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I looked at my brother like he was asking me a forbidden question. He wasn’t, but I simply didn’t know exactly how to answer him.
“It’s…different,” I said. That was true. It was indeed different. “I’ve actually told myself I was going to take the weekend to decide if I was going to continue teaching or not. I’m not sure it’s a right fit for me any longer.”
The room went silent except for the babies talking while they ate their meals.
“Maybe it’s not that it’s not the right fit, but perhaps it’s the location,” Knox suggested. That earned him a glare from Philip. “What?” Knox said as he looked over at his beloved. “I wasn’t suggesting he move away. But he wouldn’t be the first to not feel the most comfortable at that particular college. I was onlysuggesting that it might be more enjoyable for him if he was teaching somewhere else.”
I nodded slowly. “I’ve considered it. I’m trying to keep an open mind about all of it.” I glanced around the table and tried not to lock eyes with my brothers for too long. “I’ve given it two semesters, and although that’s not really a long time, it’s been enough to let me know that things have changed drastically since I taught last.”
I had considered teaching elsewhere. Had even thought about moving away in order to do it. In the end, I’d always come back to the fact that I knew I would miss my brothers and niblings too much if I left. I couldn’t do it.
“Are you really thinking about teaching somewhere else?” Philip, who was sitting directly beside me, asked quietly.
“I have thought about it and have even looked into it a little. If I did, it would be completely remote. I’m not planning on moving, except perhaps to a bigger place.”
Immediately, Philip’s shoulders slumped, and I realized he was actually concerned I might move away. In thinking about it, what did I expect? I’d not spent a whole lot of time with them in too long. I needed to do better and make sure I kept a relationship with them.
Chapter 4
Beau
Iwas trying my best to be positive, but there was so much going on. I had gone through several trial runs in the past week, and I was almost certain I was ready for what was about to happen, but were you ever truly prepared for something as life-changing as a grand reopening? The answer was no. There was nothing I could do that would actually prepare me for what I was about to experience.
Konrad had been an absolute savior. The dragon omega was the sweetest, and he was a complete wizard in the kitchen. I had learned that he was mated to Aleric, and together, they had claimed this mountain a long time ago with Ferdinand and Egon. Aleric was the head enforcer for the council, which apparently was a very important position. I had no doubt, but the way Konrad had described it, Aleric was in more of an administrative role rather than someone who went out on field assignments like my brother.
Along with Konrad, I had Elias’s help. He, too, was a dragon shifter and had been good friends with Konrad for most of their lives. Sadly, they wouldn’t be able to stay and help permanently. That was all right, though, because I was going to be getting permanent help in a week. I was a bit surprised by that, but thatwas what I’d been told by Alistair. Whatever that was, I wasn’t going to say no.
“You are going to be amazing.”
I turned at the sound of Konrad’s voice and smiled. “It’s not just me though. You and Elias have helped so much.” Konrad rolled his eyes while shaking his head.
“All we do is run everything out to the display cases. You’ve done all of the work and are offering more than what the previous proprietors did.” Konrad moved a step closer. “And I really do want to ask for the recipe for those filled puff things.”
I smiled. Konrad and Elias had taken goodies home all week, and after Konrad had taken home the almond paste–filled puff pastries, he’d come back the next day and asked if they were going to be on the menu frequently. I chuckled. It came out later that Aleric had eaten all but two, and that was only because Konrad had somehow managed to get them away from him and shove them into his mouth before his mate could eat them all.
“If they are immensely popular, things will be on the daily menu. Most other things will be available on a rotating menu. But I can always whip up a batch for you to take home.”
Evan could sort of cook, but he absolutely could not bake. Not beyond basic biscuits. But me? I could bake just about anything I wanted. Maybe it was because I’d not had those things after our parents went missing. I’d ended up spending a lot of time hanging out at our village’s bakery, and eventually, they offered to give me a job. I jumped at the offer, and I’d had a love of baking ever since.
That had been just shy of a decade ago and an entire realm away. Did I miss it? Sometimes. But if our parents were still alive, at this point, I was upset with them. Well, unless they were forced to be away from us. But deep down, Evan and I agreed: something had happened, and they were no longer alive.
“You just got sad. I didn’t mean to pressure you about the puffs. Aleric will survive without them.”
I snorted. “That isn’t what I was upset about. I was actually thinking about my parents and wondering if they would be happy for me and Evan.” I smiled. “That and the fact that my brother can barely cook and absolutely cannot bake a thing beyond biscuits.”
Konrad tried to hide his smile but failed.
“It’s all right. You can laugh. He seriously cannot bake. We didn’t starve, and he can cook basic things. But beyond that, no.” I sighed. “I can’t be upset. He stepped up and took over raising me when he didn’t have to. Evan was too busy trying to take care of a growing teenager when he himself was still one. We had support from others in the village, but it wasn’t the same as our parents.”
Konrad offered a sad smile. Over the past week, I’d shared my life story with him and Elias. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of my past. Evan and I weren’t the first to lose our parents and sadly wouldn’t be the last. Unfortunately, it happened.
“I am sorry you and your brother had to go through that.” Konrad placed his hand on my shoulder. “It is good that the two of you had each other.”
“I agree.” I remembered Konrad’s own sad story about how he lost not only his parents and brothers but his entire village.
“It’s time,” Elias said as he came rushing into the back room. “It’s time,” he repeated with a little squeak in his voice. I couldn’t help but start laughing. Thankfully, it wasn’t incredibly early today for our relaunch. No, that would come tomorrow morning.
Konrad started to walk toward the front of the bakery, and I stopped him with a touch on the shoulder. When he looked back at me, I held out my hand with a large bakery box in it. “Set these somewhere for you to take home,” I told him. I knew that with the excitement the council had been getting for us, wewould most likely be busy, and I would most likely forget about Konrad’s almond paste puffs later.
