Page 52 of Fake Dating an Orc Cowboy

Nah, I'd wait until we were alone. This time was for my sister and Jacob. Our time would come.

The newly wedded couple kissed again, sparking another wave of cheers. He whispered something in her ear, and she laughed, shaking her head before kissing his cheek.

“Let's eat!” she finally said.

As everyone dove into overflowing plates of food, I glanced over at Ostor again, catching the way he shifted in his chair.

“Are you okay?” I asked, and he shrugged. Unsure why his mood had changed and . . . Alright, I wasuneasyabout why hismood had changed, I stared at my plate before picking at the food.

After we finished, people danced, their laughter blending with the perky beat of the mariachi band, while the twinkle lights sparkled on the polished wooden dance floor. The reception had hit its peak. Our plates were gone, champagne glasses had been refilled, and couples swayed in time with a romantic tune. This was exactly Macy’s vibe.

Ostor, though, seemed . . . off. Instead of looking like he was enjoying a party, he sat beside me, his hulking frame stiff and his focus on his hands clasped on the table. His cowboy hat cast a shadow over his features, but even in the dim light, I couldn’t miss the furrow in his brow.

“Hey.” I nudged his arm. “Want to dance?”

His gaze flicked to mine before shooting away. A small, almost smile tugged at his lips, and he shook his head. “I don’t know how.”

“We can fix that.” I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “I’ll show you how. It’s easy, really. Just wiggle your hips and move your arms, and you’ll fit in with everyone else.”

This time, his smile didn’t even rise. He turned back to the table, picking at the edge of a discarded napkin. “Maybe another time.” His voice came out quieter than usual, with none of its usual playfulness.

I tried to brush it off. He was tired. We were up most of the night making love, and the rush to get ready for the wedding hadn’t exactly set a relaxed tone for the day. He probably needed some time to sleep. Relax. It was no big deal.

Still, something tugged at my nerves. It wasn’t like him to retreat into himself like this. Not after everything we'd done together. “Was Jacob okay earlier?” I asked, partly to urge him to speak, partly because I was curious. Jacob inviting Ostor to hang out in the guys’ suite had been a surprise. He hadn’t givenme the impression he wanted to be with Ostor, though that could’ve changed. He couldn’t be jealous any longer; not after Macy said I do.

Ostor shifted in his seat, his fingers grazing the side of his glass before he lifted it and took a sip of water. “He was nice. Not acting strange at all. Just sharing some human customs.”

“Customs?” I frowned. “Like what?”

He placed the glass down, the movement careful, as if he was buying time to think. But subterfuge wasn't Ostor’s way. “Simple things. How humans celebrate various occasions. How they build relationships. Choices.” His words came out loaded with a meaning I couldn’t pin down.

“That’s . . . interesting.” I tried to keep my voice light. Reaching for his hand lying on the table, I linked our fingers, hoping touch would shove aside whatever had come over him.

Ostor tugged his hand away and lifted his gaze to watch the dancers.

My stomach jerked sideways. “What’s wrong?” A cavern was spreading through my chest.

He shrugged. “Things will go the way they’re supposed to. You don’t need to worry. Please don’t worry.”

But Iwasworried. His words felt sharp, and they made my heart sting. Something had shifted between us, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it might be. Was he regretting last night? It could've been too much or too fast for him. I knew almost nothing about orc customs, which meant it would be easy for me to do or say something that might offend him. I told myself not to overthink it, but that cavern in my chest widened.

The day had been off-kilter for both of us. Rushed mornings could throw anyone off, right? We could talk later. I could fix whatever I might’ve done to . . . offend him—assuming I’d offended him. The rest of the night would be fine. It had to be.

The band took a break, and everyone wandered back to their tables. Macy and Jacob still swayed in the center of the dance floor, gazing at each other like no one else existed. That goofy, heart-pounding love they shared radiated through the entire room. Seeing them like that made my heart ache. Not with jealousy, but with longing. I wanted what they had, but I wanted it with Ostor.

“Maybe we should go back to our room,” I finally said. The guests were beginning to trickle away, a few stopping by to say goodbye to the happy couple who continued to sway, gazing into each other’s eyes.

Ostor’s attention shifted to me. “Alright.”

We left, strolling through the resort. His hand hung close to mine, brushing my fingers as we walked, actually, but he didn’t reach out. He didn't say anything either.

I searched his features for a sign of what could be churning in his mind, but his expression gave nothing away. His quiet demeanor usually calmed me, but tonight he felt distant, and I had no clue what to do about it.

Had I imagined the spark I’d seen in his eyes? The way he’d held me, kissed me, whispered my name like I meant something to him? No. This had all been real, as vivid as the golden mark on my wrist that flickered whenever I looked at it. If the fates or whatever cosmic forces linking us had brought us together, I had to trust they knew what they were doing. Trust in Ostor.

We reached our building, climbing the stairs to our room. He opened the door for me, his hand brushing my back as I walked inside. The touch reassured me, though I couldn’t shake the anxiety spiking through in my belly.

I slipped off my sandals and set them in the closet, glancing back at him as he followed me in. “I should pack. They're picking us up to take us to the airport really early.”

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