Page 21 of Susie's Orc

“I’m back out here for the week helping my sister and her girlfriend move into their first place together,” he says, and goes on to explain about the orc custom of coming together as a community to help couples move into their first homes.

I tell him about my winding path from a small town in Kansas to college in Denver to making the move to Seattle and starting at the Bureau a couple of years ago.

“I suppose I just ran out of room to keep heading west,” I say with a laugh.

Jonah smiles. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m really glad we both ended up in the same city.”

“I am, too.”

A slow warmth spreads in my chest as the conversation meanders from there. We talk about some of our favorite spots in the city and all the differences from the small towns where we grew up. We talk about our families, and where we want to go in our careers at the Bureau.

When my eyelids finally start drooping, I belatedly remember he’s in a time zone that’s three hours later than it is here.

“Sorry for keeping you so late,” I tell him. “You must be exhausted.”

Jonah chuckles. “I’d stay up all night talking to you, Susie.”

I can’t help the big goofy smile that spreads across my face, one that’s matched by his own.

“I can’t wait to see you on Friday,” I say.

“I can’t wait, either. But you should get some sleep. Wouldn’t want you going into work tired tomorrow, especially if you have any expense reports to turn in. I’ve seen what they look like on a good day.”

“Hey!” I protest with a startled laugh. “I try. Numbers just aren’t my forte.”

“Oh, believe me, I’m well-aware.”

I laugh again, shaking my head. “Alright, alright. Goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight, Susie.”

Chapter 9

Jonah

My apartment is clean as it’s ever been, the lights are low, and I’m just about ready to jump out of my skin by the time eight o’clock rolls around on Friday night.

My flight landed a couple hours ago, and I raced back across town to get here and tidy the place up, clean myself up after the long flight, and get dinner ordered and warming in the oven. I’d much rather have cooked something, but between the tight turnaround and my own unsteady nerves, I didn’t trust myself not to make a mess of it.

Not to mention, Susie might not even want dinner.

Maybe it was presumptuous of me to assume she would. Maybe all of this is presumptuous, too much, way out of bounds for a simple hookup.

The thought draws me up short, and a cold sweat breaks out on the back of my neck.

Even though the conversation we had while I was at my parents’ place was long and sprawling, we didn’t talk about what thisis. We didn’t make any promises or declare any intentions, and for all I know, Susie’s content for it to be what it’s been.

Fun. Casual. Simple.

So maybe getting dinner sends the wrong message.

Before I can decide one way or the other, there’s a soft knock at my front door.

I cross the room in a few long strides, all tangled thoughts of how badly I might have messed this up forgotten at the prospect of seeing her again in the flesh rather than on the other side of a video call.

And when I finally do? I’ve got no thoughts at all.

There’s nothing but Susie standing—impossibly—in my doorway.

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