Page 32 of Buck Wild Orc Cowboy (Brides of the Lonesome Creek Orcs #3)

Holly

T he picnic basket auction would be held in two days, and Gracie and I met up again outside the bakery to go through the final plans. And sip tea and eat goodies, because friendship and planning should always be rewarded with treats like that.

Leaving Sel to finish in the kitchen, we walked out into the front area, where the smell of crispy hushroot dough and sweetstone glaze filled my senses. The afternoon rush had waned, and Sel should be able to handle everything while I was gone. I could step inside if we got many customers, however.

While I poured tea into two gorgeous pottery mugs Sel said his brother Hail had made, Gracie stood behind the counter, choosing treats for us to savor with our tea.

Duskbark scrolls, one of my favorites. Their swirled centers were packed with spiced nut crumbles, and we’d drizzled them with shimmering sugarroot syrup that caught the light like amber glass.

She added a few pale-green snowleaf clusters to our plates, the petals delicate and thin as paper, baked until the edges curled like actual leaves.

“These are beautiful,” she said, pointing to them with the tongs.

“They taste even better than they look.”

We took our tea and treats outside, sitting at one of the tables.

The town hummed with tourists, some striding down the street, others standing in front of the jail, talking about having the sheriff, Sel’s cute brother, Dungar, arrest them the next day.

They hoped they could convince him to keep them in jail longer than a few minutes and were making a pact not to bail each other out so they could chat him up.

Unless one of them sparked a mating bond on his inner wrist, it was a lost cause. I’d already learned these orc brothers were holding out for the real thing.

A couple in matching vests walked past us with a fluffy miniature dog in a baby sling, and I spotted a group of teenagers snapping selfies beside the general store's new, yet antique-appearing wagon, parked out front.

A paper flyer fluttered on a nearby post, bright with yellow ink: PICNIC BASKET AUCTION!

After she’d eaten one of the snowleaf clusters, moaning as she savored its complex flavors, Gracie tapped her phone lying on the table beside her mug of tea. “Okay. Final checklist time.”

I took a sip of my drink and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

She swiped through her notes. “Aunt Inla confirmed we’ve got enough baskets in stock at the store. Jessi made a sample one and left it in the window to inspire creativity. Or scare people off, depending on how you feel about sardines and chocolate.”

I laughed. “Sounds like Max’s nightmare lunch. Not the chocolate, but I don’t believe I could pay my son to try sardines.”

Gracie grinned. “The restaurant’s offering three pre-packed basket options, and the winner will share the goodies inside with one of the staff. The general store has signs encouraging people to mix and match. I checked this morning, and there are twenty-four people signed up to make baskets.”

“Wow,” I said. “That’s more than I expected.”

“Small town magic. Word spreads fast when there’s gossip and food involved.”

“We can still use the barn?”

“Yup. Day after tomorrow, we’ll clear the main floor and set up long tables for the baskets.

Decorate them, of course. We’ll have anonymous bid cards, which was your idea.

Thank you again for that. And those who want can shout out their bids.

Tark’s brothers will watch the room, takings card and noting spoken bids. ”

“It’s going to be so much fun.” I brushed crumbs off the front of my shirt. My boobs were a crumb magnet. Food couldn’t resist.

“Hail volunteered to help move the baskets from the drop-off point to the display tables, and he and Max will do that at about two. Sel will close the bakery tomorrow, as you already know. Jessi and Rosey are manning the drink stand. And Ostor’s handling lighting.”

I blinked. “Wow. It’s all coming together so well.”

Gracie looked up from her screen, her eyes bright. “It’s going to be amazing. This kind of thing makes the town feel alive. Like we’re all in something together.”

“Thanks for letting me be part of it.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you.”

We sat for a moment, people-watching. A breeze rattled the windchimes hanging near the bakery door.

Gracie tilted her head, a familiar glint in her eyes. “That’s the business part. Now, personal check-in. How are you doing?”

I hesitated, my gaze on the street. “I’m…doing quite well, actually.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“Sel is wonderful.” Was I gushing too much? Probably, but I didn’t care.

Gracie’s expression didn’t change, but her smile turned warmer. “Tell me more.”

I set my mug down. “He told me I’m his fated mate.”

“I suspected.”

My breath caught. “You did?”

She nodded. “I saw the mark on his wrist. Those of us mated with his brothers notice things like that. I guessed it was you the first time I saw him staring at you with longing. That made me look.”

“He didn’t tell me for a while, and I know why. He doesn’t want to push me.”

“That sounds like Sel.”

I pulled my sleeves down, suddenly shy. “He showed me the mark a few days ago. Said he’d wait. Said he didn’t want anything from me but to be near. I believe him.”

Gracie’s voice went soft. “Of course you do. Because it’s true.”

“I’ve never trusted a man this way before. That kind of damage lingers.”

Gracie reached across the table, wrapping her hand around mine.

“But Sel…” I looked up. “He arranged for Hail to spend time with Max, to make sure he felt safe and has someone to talk to. Max likes Hail. He even asked if he could help him make pottery sometime. Hail plans to open a rodeo here soon, and Max is helping him organize that.”

“That’s huge.”

I nodded. “Sel doesn’t just care about me. He sees Max, and that means everything.”

Gracie’s eyes shimmered. “It sounds like you’re thinking there could be more between you two than just friendship.”

“I think there could be. I’m scared, but I’m starting to hope again. I believe I might be ready to try.”

She gave my hand a squeeze. “Then do it. Let it be slow if you need it to be. Sel isn’t going anywhere. He’s as reliable as sunrise.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest.

“Trust takes time,” she said. “But you’re doing it. You’re choosing yourself. And now you’re choosing joy. That’s brave as hell.”

“I didn’t think I could ever be this close to someone again. But he’s different. And this town is a safe little world tucked away from everything that hurt.”

“That’s what it was for me too,” she said. She’d shared more about her parents, and I couldn’t imagine how horrible that must’ve been for her. But she was here now, happy with Tark.

“I thought about making a basket,” I said.

Gracie’s eyes lit up. “You should . I won’t push, but I think it’d mean something.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that kind of public gesture.”

“You don’t have to put your name on it.”

I blinked. “Really?”

“Remember? Baskets can be anonymous. Makes it fun.”

“That’s clever.”

She winked. “I have my moments.”

We both laughed, and something inside me relaxed further.

Gracie stood and stretched. “It’s been amazing talking with you. I like you, Holly. I hope you stick around.”

I hoped I could too.

As I stood, she pulled me into a hug—tight, warm, no-nonsense.

“Welcome to the family, Holly,” she said by my ear.

My throat tightened, and I hugged her back. “We’ll see.”

“That we will.” She pulled back, brushing her hair from her face. “Tomorrow’s going be a whirlwind, so get some sleep tonight.”

“I will,” I said, my heart full.