Page 26 of My Orc in Uniform

Trick and I scooped up the buckets of fresh clams—which we’d washed at the lighthouse and were now sitting in salt water—and climbed out onto the dock. We walked in silence up to Rissa’s sedan, and to my surprise, Trick was the one to break it.

“You’re coming over for dinner, yeah?” he prompted, opening the trunk. “Mom makes really good linguine with these things.”

I smiled easily. “That sounds delicious. She invited me over.” I was looking forward to seeing her house and spending another few hours with them, but I knew Trick’s presence meant I couldn’t do what Ireallywanted to do with Rissa.

I knew that Trick would always come first in her heart. But myKteerwas strong enough for that. I could love my Mate strong enough for two.

Love? Oh, hells yes. Rissa was mine, and I loved her.

As we finished loading in the cleaned shovels and rakes, Trick cleared his throat. “Next weekend the tides are opposite, but they’re perfect for night clamming.”

“Is that like day clamming, just darker?”

He shot a little smirk my way as he hefted one of the buckets. “You know, I don’t care what people say, you’re smarter than you look.”

“Thank—Hey!”

He burst into laughter, and I had to join in—itwasa good burn—as I helped him load the buckets into the cab of the sedan, wedging them upright along the floorboards.

As we straightened, I clapped Trick’s shoulder.

“You’re a good kid, Trick. I know your mom is really proud of you, and I’m really lucky I get to know you.”

Oh. Apparently Trick had inherited his mom’s blushing tendencies. He didn’t look away, though, just grinned hesitantly up at me. “Thanks, bro. I…uh…I’m glad to know you too.”

I squeezed his shoulder. “I’d like to stick around, if you don’t mind.”

“I wouldn’t hate that.”

A ringing endorsement from a teen boy. I grinned. “How would you feel about me dating your mom?”

Under his too-long hair, the kid’s brows rose. “Isn’t that what you’re doing? You two have tickets for the Eastshore Oyster Festival, yeah? And I just invited you night clamming.”

I was a mature adult, in the presence of a kid, and that’s the only reason I didn’t snicker at the thought ofnight clamming, which sounded rude.

“I guess I am.” I took a deep breath and dropped my hand. “I guess I’m asking if you’re okay with that.”

Trick’s gaze dropped to my chest, then away, as if he couldn’t look at me for a long moment. Finally, he peeked up at me. “I’d be okay…if you married her.”

Shocked, I stepped back…right into the car parked next to us. My breath was knocked out, but I was glad to lean on the vehicle and stare at Trick. “Really?” I rasped.

He was still blushing, and now he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Mom likes you a lot. And you’re good for her.”

I mean, I was determined to spend the rest of my life making her smile, but Trick couldn’t know about that. “In what way?” I managed.

He shrugged again, then peeked at me. “You…reminded her of who she really is. Like, deep inside. The part of her that she’s been covering up for years because she has these stupid ideas about what she has to be because she’s a mom. You know?”

I wasn’t sure I did. “You mean…she’s herself when she’s with me?”

“Yeah,” the kid said gratefully, finally lifting his chin and meeting my eyes. “Who she used to be, who shereallyis. I want her to go back to being like that. I want her to have fun again. And I think she has fun with you.”

I studied him for a long moment.

It was…humbling to hear this teenager say such a thing.

“And what about you?” I asked. “You’rereallyokay if I marry your mom? You wouldn’t mind if she marries an orc?”

He held my gaze, his blue eyes unwavering. I could see the man he’d one day become. The man I wanted tohelphim become.

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