Jessica's Fate

Chapter 3

I'd taken over Kota's space when he moved out. It was nice having the larger bedroom and attached bathroom. Plus, upstairs afforded me a bit more privacy.

I snorted as I set my things down and hurried to change my clothes. If I wanted to take a jog before dinner, I could do that but would I really want to do homework after dinner? I weighed my options before dressing in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, pulling my long dark hair up into a messy bun on top of my head. I remained barefoot and sat down at the desk, pushing a couple pens into my hair before settling in to my homework.

Fortunately, I'd read the book already, I just had to write the essay questions that the teacher required.

Fortunately, because of course, my mind wandered to the ideas I'd had about my future.

I closed my eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling slowly. Sang and I had taken a yoga class last year and I'd discovered that there was nothing more relaxing than utilizing yoga breathing techniques while doing homework to clear my mind.

I really wanted this.

I loved the few classes I'd taken in the Home Ec department. Cooking was fine, don't get me wrong but as soon as we learned how to pipe frosting onto cupcakes, I was sold.

My idea may have caught Owen and Sang off guard but Luke did know. He was always my willing eater when I had projects to bring home from class. It was a sure way to get a ride home. I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose and took another deep breath. I hadn't verbalized it in so many words to Luke but it was his comment, through a mouth full of cupcake and frosting, that I should really sell baked goods because he'd give me all his money every day for them that really set the idea in motion. I just had been daydreaming of menus and ideas in the meantime and hadn't gotten around to figuring out how to do it.

I had a bit of a day dream of taking a gap year.

A gap year would allow me time to have a job in a food industry, like Owen's idea of working for Uncle at the diner. Even if I wasn't immediately at the counter in the kitchen making desserts, I did need to know how to wait tables, be a hostess, settle the books at the end of the night... learn how to order, learn how to schedule... hire and fire and maintain a good relationship with my staff. My eyes popped open. Yeah, there was a lot that I didn't know. I'd need Sang's help with the business side for sure.

Seeing as I didn't like math at all, that would be a bit of a downer when I was faced with settling books and payroll all the time.

I thought about Sang for a long moment, considering what I'd observed and what we'd talked about over the last few years.

When they'd all moved in together 5 years ago, after their school year at Ashley Waters, she'd started taking college courses and figuring out just what she wanted to do. She'd considered a lot of things like becoming a nurse so she could work with Sean but she realized that she wanted to spend a lot of time with all of them, doing what the guys had chosen in their career path to help them as best she could.

And this is a reason I loved and respected Owen.

When she realized that she wanted to do that, he helped her figure out and discover that it would be best course of action for her to become a combination of accountant and office manager. This way, she could best help all of them with their chosen profession.

Owen was working on building a real estate empire, He was a wizard when it came to buying and selling houses to people. He did just fine with his numbers but needed a bit of help with scheduling and his business had picked up, even in a down housing market because he had someone who smartly scheduled his appointments and kept an eye out for things that would help him.