Page 1 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy
Chapter 1
Holly
Morning light warmed the edge of the kitchen counter as I flipped the last pancake onto a plate. The scent of butter and sweet batter hung in the air. My twelve-year-old son, Max, sat at the kitchen island chewing his bottom lip as he read from his library book. His legs swung back and forth, back and forth, his stockinged feet thumping against the structure.
“And then the mountain beast roared so loud,” he read in a hushed voice, “its cry shattered the glass in every window of the king’s castle.”
I slid the plate of pancakes in front of him. “Well, let’s hope sorhoxes don’t do that when we get to Lonesome Creek.”
He looked up. “Sorhoxes? What’s a sorhox?”
“Orc cattle. Horses. Maybe.” Returning to the counter, I poured coffee into my mug, adding a splash of milk before taking it to the island to sit beside him. “I'm not quite sure what they are, but we’ll find out soon. I read they're bigger than horses. Green. With tails that can knock down a tree if they get grumpy.”
Max gave me a thoughtful nod. “Like a dragon, then. Sounds awesome.”
Please, not a dragon. “They also sound like something that might gobble up a boy like you if he doesn’t eat his pancakes.”
That brought out his grin. Setting the book aside, he stabbed a bite and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. His shaggy brown hair curled at the tips, and I realized he needed a cut. Again. My boy was growing big in every way and so fast, I was afraid I'd miss it if I blinked. I reached out to smooth his hair, but he ducked and kept chewing. At least he didn't flinch away any longer.
I still did from almost everyone but him, but that was to be expected.
“We’re really going to live near orcs?” he asked around a bite.
“I think so. If I accept the job.” I was still on the fence.
“I still can’t believe orcs are here. The only ones I know are inLord of the Rings, and they’re mean.”
“I don’t think these orcs are.” Reality was often much different from fiction, though not always in a good way.
A few years ago, orcs emerged from the ground, and people freaked out. Who wouldn't when they saw a nearly seven-foot orc strolling through town? Thankfully, no one pulled weapons or attacked them. It was anyone's guess who would've won a battle with a person like that. They were massive—musclebound, tusked, and terrifying at first glance. Even the females looked like they could carry a truck. Yet they hadn’t come to our world to fight.
From what I’d read online, an orc had gone exploring far beyond their subterranean caverns and emerged from a cave on the surface. After spying on people and gaping around, he slunk back below ground and shared what he'd seen with the orc king. The king sent emissaries, then treaties were formed. Orcs now lived among us, taking jobs, shopping at the supermarket, and even dating humans. A few matches had been made and there were now orc-human children. So amazing. I’d yet to meet anorc in person, but it looked like I would soon if I accepted the job I’d been offered.
My phone buzzed on the counter, but I didn't pick it up. Let it go to voicemail. This time was for Max, who had to leave for school soon.
“Are you going to get that?” Max asked, his finger stilling on the page. He was eating, so I couldn’t protest him reading at the same time.
“Later.” I buttered my pancakes, eager to take my first bite.
He raised a brow. “If it’s Nancy, she’s going to think you’re ignoring her.” He grinned with syrup on his upper lip. “Maybe she's going to tell us she sent us more knitted socks.”
“Cruel threat,” I muttered. My best friend had met “the one” online a year ago and moved to California to join him, leaving a gaping hole in my heart. I was happy for her, but living in an apartment and working long hours as a cook at a diner here in Boston didn't leave me a lot of time to find new friends. Nancy had taken up knitting and after sending each of us a sweater, she'd started mailing socks. Frankly, I thought they were great. Nice and warm.
My son wasn't as impressed.
Max stabbed another bite of pancake, lifting it to his mouth. He stuffed it in and spoke around the food. “Hey, uh… Would a place like Lonesome Creek have, you know…cowboys?”
I nodded. “Real ones. With hats and boots and spurs and everything.”
He dropped his voice. “Evenorccowboys?”
I grinned. “Especially orc cowboys.”
His eyes lit up. “Cool.”
It was a good thing he was excited, since we'd been talking about moving to Lonesome Creek since I was offered a job in the town's bakery. We’d need to run soon, and Lonesome Creek wasas good a place as any. As long as we disappeared, nothing else mattered.
I sipped my coffee. “Eat up. The bus will be here soon.”
