Page 25 of Horn in My Side
“That’s fine.”Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt.“You probably think I can’t do this.And maybe I can’t.”
“No, no.”He shook his head.“I don’t think that at all.”
“You don’t?”
“I don’t, but ...”He scratched at his head with a claw.“Have you ever run a business?Do you know what’s going on?Specifically, with the shop?”
“What do you mean?”
He hesitated for a moment.“It’s not doing too well.Barely makes money most months, and Vrig didn’t take a salary or withdraw any profit, but he didn’t need to with his pension.Once you take over, you could probably make it work for a few months, maybe cut a few things here and there.But one major expense or repair could put you behind.”
“I know that.”Or she had an inkling, at least.“I didn’t have access to the books, but he was always transparent about the costs, especially when I asked about doing some upgrades or hiring more staff.Like I mentioned when you asked about the water-filtration system, he told me there wasn’t enough money for anything extra.”
“And you still want to run this business?”
“Yes, I do.”The words came out of her mouth without hesitation.
His eyebrows knitted together.“Why?”
Why indeed?
“I know it may seem foolish to you, since there’s no guarantee I could even keep the shop if I bought it.But ...”Jasmine pressed her lips together, then blew out a breath.“Have you ever felt like you had to do something?Want to do it so bad that there’s no alternative and you couldn’t see yourself doing anything else?”
His face sobered.“Yes.”
“That’s how I feel about Fantastic Tails.And this town even.”She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing at her elbows.“I’ve always felt like I never belonged anywhere, even as a kid.Then my dad brought us to America and everything here was strange and new.We moved around a lot before I could even settle down and plant roots.But when I arrived here in town and started working at the shop, I don’t know ...”While she hadn’t meant to make such a confession, it all spilled out of her and she couldn’t stop.“It felt like what a home should be.”
Mal didn’t respond for a heartbeat.“I think I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.”He ground his teeth together, his tusks gnawing at his lips.“Look, if you’re determined to run this place, I’ll do my best to help you while I’m here, okay?And I hope you accept my apology.”
If it were possible, her jaw would have unhinged itself and dropped to her feet.“I accept.”
“Good.And for the record, I don’t think you’re incapable of running a business.I’m sure you’d be successful at anything you tried.”
“Thanks.”She let out a sigh.“I just wish it were easier.I’ve been going cross-eyed trying to figure out the paperwork to get the loan started.”
“You’re smart.You’ll figure it out.And I promise, when—not if—you secure that loan, I’ll buy you a bottle of champagne.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“An orc keeps his word.”
There was the smallest tug at the corner of his mouth, but before she could remark on it, their gazes locked once more.The indigo in his eyes intensified, making it impossible to look away.A bead of sweat trickled down between her breasts, and she recalled how big and warm his hands had been on her waist earlier today when he’d picked her up from the counter.And how she had slid along his long, hard body ...
“Yo, Jasmine, I’m starving!Is that soup ready yet?”
Though Mal’s large frame blocking her view prevented her from seeing the speaker, she recognized that voice.“Hey, Kap.”
“’Scuse me, passing through.”
Mal’s entire body stiffened before he stepped aside.
“Thanks, man.”The tree giant was more or less the same height as Mal, though not as wide and definitely much hairier, with long, dark locks flowing down past his shoulders and furpeeking out from the sleeves of his uniform shirt and the top of his collar.His light-yellow eyes darted curiously from Jasmine to Mal.“I didn’t realize you’d invited another guest.”
“Kap, this is Mal,” she introduced.“He’s Vrig’s nephew and the new owner of Fantastic Tails.And the house, of course.”
