Page 39 of That’s My Orc, Tusk Off

Some bonds were quick and clear. Others took more time.

Drogar stood at my approach and went around to lean on the front of the counter. “How was the meeting?”

“Productive,” I said, sliding into my chair.

“Nothing else?”

“What else could there be? We made good progress on the creature selection.”

“Mm-hmm. Traig looked very focused when he was setting up earlier.”

“He was certainly ready.”

“Did he bring you coffee?”

My face heated. “How did you know he’d do that?”

“It was only a guess.”

I pulled out my phone, pretending to check messages I didn’t have. “I need to finish the supply order reconciliation.”

“Of course. Very important desk work that requires looking at your phone.”

I ignored him and focused on my screen until he got bored and wandered off to help Laina with something in the medical bay.

The supply ledger sat open where I’d left it, Fred’s butt-print still visible in the margin.

I kept thinking about how much Traig had enjoyed the cookies.

Which made me imagine him in my kitchen, eating something I’d made. Standing too tall for my counters, having to duck under my hanging light fixture⁠—

Fred grumbled from the ceiling, still wearing Amanda like a tiny chaperone.

Right. Work. I was at work. Thinking about work things. Not about how Traig would look in my kitchen.

The rest of the day zipped by almost as fast as a fizzling. I processed two more intake calls, updated the adoption inquiry spreadsheet, and did not think about how Traig’s hand had felt around my wrist.

Barely thought about it.

Hardly at all.

By the time I locked up the desk and headed to my Jeep, the sun had started to sink behind the tree line, painting everything in that particular golden light that made Maine look like a postcard. I climbed into the driver’s seat, tossed my bag on the passenger side, and started the engine.

I’d made it to the end of the dirt road before I had to pull over.

I sat with hands on the steering wheel, staring at nothing.

I was smiling.

Traig and I had disagreed about almost everything. Nix had shocked us both and escaped again.

And I was sitting in my Jeep, smiling like a fool.

I tried to stop but couldn’t.

“What are you doing?” I asked my empty car.

A clatterwing flew past my windshield, chiming as it went.