“Nick. If things warm up between them, she might want to have him move in with her.”

Roni rolled over to his side and propped his head on his hand. “I hope so, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. They are like two ships in the ocean, sailing parallel to each other.”

“They are both shy. But there is a spark. With the right encouragement, it might lead to something good.”

Roni chuckled. “Those two would have done well in the days of arranged marriages. A matchmaker would have arranged the deal, and that would have been it.”

“There is something to be said for old traditions. They were not all totally stupid, just most of them. I’d rather marry for love.”

“Would you?”

“Are you asking?”

“You know I am.”

“Yes. One day.”

“I’ll be waiting.”