Chapter 20 #2
“Dungar picked up the snow globe for Carla.” I couldn’t keep the excitement from my voice.
“Like the one she told you about, the one her aunt and uncle lost””
“I bet they threw it away.” The thought still made me want to snarl.
“It was her mother’s, one of the few things she had left of her parents.
She told me how she’d wind it up and watch the snow fall over the little rabbit while the music played.
How it was the only Christmas tradition that felt real to her after they were gone. ”
“And you’re giving it back to her.” He whistled low. “That’s not only a gift, but it’s also a statement.”
“It’s returning something precious that was taken from her.”
“It’s telling her you care for her, that you understand what matters to her. For an orc who claims he’s not ready for another mate, you’re certainly acting like one who’s already decided.”
“I don’t want to trap her.” The admission burst out of me. “If she stays, it has to be because she wants to, not because she feels obligated by these.” I flicked my wrist, the golden mark catching the sunlight. “Certainly not because I manipulated her emotions with gifts.”
“Is that what you think you’re doing?” Ruugar shook his head. “A gift given from the heart isn’t manipulation. It’s honesty. The purest kind.”
The truth was, somewhere between snowstorms and Christmas parades, between watching her face light up at human traditions and seeing her care for the sorhoxes with gentle hands, I’d fallen completely in love with her.
“I need to go.” I pulled away from the fence, needing movement. “I’ll see you at breakfast at the saloon. After that, I have to make sure the final preparations for the starlight ride are in place. We’ve got children’s activities to organize.”
“Running again?”
“Planning.” I shot him a look that warned him not to push it. “We have a full day ahead. Twenty-six tourists confirmed for the ride, plus all of us.”
“While you’re doing all that, remember one thing. When we orcs find someone worth fighting for, we don’t hold back.” He adjusted his cowboy hat. “We do have a full day. Beth’s excited about the ride tonight. Says the stars on Christmas Eve are magic.”
A week ago, I would’ve dismissed it as human sentimentality. Now, I found myself hoping it was true. That maybe under those stars, Carla would see what was right in front of her. What could be hers if she chose to stay.
“You know what the best part of having a mate is?” Ruugar’s voice turned serious.
“It’s not the physical connection, though that’s incredible.
It’s not even the marks, though they’re a tangible reminder of what you share.
” He paused, looking toward his ranch where Beth still slept.
“It’s that you’re never alone again. Even when you’re apart, you’re with each other. ”
“I lost that once.” The words dropped between us.
“And now you have a chance to find something that’s not the same or even better, but that will fill your heart all over again.” He nudged my shoulder. “Don’t waste it because you’re afraid.”
“See you at breakfast.” I stepped away, his words echoing in my head.
With a nod, Ruugar headed toward his sorhox, leaving me alone with Peeka and my thoughts.
I fed the beasts, checking each one for signs of stress from all the activities.
Thrakul seemed particularly pleased with himself, prancing around his pen as if he knew he’d been the star of the show.
Dester appeared calm, though he kept shaking his head, perhaps wishing he also had the chance to wear reindeer antlers.
By the time I finished, the sun had fully risen, painting the snow-covered plain in bright white.
The beauty of it struck me in a way it hadn’t before.
The surface world was a strange mix of light and dark, warmth and cold, joy and sorrow.
So different from the consistent dim warmth of the orc kingdom, yet gorgeous in its own way.
Like Carla. Unpredictable, challenging, bringing light to places I’d forgotten could be illuminated.
The scent of coffee and Lavon’s breakfast specialties drifted from the Red Fang Saloon as I approached.
Voices and laughter spilled out, my family gathering for the special meal.
Through the window, I spotted Aunt Inla in another of her holiday dresses, this one a deep green with silver embroidery.
Beside her, Lavon leaned close, saying something that made her laugh, her hand coming up to touch his arm in a gesture that wasn’t completely casual.
Those two had been circling each other for weeks now. Perhaps Aunt Inla would finally find happiness with the orc chef who clearly admired her.
Grannie Lil held court at her usual table, dispensing wisdom and criticism to anyone who wandered within range.
Today she wore a red sweater with tiny blinking lights sewn into the pattern.
Jessi moved between tables, refilling mugs, while Greel wiped down the bar, the muscles in his arms bunching beneath his rolled-up sleeves.
Carla sat with them, her auburn hair catching the morning light. She smiled at something Max said, her entire face lighting up with joy. The youngling was gesturing wildly, probably talking about some adventure, while Holly and Sel watched them both.
My heart stumbled in my chest. Carla belonged here, among these people who’d claimed her as family. She fit into this patchwork community as if she’d been born to it.
Could she feel how right it was?
As if she sensed me watching through the window, she looked up, her eyes finding mine. The world around us disappeared. There was only her gaze holding mine, a silent communication I couldn’t fully interpret but felt all the way to my bones.
She smiled, and my body responded with a surge of heat that had nothing to do with the morning sun. Last night rushed back. Her taste. The sounds she’d made. And the way she’d trusted me with her pleasure. The memory made my fingers itch to touch her again, to remind myself she was real.
Straightening my shoulders, I pushed through the door, into the warmth and noise of the saloon. Whatever happened next, whatever she decided when Christmas passed, I would make these final hours count. I would tell her what she meant to me, what she could mean to this town.
And maybe, if Christmas magic truly existed, it would be enough to make her want to stay.