Page 85 of Grumpy Pucking Orc
The other team members had begun to come into the room at this point, making their way to the press room. Seeing the crowd, they’d paused. Which gave Todd a chance to again name Jordan’s family. I was impressed that he knew all the team members and could identify them, pointing each one out as he made the introductions.
That done, the family turned to me once more while the team continued to crowd into the room and watch.
“Ozar, I love the team’s Insta account,” Ella, Jordan’s sister-in-law, gushed. “And the TikTok vids are amazing. I’m hoping to win the contest for the Buffalo game.”
I frowned and remained puzzled even after I’d searched some of the words on my phone’s translation app. Contest? Insta? TikTok?
“Social media,” Jordan’s dad told me. “Not just Instagram, either. You guys were nowhere, and suddenly last week, there were official Tusks accounts with pictures, videos, bios, and contests. It’s a lot of fun. That’s where we got the idea for the upside-down plastic vampire teeth. I’m hoping we make it on tonight’s TV recap.”
Nothing he’d said enlightened me any further, but Bwat had edged up beside me with his phone in hand.
“Instagram? This one?” He turned the phone toward Jordan’s family, and there was a chorus of “yes.”
Looking over Bwat’s shoulder, I saw a mosaic of pictures and videos featuring us at workout, practice, games, even getting on and off the bus. Bwat touched a picture, and it filled the screen with an image of Trap lifting a woman in a wheelchair above his head with one hand while I scolded him in the background. That had been Miami, and while the woman seemed delighted by Trap’s antics, I’d been terrified the orc would drop her. Trap wasn’t the strongest on the team, but he’d been egged on by the crowd of humans and the woman’s encouragement and had taken extra care even as his bicep shook with the effort.
The caption informed me that this picture was the Miami winner, and that HatTrick2001 would be contacted for an address to ship their prize package which included a beer koozie, a Tusks official poster, and a team Coolmax workout shirt. HatTrick2001 would also be entered to win VIP tickets to the next Tusks game in their area as well as a signed edition of our Hot-On-The-Ice calendar.
I shook my head slowly, looking up the translation for coozie and Coolmax to no avail. When had this begun? I couldn’t imagine anyone on our team or Escellates Johnson organizing all of this, and I knew Jordan didn’t have thetime. It was a mystery—one that seemed to really intrigue Bwat even as I shrugged it off.
“I am so glad you came to the game,” I told Jordan’s family. “It means a lot to me and the team that you wanted to be here. And I am happy to meet you. You are all welcome to visit in Baltimore. Family of Jordan is family of mine.”
I wasn’t sure why I’d suggested they come to Baltimore. I didn’t have room in my tiny apartment to host anyone, and I had no idea if Jordan was open to having her family stay with her without any notice on my invite. Luckily, no one jumped to take advantage of the offer. Instead, I was treated to a barrage of back and shoulder slaps, yanked down for cheek kisses, and given arm-pats.
Leaving Jordan’s family with a wave, I led the team into the press room for the post-game interviews that I’d come to dread.
Microphones were shoved in my face, and a tall human male with spiky blonde hair asked me how I felt about the game.
This was all new to me, and I never knew how to answer these humans’ questions, but I’d been informed that post-game interviews were part of our responsibilities.
“We are skating better and improving at keeping control of the puck,” I announced, leaning into the microphone. “With added practice, we hope to keep the other team from scoring points.”
The other reporters shouted questions, but I was exhausted and done. Leaving Bwat to take the spotlight, I headed for the solitude of the bus. There I’d relax, and when we got back to the hotel and I was sure Eng was asleep, I’d call Jordan for what had become our nightly ritual.
“Phone sex” she’d called it, although we spent a lot of time just talking before things got sexy between us. As much as I missed having her in my arms, I’d grown to enjoy this strange distance-intimacy with her. Separated by many miles, Jordan voiced all sorts of desires, detailing her physical reactions and telling me in detail what she would do if I were there in person with her. I loved these phone calls. And while I counted down the moments when we would be together again, this phone sex served to build our connection, to stretch the tension of our desire to the point of insanity. I loved it. I loved her. And as I sat on the bus waiting for the rest of my teammates to board, I knew that I’d rearrange my entire life to keep her. The future might be not exactly what I’d hoped for, but deep inside I knew that a life with Jordan would be worth that sacrifice.
Chapter 38
Jordan
Abby joined me at my house to watch Thursday night’s game with a six pack of beer and a giant buffalo-chicken pizza. “Buffalo chicken. Game at Buffalo, New York. Get it?” she said as she handed the pizza box to me.
It was just the two of us tonight. Willa was out on what she’d called the long shot of all long shot dates. Stephanie was working to finish up her project in Hampton. I’d considered watching the game at a sports bar but decided it would be nice to curl up at home instead. Abby could shack up in my guest room if she was too tired or tipsy to drive, and this way I wouldn’t have to scout out Judy’s vomit after arriving home late at night.
Plus, I didn’t need to rush home to be ready for Ozar’s post-game call.
I put out corn chips and salsa. Abby and I settled on the sofa to watch the game, pizza box on the coffee table and beers in hand while Judy meowed for my crusts and wound around my legs.
The game was amazing. I swear that Abby and I hardlysaid a word, our eyes riveted to the television. It was the best game I’d ever seen the Tusks play. Admittedly, Buffalo wasn’t having the best season, but I saw a huge improvement in the orc team.
“They’re doing daily workouts and practices,” Abby said at the end of the first quarter. “It really seems to be paying off.”
I turned to her in surprise. “Ozar told me. How did you know?”
Her lips curled up in a mischievous grin. “I did what you said and told my boss I wanted us to pitch the Tusks. The team owner went for it, and I’ve been running their public relations campaigns since last week. Gotta say, it’s the most fun I’ve had in over a year.”
“Abby, that’s awesome!” I was rarely on social media except to post dental procedure pictures to my Instagram account and hadn’t realized this. Making a mental note, I decided to look up the team’s accounts and follow them.
“Ozar has been pushing the team hard with the workouts and practices,” I said. “I keep telling him that it will pay off, and that they’re improving at a remarkable rate, but I think he’s getting impatient.”
