Page 79 of Geeky Pucking Orc

Then I burst into tears.

The ring box hit the floor and suddenly I was in Bwat’s arms, my head nestled against his chest.

“Abby, oh Abby. I am so sorry. Is the ring not correct? Do you not like the condo? Would you prefer something outside of the city with a yard? Or a row house like Jordan’s? I thought you would want to be near the arena and work, and that you would love the view. And everything is a blank canvas of white for you to illustrate with your soul. I only ask that there be room in my office for a picture of dogs playing poker.”

I started crying even harder. Ugly, snotty, puffy-eye sobs.

“Abby!” Bwat’s voice broke. “Is it me you do not want? We do not need to get married if you don’t want that. We can return to just being friends. Or we can be friends that sometimes spend a night in each other’s furs. But I love you, and I don’t want to think about a day without you by my side. I see or experience things and immediately want to tell you about them. I can’t wait until I am near you again. Having you asleep beside me makes me feel whole. I love you. I want nothing more than to spend my life making you happy, and if that means we do not get married, then I will accept your decision with all the grace I can.”

I pulled away from him, wiping my nose on my sleeve in the most unattractive fashion possible. “I love you, Bwat. You’re my best friend. I want to spend my life with you. I can’t imagine a life without you in it. I just…I didn’t expect this.” I gestured at the condo, at the dark-blue velvet box on the tile floor.

He sucked in a breath, scooped up the box, and once more presented the contents to me. “Abby, be my wife. Make me the happiest of all orcs. We will spend our lives exploring, traveling, and with those we care most about. We will have children if you want. And if not, we will make a family with the two of us and our friends.”

I extended my left hand, lifting my ring finger slightly. “Bwat, I would be honored to be your wife. I am beyond excited to spend my life with you. Now put that ring on my finger and kiss me.”

39

ABBY

The next six weeks had gone by in the blink of an eye. Bwat had expedited the closing on the condo, and I’d been surprised to see that my name was the only one of the deed. He’d apologized for not building me a wedding home with his own hands, but as much as I loved a cabin in the woods, it would never live up to the awesomeness of this giant penthouse condo overlooking the harbor. Our wedding was scheduled for late summer, and I was equally thrilled and nervous to be meeting his parents and a handful of Bwat’s orc relatives from his home. My Mom had insisted her friends be on the guest list, and of course we’d invited the team as well as my friends and the shockingly large number of friends Bwat had made among the human hockey teams as well as other sports teams, the animal shelter, and local businesses. Everyone loved Bwat, and he didn’t want a single person to be excluded from our celebration.

While it was traditional for the bride and her family to pay for the wedding, Bwat had established an account and contributed a huge sum of money toward the event, saying that it was only right for both of us to share in the cost of the wedding celebration. Personally, I think he wanted to set a high bar for Eng, who would probably be proposing to Willa this winter. Ozar and Jordan had rolled their eyes at our lavish plans, saying they planned a small intimate occasion with only a few hundred individuals in attendance.

I let Bwat take charge of the wedding plans, with my mother to guide him. I was too busy decorating our new home to schedule florists or book venues. After all, the wedding was only one day. We would be living in this condo for the rest of our lives.

Hirra was a huge help and had quickly become a close friend. She’d joked about the expression on my face as I’d toured the condo, thinking it was her home. Rightfully, she guessed that the excess of white and neutrals were not my thing. I did keep the pallet light to preserve the expansive feel of the space but added in quirky splashes of color and an eclectic mix of furniture styles. Those eclectic mixes had included a giant dogs-playing-poker print over the sofa in the living room, and plenty of actual furs in the main bedroom. The concierge had made himself available to supervise the contractors and monitor their access. He’d also coordinated our movers and arranged for the kitchen to be stocked with all the essentials, ready for Bwat to experiment with cooking.

We’d moved in last week, and I hadn’t stopped smiling.

Bwat had far more money than I’d assumed. He was such a chill, friendly guy who didn’t have the snobbiness of Eng, and wasn’t a flashy dresser. But it seems that his family’s merchant business was more successful than I’d imagined, and he’d arrived in the human world with what exchanged to millions in our dollars. He’d been modestly shy about his bank balance, saying that he hoped I wouldn’t be put off by the low amount as he had the ability to earn much more in the future.

It was a little overwhelming, but all I wanted was Bwat. Every day I grew to love him more. And I couldn’t wait for us to say our vows and promise our future together.

But today? Today was all about homeless animals and the money we could raise to help with their medical needs and their care while they waited for their forever homes.

And it was about the social media coverage for the team that today could bring.

We had a VIP table. We had a videographer and a photographer. We had members of the Tusks scattered at tables throughout the venue so they could connect with fans and future fans. I was at the VIP table with Ozar and Jordan, Coach Rencovitch and his wife, the team’s owner Escallates Johnson with the literal Satan by his side. And three angels.

I was about to burst from my skin with anxiety over the whole thing. Satan appeared to be a forty-something year-old woman with messy brown hair and brown eyes full of wicked mischief. She’d outbid a senator on a private island vacation, then donated it back to the shelter for the politician to overpay for his secondary bid price. She bribed a server to bring her a bottle of frozen coffee vodka. She “accidentally” tripped a prominent member of the local vampire clan and sent him face-first into an aspic salad. The guy stood up with kale and pistachio gelatin on his face, and a carrot slice skewered on a fang. I tried to sit as far from her as possible, hoping she didn’t turn me into a toad or something.

Stephanie was there at another VIP table her werewolf clan had sponsored. She’d introduced me to her Alpha, a woman named Candy who had a helmet of blonde hair and a pink skirt suit with an actual bow blouse under the jacket. The woman’s steely eyes commanded respect, and her grip on my hand was firm as we greeted each other. Pink eighties suit aside, this woman was clearly fierce, and I knew better than to doubt her ability to lead a pack of werewolves.

The auction continued. Some items were part of a silent auction with people hovering over the bid lists and making sure they topped the latest entry. While those people duked it out over their desired items, a live auction went on. Before the finale with the private vacation, there were other high-end items including a gorgeous quilt from a local group of women. It featured a variety of appliqué dogs on it and when Eng bought it and presented it to Willa, she shrieked and jumped into his arms.

I teared up a bit, knowing that her grandmother had been a member of the group who had worked on the quilt. Eng might appear to be the arrogant asshole, but when it came to Willa, he was as much of a sweetheart as Bwat or Ozar.

The lights dimmed. Spotlights moved across the runway. The announcer proclaimed that the main event was about to begin. And a cadre of local celebrities took the stage, each with an adorable animal by their side or in their arms.

The crowd cheered and clapped. A Ravens player was announced and took the runway with a calico cat in one arm and a black cat with amber eyes in the other. Keiko and Kola were picked up as strays in the Canton area and were eager for homes of their own. Keiko was a lover of all the other cats and dogs, fond of yarn toys, and enjoyed a nap in a sunny window. Kola liked to hunt down any bug that made its way into the house, loved to perch on top of the refrigerator, and curl up on a human lap. Both were currently in a foster home but longing to find their forever.

Jordan gave a soft “ooo” sound next to me and eyed Ozar who sighed.

“We have two cats, my beloved.”

“Yes, but we have already committed to being the crazy cat couple of the neighborhood,” she countered.

A local MMA fighter walked the runway next, leading a gorgeous white pit bull mix with tan spots on the side of his face and on his chest. This was Rollo, who had been found abandoned by his owners after they had been evicted and rescued by neighbors who had taken care of him for two weeks before calling the shelter. He was a confident boy who loved squeaky balls and treats and enjoyed long walks and a soft dog bed at the end of the night.