Page 97 of Bride of Choice

Rek made a bunch of scoffing noises that no one was buying. Finally relenting, he grumbled, “Fine,” and dropped his head to stare down at his feet.

“I’d rather the things we talked about today were kept quiet. I’m breaking the promise I made to Rek that we’d keep our affairs between us, and my promise to… unnamed others looking out for the village as a whole, that I’d keep my fat trap shut about the Krampus stuff. They want to avoid mayhem and panic and I get it.”

Gopher rumbled something at Rek in Lo denaii that had Rek baring his teeth at him, Booger snorting at Rek, and Kirch looking at Gopher in surprise.

“Did you really call her an attention whore?” Mina demanded to know from Kirch.

“Not say those same… ‘xact words,” the big, yellow-eyed beastie with a mane to make a gal jealous hemmed and hawed. Trying to motion at Rek without Rek noticing, he was basically putting it all on Rek’s shoulders.

“How Kirch know that word?” Rek shot at Mina meaningfully.

Mina blushed three shades of crimson and clamped her trap shut.

“Tentionmore,” the baby on her hip chirped.

“No,” Mina stated firmly, and the little one immediately piped down.

“Why Kirch no get babies listen like that?” Kirch lamented.

“Because I rule?” Mina tossed back, throwing him a wink that had the male rumbling happily.

Turning to me, Mina grimaced. “I’m sorry for my part in all of this. I encouraged Kirch to, uh, nudge Rek to quit dragging his tail. There’s only so many times you can say, I have no idea what’s going on with those two, before looking like a total moron, and I swear, we won’t repeat anything you’ve said in confidence. And I’m sorry for any part I may have inadvertently played in you being accused of seeking out attention from Rek.” Kirch cringed at the withering look she gave him. “I need to learn to keep my Earth words towards the positive and my big trap shut.”

Nodding, I returned her smile, even if it was strained and small. “Appreciate it.” Sighing noisily, I wasn’t done yet. “If anyone bugs you about me and Rek, please remind them to mind their own business.” I was firm, polite, no cussing in front of the kiddies.

Straining fingers reaching for me, soft grunting, had me looking from the little one to Mina for permission. Handing over her lil fluffmonster, she grinned when I laughed as a wet hand immediately went to my hair, playing in the bits of color from the last time I’d done my hair. “Pitties,” the little one told me.

“Oh my god, I want twenty of you,” I told Mina’s babe, Zeb, a sweet, chunky boy with wild milky-white-blue eyes.

A garbled noise erupted from Rek and a strangled, choking sound left Gopher.

Rolling my eyes, I muttered under my breath as I danced the little one in my arms a little. “Not really, huh, Zeb-zeb? Huh? No way, José. Those guys are crazy. I’m just being silly. Right? Right?” I singsonged as I grinned at the giggling baby in my arms.

Kirch’s lips tipped up in a surprised half smile as he studied us.

“You,” Mina pointed at Rek, shaking her head at him. “You’re a pain in the ass. I have no idea how she tolerated you this long but talk her back into it and put a ring on it. You need someone willing to tangle with you!”

“He doesn’t need a wife, he needs a zoo keeper,” I mutteringly corrected on a snort.

Booger made a sound that might as well have been an Amen.

“Rek not bad,” Rek grumbled, glaring after Mina as I handed her babe back and she said her good-byes to walk off with Kirch.

“She’s not saying you're bad. She’s saying sometimes you’re a really, really big thoughtless, selfish dick,” I clarified.

Rek threw his hands up. “What difference?!”

Meeting Booger’s gaze, ignoring the other two, I asked, “Did you get what you wanted to come to market for?

“Gofur ask Bauheg take Joanie Markets. Jo loves Markets, he say. Say gives Bauheg good chips, Jo buys what Jo wants. Any pretties.” A grunt left Booger and he suddenly clammed up.

Gopher glared at him, his elbow still digging into Booger’s side.

“I can buy my own things,” I grumbled, not liking feeling like some kept woman. Some kept woman he doesn’t even want. “Gopher dumped me. He has no sway. Don’t do favors for him for me anymore.”

Booger shrugged his large shoulders and rumbled, “‘Kay.”

Needing a moment to compose myself and digest all of that, I hiked up my big girl panties and looked to my friend. “Homemade barbecue sauce drenched dried meat and all the soup fixin’s? A sort of Friendsgiving pre Spooky season? My treat?”

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