Page 19 of One Night with Her Grumpy Orc

Chapter 12

Grev

“Bettt-tyyyy!” Augustsqueals as we enter Stone Barrel Brewery, my brother’s fine establishment. The fire crackles in the stone hearth. A few folks—mostly friends from the library this afternoon—are already here drinking and eating the dinner special. Bjorn, August, and Poppy all sit around a big wooden table by the bar, food piled everywhere.

At the squealy greeting, Betty blushes. I love it when her cheeks flush like that. But she quickly shakes off that moment of surprise or embarrassment and jumps right into the chaos that is my family. She pulls up a chair next to Poppy, waves at Koru at the bar who is filling steins, and laughs when Bjorn says something that I’m sure I won’t like.

Slowly, I hang our coats up, grab beers from Koru, and watch the scene before me unfold. Not too long ago, we had dinner here, with our reclusive older brother, Urk, and his mate, Anne. I was the odd orc out. I didn’t feel like I was lacking or missing what my brothers had, but the constant niggling at the bottom of my heart that I needed more was there. And being shoved forcefully down all the time.

Watching Betty shine is like watching the sun rise. It’s awe-inspiring and brings about a certain joy I don’t normally feel.

“Hey. Yoo-hoo! Space cadet, are you going to join us? And bring me a beer.” Bjorn waves a hand at me, snapping me out of my reverie. After I make a gesture at him, I bring Betty’s beer to her, and hand my lukewarm one to Bjorn. Before I can go back to the bar for another beer, Betty grabs my hand to stop me. She’s listening to Poppy tell a story about a phone call with her sister, but her thumb is making small circles on the soft spot between my thumb and forefinger and it’s making it hard for me to concentrate on anything. How is it that she has this power over me?

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Bjorn says. I shake my head and use my other hand to take a sip of beer. “Or you’re bored.” He turns to Betty. “Tell us straight. Is that why he loves the library so much? Because he’s gettingremedialhelp??”

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Betty’s eyes so big. She snatches her hand away from me to push her glasses up on her face, then holds her cheek. If I didn’t see that twitch of her lip into a slight smirk, I’d think she was angry. “No. And you will not be spreading that rumor or suspicion around like you do about poor Ravena. I never knew orcs were so meddlesome!”

Elbows on the table, she leans forward conspiratorially and mock whispers to Bjorn, “I think the reason he likes to hang out at the library is because helikesbooks and reading.” She gives him a big wink.

Bjorn snorts loudly, and beer sprays out of his nose. August gets the brunt of it, and she squeals (again) and slaps him on the shoulder.

Once the table and August are cleaned up and Bjorn gets another beer, Koru sits with us and we all drink and eat. It’s strangely relaxing. Everyone is loud and talking over each other. Koru gets up to refill customers’ beers twice. On the third time, Poppy jumps up to do it for him and trips over his chair. Bjorn can’t have a serious conversation to save his life. Gordon chats for a bit, refusing to sit down, and picks at the casserole Poppy made from over my shoulder.

And through it all, Betty laughs and enjoys herself. Her shoulders are relaxed, except when trying hard not to laugh at Bjorn and his dumb questions. She jumps into the conversation whenever she can. In between bites of food, her hand rests on my knee—grounding me and reminding me just how good I’ve got it.

“Grev, I’m so glad you brought my boss to dinner!” August says as she passes out the cupcakes she made for dessert.

My hand freezes as it reaches for a pink cupcake with sprinkles on top. “I didn’t consider your work relationship,” I say as I slowly bring my fisted hand down. Shit. How did I not think about the fact that they work together? Today I even saw August talking to Betty, all paint splattered. They huddled at Betty’s desk looking over a pile of ancient looking books. I couldn’t stop staring at my painted handprint on her ass. It isn’t a bite, but it’s still a mark I’m proud of.

Betty’s eyes are wide as she looks at me. It takes me a minute to notice her smirk. August has the same smirk. When the realization hits me that August is pranking me, she giggles.

“Give me a cupcake,” I say, holding my hand out, palm up to receive an injection of sugar.

“She had you! Admit it! What were you going to do? Pick up Betty and hoist her out of here?” Bjorn says, now somehow covered in frosting. I don’t know what August sees in his messy ass.

“Excuse me! Nobody is hoisting me anywhere!” Betty’s infuriated librarian look is now my favorite, especially as she pointedly glares at Bjorn. He has the decency to act properly abashed as he shoves a second cupcake in his mouth.

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