Page 9 of My Orc Has Big Tusks
“Bertha.” I patted her hood. “My family has always named our vehicles.” Our houses, too, though I wasn’t going to get into that now.
He stood silhouetted in the warm light spilling from the building, fresh rain dripping from the tips of his shoulder-length hair.
“Thank you for coming,” he said.
“I’ll check in on the clatterwing tomorrow,” I said. “I want to know how he does.”
“The code’s one-zero-zero-four,” he said. “In case you need?—”
“I remember.”
He blinked. “You remember the code?”
“Yes.”
Surprise crossed his face. “Most people forget.”
I turned toward Bertha and reached for the door handle. The step stool was behind the seat. I’d have to?—
Brovish’s big hands closed around my waist, and he lifted me like I weighed the same as Sofia. One smooth motion, and I sat in the driver’s seat, blinking down at him.
“Oh,” I said.Brilliant observation, Laina.
He stepped back, his hands dropping to his sides. I’d just been hauled into my truck by an orc I’d met a short time ago, and I hadn’t hated it even a little bit.
He cleared his throat. “Drive carefully. Watch out for the fizzlings. They love scampering around in the rain and they can be a bit…shocking.”
I had no idea what a fizzling was, but I was excited to find out.
When he’d backed away, I shut the door and started the engine, easing my truck around and driving onto the main road.
I didn’t look back.
Okay, I did. He stood beside the door again, watching me leave.
I clutched the wheel and focused on the road ahead and the dark shapes moving between the trees. On anything except the fact that I’d spent the last two hours wanting to impress an orc I’d just met.
He’d offered me a full-time vet position at a creature rescue facility that took care of animals no one else here knew how to treat. Animals I’d spent two hours falling in love with.
I turned onto the main road, Bertha’s headlights cutting through the last of the rain.
My phone buzzed in the cupholder, and I glanced down.
Thank you again, Brovish texted.The clatterwing is resting. His name is Cooper.
I pulled over to the side of the road and typed back.You named him?
I name all of them. Even the ones we’re not supposed to get attached to because they’ll go to new homes.
Warmth unfurled in my chest.
That’s lovely.
I put my phone down, but the screen flashed with another message from him.
Sofia says hello. She’s sitting by the door, hoping you return.
I smiled at the dark road ahead and texted back.Tell her I miss her too.
