Page 1 of Orc Charming

Chapter 1

Cat

The smell of brewing coffee filled the air as I hustled around my little seaside diner, preparing for the breakfast crowd. Marge had settled in her usual spot near the front right window and was drenching her pancakes in maple syrup. And Dr. Yang sat alone at the bar, savoring his scrambled eggs and homestyle toast. They were regulars here, part of the heartbeat of Seashell Diner.

I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done without them when Mom got sick and died. They’d stepped in—actually helping serve customers—and then stood at Mom’s graveside beside me.

When the door chimed, I glanced up from where I wiped down the butcherblock counter my dad had built for mom so long ago. Sadly, he was gone, too. An accident claimed him when I was eight, while Mom passed just a year ago.

An orc entered the diner, his green skin still startling despite seeing them on the TV and around town for the past month. Six weeks ago, a delegation of orcs emerged from a mountain range and announced they wanted to form a treaty with us to join human society. After the initial treaty was formed, the first wave of orcs arrived, most of them males. Many of their women haddied, and those joining humans hoped to find mates from among us.

I wasn’t sure what I thought about all that, but each orc I met was super friendly and kind. They were an asset to our society.

On TV, I saw that a second delegation had arrived a few weeks ago to further relations with us, and I was curious to hear what they’d discuss.

The orc walked up to the counter and took a seat—perched on it, that is. Orcs stood over seven feet tall, and unless an establishment had big and tall chairs and booths, they had a hard time fitting. Fortunately, my stools could handle almost any sized butt.

I handed him a laminated menu. “Welcome to the Seashell Diner. Can I get you something to drink?”

“What do you recommend?” For whatever reason, his deep voice sent a thrill through me, making my heart flip.

“Most request coffee or tea at this time of day, but . . . Have you tried either?”

“We grow coffee and cocoa beans in the orc kingdom,” he said. “Tea for leaves as well.” Sucking in a deep breath, he released it. “I’ll start with coffee.”

“Coming right up.” I placed a cup and saucer in front of him, noting his ill-fitting clothing, a basketball shirt with the number one on the front and too-snug jeans—though he might like them that way. Some guys did.

Manufacturers were scrambling to produce clothing that would fit orcs. Other than what they brought with them from their city, they’d been buying clothing made for super-tall bodybuilders.

After pouring piping hot coffee into his cup, I nudged my head to the small containers nearby. “Cream and sugar are there.”

“Thank you.” He flashed me a tusk-filled grin that made hummingbirds fly through my belly.

He was cute. Devastatingly so.

I hadn’t dated an orc yet, but I was open to the idea. There was something appealing about them I couldn’t define.

“I’m Deegar,” he said with a nod.

“Cat. Short for Catherine.”

“A pretty name.”

My grin joined his. “Cat or Catherine?”

“Both.” He sipped his coffee and studied my face.

“Order’s up,” my cook, Wilfred, called out, placing the mounded oversized plate on the shelf between the kitchen and the bar section of the diner.

“Let me know when you’re ready to order.” I turned and grabbed the dish to bring to a customer.

After serving the food, I strode back behind the island and up to Deegar. “What would you like?”

He scanned the menu again, his fingertip falling on the cheapest thing in the place.

Down on his luck?

There was no reason I couldn’t make him feel welcome in our sweet little town. “If you're feeling adventurous, I can offer a full breakfast for only ninety-nine cents.”

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