Page 36 of Falling for the Grumpy Orc
"Shit!" I yelp, dabbing at the stain. Marigold's ears flatten as she darts under the couch.
"What was that?" Silvia asks.
"Someone's at the door." I frown, glancing at the clock. I have no delivery planned and Gerralt never knocks. He just appears like some massive, grumpy green ninja. "Hold on."
The knock comes again, harder this time. More insistent. Something about it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I pad to the door, phone still pressed to my ear, and peek through the peephole.
A troll stands on my porch, wearing a marine-blue suit and holding a clipboard in front of his chest. He smiles casually at the door, exposing a row of white teeth. Sharp white teeth.
“City of Saltford Bay, ma’am,” the troll calls as if he can hear the alarm bells going around in my head. “Chief Inspector Millings.”
He retrieves a business card from the inside of his vest and brings it in front of the peephole, but I can’t decipher a word of it.
"Cassie?" Silvia's voice seems far away. "What's wrong?"
I swallow hard, watching the troll shift his weight to his other foot with impatience.
"I have to go," I whisper into the phone, my fingers tight around the doorknob. "I'll call you back."
Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door.
“Hi.” I smile and hope it doesn’t look as forced as it feels. “What can I do for you?”
"I'm here to assess your electrical panels in compliance with the local codes."
He flashes what I assume is meant to be a winning smile and extends his hand to me. After just a moment of hesitation, I shake his hand and I have to suppress the urge to wipe it down on my pants when I find it cold and moist.
"My office called you to schedule the inspection, didn't they?" His smile falters a tad as I stand there in the doorway. "Or maybe you don't feel comfortable in allowing a troll inside your house? I know humans can be wary of us, but I can assure you I am a professional and I will only stay as long as is strictly required."
He winces, and I feel my cheeks burning with sudden shame. I'm no bigot and I instantly feel terrible about my hasty judgment.
"Of course you can come in," I quickly say, stepping aside. "Your office must have used a wrong number. I'm terribly sorry if I offended you."
"Don't worry yourself, ma'am." Chief Inspector Millings nods at me as he enters the house, and I close the door behind him. "I'm used to it by now. Not every human is as tolerant as you are, you know? Now, may I ask where your electrical panels are?"
Relieved that he doesn’t seem offended, I lead him to the basement, where the newly installed electrical panels line the back wall. It doesn't take long before my new smile falters completely.
"This won't do. Shame, really. This is an extremely dangerous situation you have down here." The inspector shakes his head at the electrical panel, clicking his tongue. "This panel is a model that was recalled years ago and all the wiring I can see down here is the wrong gauge. I'll give you a week to put in a new panel and rewire the entire lot, or I'll have to condemn this building for good."
"What?" My stomach drops. "I hired a professional electrician and he assured me there was no need for rewiring. This would cost me a fortune and -"
"Oh, no need to get defensive, ma'am." The troll cuts me off with that shake of his head and a lifting of his hand. "I'm just doing my job. This is for your safety. You risk an electrical fire or worse. In the meantime, you'll need to find some other accommodation to live. I can't let you stay in a house that dangerous."
Panic fills my lungs and I begin to feel the room spin around me.
I’m going to lose my house.
Chapter Fifteen
Gerralt
Thesettingsunpaintsthe sky in shades of amber and purple as I guide my truck along the familiar road to the Saltwater Lodge. My hands flex on the steering wheel as I battle with myself over what I'm planning.
It's just coffee, I lie to myself.It's not even a date. It's just an orc male asking a human female if she wants to drink a cup of coffee, sitting at the same table, in the same restaurant as him.
Yeah. The lie isn’t even convincing enough to convince me. Part of me wants to floor it in the opposite direction, burymyself in work until these feelings fade. It'd be smarter, safer. But the memory of that kiss hits me like a punch in the gut whenever my stupid brain goes back to it. I also know that I can't ignore how I feel about her any longer.
