Page 73 of Grumpy Pucking Orc
“Later.” Pru waved a hand at him. “Right now, I’ve got an engagement to facilitate. Now, Ozar, let’s take a look at some of my more artistic pieces. I like to work with moderately priced stones, but I can deliver a high-quality rock in spite of that. I like to give a whole lot of effort into the custom settings. I do a lot of work for some of our local…uh…communities, and I think you’ll vibe with the aesthetics.”
She led us to the back of the store and pulled a few drawers from under one of the glass displays, setting them on top of the counter. “I’ve done these in black gold, and several have a hammered finish, which I think you’ll like. Rubies are a particular favorite of mine. The square and emerald cut ones are shaped to emphasize the depth of red, but these ones are cut with facets that bring extra light to the stone. You sacrifice some of the deep color, but I think the brightness makes up for that.”
I was immediately drawn to a ring where the hammered black band split to sweep above and below a huge red ruby. The stone was lighter and brighter than the others, practically glowing in contrast to the ebony band.
“One of my favorites,” Pru said as I picked up the ring. “That stone is a carat and a half. It’s a much higher quality than I usually buy, but I just couldn’t resist. The red color radiates from the gem, and I hand-polished the hammeredblack gold so every flat surface shines. It’s light inside the darkness. Passion through pain. Love in blood. An ouroboros of life and death.”
Her words faded. The store, the odd expression on Sizzle’s face, the softness in Pru’s eyes…it all blurred into the background and all I saw was the ring. And Jordan’s hand wearing the ring.
“I’ll take it,” I said, not even caring how much it cost. I would give a year’s salary for this gift. It was that perfect, that much of an expression of how I felt about my love, how I felt about Jordan.
“Special discount for a friend of Sizzle,” Pru said with a smile. “If you need it sized larger or smaller, you let me know. And I wouldn’t mind if you’d spread the word about the amazing artist who created it. Not that I especially need more business, but I do like the recognition.”
“Absolutely,” I told her as I pulled the piece of plastic from my pocket. “I will make sure everyone knows of your talents.”
Sizzle made a strangled noise, and Pru grinned. “Well, maybe notallof my talents.”
Chapter 31
Jordan
“Brunch after the gym?” Stephanie asked.
The werewolf was on the equipment next to me, bench pressing the entire rack of weights without even a labored breath while I curled a scant ten pounds with shaking arms.
“Maybe a quick cup of coffee?” I countered. “Got some early patients this morning and was up late last night.”
“Ooh, I know what that means.” Stephanie shot me a knowing glance. “That hockey-orc still pounding you into the headboard?”
I smirked. “Sometimes it’smepoundinghiminto the headboards.”
Things with Ozar just seemed to be getting better and better. Judy adored him. He fit so well into my life and routine. And the adjustments I’d needed to make hadn’t been a problem at all. Well, aside from the fur rugs and blankets he’d hauled over to my house. They didn’t exactly go with my decor, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about dead animal skins, but I’d given in. It meant a lot to Ozar to havethem in my house and on my bed, and I had to admit they were very soft and warm. Plus, Judy loved to curl up on them, kneading her claws into the fur and purring happily as she snuggled up for a nap.
“Damn. You go, girl. Every morning, I expect to see him here with you at the gym,” Stephanie said.
“We sometimes work out together, but usually at the arena or jogging around Baltimore.” I wrinkled my nose, a little uncomfortable with the confession I was about to make. “I want to ask him to move in with me. And get him a membership at the gym. I love it when he spends the night, and I really would enjoy having him here for my morning workouts.”
Stephanie eyed me. “Not you moving in with him? I mean, he’s an NHL player. He’s probably got a swank penthouse or McMansion.”
I laughed. “He’s got a tiny rental apartment a few blocks from the arena. It’s cozy and utilitarian, and I do like staying over there. But my place is bigger, and I own it. Plus, Judy would have six months of explosive diarrhea and vomiting if I moved her to another place.”
The werewolf halted her workout to turn toward me. “He doesn’t have a problem moving into your house? Because I know a lot of guys don’t want to feel like they’re being kept.”
I put the weights down as easily as my shaking arms could and faced her. “He seems okay with it. I mean, I haven’t exactly asked him yet. He’s leaving tonight for a series of away games, so I was going to wait until he returned to ask him to move in. But he’s been talking about adopting a cat at the shelter and has been really concerned about how Judy might react to a cat-friend, so I think he’s been considering us moving in together. And with all thefurs he’s been hauling over to my house, I assume he knows my place is the better spot to cohabitate than his rental apartment.”
Stephanie turned back to her weights. “It sounds promising. Keep me updated. And I expect an invite to the cohabitation party.”
I smiled, shaking out my overworked arms. “That’s a definite.”
My day was insanely busy. There were two tricky extractions, a bone graft, three consultations, and a denture fitting along with a bridge placement. We’d all stayed over, even though I’d insisted several times that my staff go home while I finished up the last-minute crown replacement for a long-term client. When my staff and I locked the door, I was exhausted and ready to collapse on my couch with a container of leftover shrimp fried rice and one of Ozar’s fur blankets, but he and the team were leaving tonight for their series of away games, and I couldn’t stand to have him go without seeing him once more. Picking up carry-out hibachi, I drove to the arena, pulling into the parking lot just as the busses were lining up.
There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Ozar. I was already picturing him living in my home, making my life with him. I imagined our children—one or two ormaybethree. I’d get a partner to take some of the pressure off me at work, and Ozar would spend as much time with our kids as his job allowed. Me too. There would be two cats running through our home. We’d visit his clan on holiday when the kids were older. We’d grow old together, happy and content, and enjoy our lives in Baltimore.
I’d given up on love. I’d given up on marriage and children. I’d lost hope that I’d ever find the loving partnership that my parents and my brother had found. I’d thrown myself one hundred percent into my job and my social life with my friends, not expecting anything more. But that chance meeting in a parking lot after a hockey game had changed everything.
Change. It was a good thing. And here I was full of hope and dreams for the future instead of fretting over the loss of my routine.
Parking my car, I walked over to the line of buses, clutching my coat tight against the chill breeze from the river. They were just starting to bring the crates and bags of equipment out to the idling buses when I saw the first of the orcs exit the arena.
