Page 16 of Grumpy Pucking Orc
Ozar solemnly nodded. “Understood. I will give you no reason to use seasoning to defend yourself.”
I snort laughed at that, because the cultural barrier helped to make him seem less threatening, and more of an earnest, seven-foot-tall, musclebound, Boy Scout.
“So, what sort of English words and phrases did your friend Gax teach you?” I asked.
He grinned again, and a little zing went through me. “I will tell you those another time, because they are not words a male should say in the company of anoranwgiel.”
Yeah, a total Boy Scout. It was so incongruous compared to his appearance that my attraction to him flared hotter. I scooted my chair closer, taking the beer that Abby had bought for us and clinking it against Ozar’s pint of dark brew.
He frowned.
“It’s a ritual,” I explained. “Touching our glasses together signifies friendship and trust.”
Ozar grunted, picked up his pint, then rapped it againstmine with a bit more force than I had done. “I trust you, Jordan.”
I smiled. “And now we drink.”
The orc took that to mean he should down his entire pint, then wave at the waitress for another round. I’d intended to just sip mine but didn’t want to insult the guy so I quickly gulped the pint down, knowing I’d regret all these beers in the morning.
“What made you decide to play hockey if you didn’t have the sport back home?” I asked as the waitress distributed another round of brim-full pints to each of us at the table.
“Angels,” Ozar informed me. “We were not allowed to remain here unless we had what they call ‘gainful employment.’”
My mouth dropped open. “So, all the bouncer jobs were taken? Overnight convenience store clerk positions? Wrestling coach openings? Why hockey?”
He consulted his phone again. “We were offered none of those jobs. The only employment opportunity was to play hockey for this team, and we accepted.”
Sweet Jesus. My anger flared, totally pissed at the demon owner of the Tusks. He’d taken advantage of these orcs who’d thought they were getting a regular job instead of becoming the equivalent of freaks in a circus sideshow. There wasn’t much payback I could do to a demon, but if that guy ever found himself in my chair, he was getting an unnecessary root canal without Novocain, professional ethics be damned.
Ozar took a long pull at his beer, then stared at the dark brew with a moody expression. “We were arrogant. Comparing our size and strength to the humans, we assumed we would easily win at any game. But we did notwin, and we were laughed at. I thinkthatis why we were asked to do this job, so we could play the fools and humans could pay their coin to watch the big powerful orcs be beaten by humans.”
I put a hand on his shoulder, feeling the muscles under his T-shirt jump at my touch. “Iwasn’t laughing. You scored a point—that’s no small thing in hockey, especially since you all aren’t experienced in skating or in the game. You also kicked some serious ass in the fight.”
He looked a few things up on his phone, then smiled sheepishly. “It was a lucky shot. And of course we kicked asses in the fight. We’re orcs.”
Nowtherewas the arrogance I’d expected. Surprisingly, it didn’t turn me off like it did with other guys.
“Lucky shot or not, you nailed it right into the net. I’ll bet with some practice and good coaching, you all will be more than a laughingstock by the end of this season.”
“We all hope to be gone by the end of the season,” he confessed.
My heart sank at that. “What do you mean?”
He looked embarrassed, as if he’d spoken without thinking. “None of us are good at hockey. It’s best for us to get other jobs. I hope to stay in Baltimore, though.”
There was a meaningful glance that accompanied his last words, as if he was planning to stay in Baltimore because of me. I’d been fed a lot of lines in my life, but I got the feeling this orc Boy Scout wasn’t delivering empty promises to help him get laid.
“I’d like it if you stayed in Baltimore,” I confessed, feeling a little uneasy at expressing my interest so clearly.
“Then I will.” That intensity was back in his eyes. “And I will continue to play hockey if you wish.”
I winced. “You need to do what you want in terms ofemployment. I’m just saying that I think you all could be contenders. You’re physically…well, damned buff. All you need is coaching on the game and loads of practice on the ice. I get the impression none of you are averse to a challenge.”
He typed again on his phone, then nodded. “I accept the challenge.”
Sucking in a breath, I held up my hands. “No! I don’t want you to do this for me or for anyone else. If you’re going to continue with the Tusks, it has to be foryou.”
“Or for the team?” He looked at the other orcs, and I got the impression they were about to be whipped into shape, whether they liked it or not.
