Page 16 of Bread with the Orc (Harmony Glen #6)
Dorvak
“Gung Hay Fat Choy, ” Laney said for the fourth time as she scooped up some of the savory pork-and-onion filling.
“Gung hay fat choy,” I repeated yet again. “I’m saying the same thing you are.”
“No, it’s Gung Hay Fat Choy! There’s emphasis on the?—”
I pinched one of the buns shut with a little more force than necessary. “Happy New Year! Gung Hay Fat Choy!”
“There!” She beamed at me and handed me another dough round. “You got it!”
I didn’t roll my eyes, but only because I remembered how hard she’d worked to twist her tongue around tlak’dkam, my people’s version of I love you . “I’ve been saying that.”
From his place at the kitchen table, where he was sipping tea my Mate had made for us, my father-in-law hummed in approval. “Your accent is improving. As are your bao-making techniques. Did I tell you char siu bao are my favorite?”
“Yes, Baba .” Laney winked at me. “That’s why I added them to the menu for our celebration. Noodles for long life and dumplings for prosperity.”
“The Lunar New Year is also a time for new beginnings.”
As the older man launched into a lecture about the meaning behind the full moon or something-or-other, I stepped up behind Laney. I loved the way she rested back against me, allowing me to take some of her weight.
My hands rested atop hers on the gentle swell of her stomach. She wasn’t very far along, but by our first anniversary, our son or daughter would be here. Created from our love.
“This would also be an acceptable time to announce the gender of my grandchild,” her father suddenly announced. “To me. The child’s grandfather.”
Laughing, Laney twisted in my arms. “You’ll have to wait until he or she is born, just like us. But…if it’s a girl, I want to name her after Ama .”
I squeezed her, offering my approval, and her father nodded firmly. “Then I will pray for a granddaughter. ”
I’d already explained that in human-orc pairings, male offspring looked orcish and female children looked more like their mothers. But in this, I did genuinely believe my father-in-law wanted a granddaughter so she would bear his wife’s name, not so she’d look less like me.
The old bastard had warmed up to me over the last six months, after all.
It turned out that both of us had a protective streak when it came to Laney.
She’d thought that her father had ignored her for the year leading up to her businesses failure, but apparently he’d been keeping close tabs on her, even doing what he could to help behind the scenes.
He hadn’t wanted her to know, and I suspected he had half-hoped she’d fail so she’d turn to him for help…
But when she hadn’t? When she’d built a successful business on her own? He’d been proud of her.
It was me he took longer to warm up to. Eventually, though, we figured out that the male just needed to be needed. It had been a tough pill to swallow, the first time I’d called to ask him for advice…but from then on—strange as it might seem—he respected me more.
And as much as I hated to admit it, he did know his shit. There was a reason he was such a successful businessman, and although I’d never admit it to him out loud, I was grateful my Mate and I could turn to him for suggestions before we launched any new ventures.
Like when we hired more front-of-house staff for the shop, or the food truck we were considering buying.
Or the fact that my Harvest-Festival-winning plaque was hanging in the place of honor beside the display cases where my Mate could brag to everyone. The Town Council had already lined me up to judge this autumn’s contest, and I’ll admit that I liked being thought of as an expert in my field.
“I will make some more tea,” my Mate’s father announced.
“Oh no, Baba , I can do that!” Laney jumped toward the kettle.
But the old man waved her back. “Your mother taught me to make tea as well as she taught you. Let me do this for you, since you don’t need me to carry you any longer.” He eyed the place where she leaned against me, her hand still on her stomach. “It is good that you’ve found a protective husband.”
She tipped her head to smile up at me. “It’s true. I found the best Mate. I’m the luckiest.”
“No,” I rumbled, wrapping her in my arms. “ I did. I’m the luckiest.”
After all, a year ago I’d been content in my solitary life, not realizing the perfect female worked next door to me. I’d found her, I’d fallen in love with her, and I’d bred her.
Laney giggled and poked me until I let her out to breathe.
“We’re all lucky to have built a home in Harmony Glen. Our babies are going to grow up blissfully happy.”
I had to smile at her optimism. “Because we’ll love them?”
Laney’s soft smile was the one she gave me when she was about to say something adorably mushy. And I wasn’t disappointed.
“Because we live in Harmony.”
Keep reading for a sneak peek into more low-angst, high-heat, cozy small-town orc rom-commy goodness (what? Pretty sure that’s a word) from Veronika!