Page 29 of My Orc in Uniform

Simbel chuckled, and Patrick glanced at us. “Oh good, you’re done. I’m a shit chaperone.”

Gasping, I smacked his arm. “Patrick!”

“Be honest.” He grinned unrepentantly. “Are you more upset at the insinuation I’m chaperoning you, or that I used the word shit?”

“Here, Trick,” Simbel said, digging in his wallet. “If I give you this, will you go find a friend and leave us alone?”

When he waved a ten-dollar bill, Patrick snorted and crossed his arms. “Mom offered metwenty, and I still said no.”

I could feel myself grinning beneath my fingertips. I admit, as much as I wanted to be alone with Simbel, I loved the fact that my teen sonwantedto hang out with me.

“How abouttwotens?” Simbel asked, pulling out a second bill. “You could eat yourself sick at the ice cream truck.”

Patrick glared. “As tempting as that is, I know if I stick with you, I can sucker Mom into buying me whatever food I want.”

“He’s right, you know,” I offered.

“But!” My kid pointed to the bills in Simbel’s hand. “If you add a zero to the end of that, we could maybe makea deal.”

“Twohundred?” Simbel slipped both bills back into his wallet. “Dream on, kid.”

“I’mtrying,” Patrick whined, but I could see the grin he was hiding. “I need a drum set!”

With a snort, Simbel spun, tucking me up against his side and grabbing Patrick in a headlock. As my son shouted and tried to punch his way out, Simbel just grinned and began a leisurely stroll, as if unaffected.

“Do you hear something?” he asked me nonchalantly.

Playing along, I hummed thoughtfully. “You know, now that you mention it, itdoessound like our chaperone, doesn’t it?”

“Luckily, I talked him into staying home tonight.” Simbel waggled his brows at me comically. “Just you and me, alone on the open water, smelling of clams and saltwater and seaweed.”

“Ahh, romance,” I quipped with a happy sigh.

Who knows how long he would’ve dragged my son along in a headlock, had another orc not stopped us. “Simbel, Ms. Gray, it’s good to see you again,” announced Sakkara, the town’s mayor. “You remember my Mate, Nikki?”

I did recognize her from the Christmas celebrations, and I knew she was the new teacher at the elementary school. “Hi Nikki.” I offered a little wave. “The semester going well?”

The short woman rolled her eyes as she tucked a hank of teal hair behind her ear. “We’re fast approaching thepoint where everyone—including me—is going a little feral. Spring break can’t come soon enough.”

“Where’s Emmy?” asked Simbel, finally allowing Patrick to straighten. “Trick, do you know Emmy? She’s the mayor’s daughter.”

My son—who was now red with either embarrassment or exertion—scowled at Simbel, then reluctantly shook his head. “I’ve…uh…no, I don’t hang out with kindergarteners.”

“She’s in second grade,” Nikki offered helpfully, and I could see from her innocent expression she knew he knew that. “And she’s running around here with a few of her friends. Hard to miss—she’s almost as tall as I am, and she’s talking more now too!”

“Trick?” Sakkara offered his hand to the teen. “I assume you’re Marissa’s son. It’s nice to meet you.”

Flushing further, Patrick took the offered handshake, and I was proud of the way he nodded firmly. “Nice to meet you too. Sir. Uh, congratulations on winning the mayorship, sir. Is that the word?”

Sakkara smiled. “It’s not, and you don’t have to keep calling me sir.”

Lifting his hand in front of his mouth, Simbel loudly stage-whispered to Patrick, “Don’t listen to him. It’s a good idea to always be polite to people in positions of power.”

“Especially when he’s twice your size and can rip your head off?” Patrick whispered back; eyes sparkling.

“Exactly. You’re really quite bright, you know?”

Patrick pretended to bow. “Oh, thank you.”

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