Page 98 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy
The moment the doors closed behind them, the room broke loose again with cheers and clapping.
I turned to Holly.
She had Max wrapped tight in her arms and her face buried in his hair. Gracie had remained close by and was fanning her face.
Holly looked up at me with reddened eyes, but she smiled.
Both of them shook, and Max pressed his face against her shoulder while she whispered something to him.
I stood at Holly’s side, not touching. Just being here. Watching her breathe. Watching her come back to herself.
Stepping away from Max, she walked to the woman in yellow and gave her a hug. “You’re amazing.”
“Hey, you are too. Enjoy that basket, will you?”
Holly’s laugh came out a little shrill. “I will.” She stepped over to Gracie, hugging her too, then Hail.
He remained in place, his expression unreadable like always. He stiffened for a moment before he let out a breath and patted her back. When she pulled away, her face was wet with tears, and she was smiling.
Tark didn’t even wait for her to come to him. He picked her up off the floor in a big, rib-crushing squeeze that made her laugh through her tears. “You’re one of us now. Like it or not.” He settled her back down and knuckled her shoulder. Solidarity. Loyalty. Family.
Ruugar was last. He took his hat off, held it to his chest like he was preparing for a wedding, and hugged her fast and fierce before stepping back and clearing his throat.
The laughter in the room swelled. People slapped each other’s backs. Someone shouted, “Yay for Lonesome Creek,” and got a cheer in response. The woman in the yellow gown raised both fists in the air, still giddy from her takedown.
Holly turned to me. She raced over and jumped. I caught her, lifting her against me, where she belonged.
We kissed while the room cheered.
Her mouth was warm, and she wove her fingers into my hair.
When she pulled back, she pressed her forehead against mine and whispered for me alone. “I’m safe. I’m loved. And I’m finally home.”
Chapter 35
Holly
The Next Day
Sel carried the picnic basket in one hand, a blanket slung over the other arm, striding beside me as we crossed the wide field behind his house. The sun was warm on my back, the sky wide open above, and the air held the kind of lazy hush that only came after everything had gone wrong and finally, finally turned out right.
We walked with tall grass brushing our knees, dragonflies flitting above the blades. To our right, sorhoxes watched us pass, and birds wheeled in lazy arcs above the plain.
“He’s back in jail,” I said. It still felt strange to say it, like something might go wrong again if I let myself believe.
“For a long time,” Sel said with satisfaction. “He violated parole and threatened with a weapon. Imagine coming here with a lawyer, hoping to get custody of Max, only to pull a gun. He’s lucky me and my brothers kept our calm. If he gets out and comes to Lonesome again, he’ll face us.”
I smiled, half at the words and half at the way his voice dipped low on that last part. I didn’t doubt it. Not anymore.
We crested a small rise, and reached the spot he’d mentioned, a sunny patch of flat ground overlooking the whole valley. Forest to one side, the mountains standing tall beyond.
Sel spread the blanket while I kicked off my shoes. I sank down cross-legged on the blanket. My chest still felt fluttery, like I hadn’t quite settled yet from everything that had happened. But it was a good kind of fluttery, the kind that said life was getting better all the time.
Sel settled beside me, giving me a shy smile. “Wait till you see what’s inside.” He started unpacking the basket. First came a clay container. When he opened it, a wave of savory, spiced heat rolled out. Garlic, plus something earthy and sharp I didn’t recognize.
“Plumerest,” he said.
“It smells incredible.”
