Page 60 of Grumpy Pucking Orc (Orcs on Ice #1)

Ozar

W e were up at five in the morning, stopping to get Jordan’s car at the stadium parking lot before heading to her house. She quickly added a change of clothes into her workout bag while I fed Judy and searched the house to clean up any of the cat’s “little gifts,” as Jordan called them.

It was easy to join the gym, even if I struggled to answer some of their application questions about my fitness goals.

The manager was thrilled to have a hockey player as a member, and I had to pose for several photographs with employees.

Jordan was mostly done with her workout by the time I was done, so she showed me how to use some of the equipment, then ran off to shower and change for her meeting, asking me to come over to her house tonight for dinner.

I was intrigued by the traditional food from her hometown that she was going to make for me, something called beef on weck, which she described as a roast-beef sandwich on a hard roll with salt and horseradish.

Everything had been so easy and relaxed between us since I returned, but I still carried the engagement ring in the small box with me, hoping that we’d be able to resolve our differences and that I could put it back on her finger.

She hadn’t once mentioned that horrible night in the stadium parking lot.

I didn’t want to mention it either, but that ring would never have a chance of returning to her finger unless we were aligned on what our future held.

She had a career here. She had friends and family here. I had all of those things back home, but none of that would mean anything without her.

One of us would need to compromise. I would need to compromise if I wanted to spend my life with Jordan. So, after a brief workout at the gym, I jogged home to check on Coal, showered and changed, and went to the stadium.

Ugwyll was just finishing up his skating practice. I outlined my plan to him and together we went in search of Escellates Johnson, finally finding the team’s demon owner in a large office going over sheets of numbers and cackling gleefully.

“What?” the demon barked as we opened his door.

Holding our reply, Ugwyll and I entered, closing the door behind us and sitting in the two chairs in front of Escellates’ desk.

“The team has been improving,” Ugwyll began. “We no longer look like fools on the ice.”

“Which I’m not happy about,” the demon grumbled. “But the numbers last night look decent, so I’m willing to let that go.”

“We are losing by less points,” I continued. “And we are able to regularly score a goal or two each game.”

The team owner shrugged. “So what? Are you two asking for more money? Because you’re not getting any more money. I’m still angry at what the angels told me I have to pay you as it is. Fair wage. Fair to who? Certainly not me and my wallet.”

“We don’t want more money. We want a coach,” Ugwyll told him.

“And a team trainer,” I added.

For a second, I thought Escellates’ eyes would bulge right out of his skull. Then he laughed. “Why in all of Aaru would you need a coach and a team trainer?”

I cleared my throat, remembering the speech I’d rehearsed on the way over.

“So the team can improve. We need someone who knows hockey, understands the strategy of the game, and can help us work together in ways that will counter our opponents. And we need a team trainer to help us use the equipment in the gym and practice on the ice. If we have these two things, we can win games.”

“Winning games isn’t important.” Escellates waved a hand as if he were wiping the concept off of one of his many white boards in the office. “I don’t care about whether you win games or not, I care about making money.”

“Teams that score and win bring more humans to see the games,” Ugwyll pointed out. “And they sell more of the T-shirts, coffee mugs, and other things that are now available.”

The demon thought about that for a moment. “Maybe, but I doubt you all would improve fast enough to cover the cost of a coach and a trainer.”

“We might,” I said, even though the owner was probably right.

“Come back next year and I’ll think about it.” Escellates looked back down at his paperwork.

I took a deep breath. “We won’t be here next year. If you do not hire a coach and a trainer, then Ugwyll and I will quit the team. ”

The demon looked back up at us, his eyes narrowing. “You’re bluffing.”

Both Ugwyll and I had to look that word up on our phones.

“We are not bluffing,” Ugwyll said. “We will quit.”

“We’re your best players,” I added. “The humans know our names. I’ve been in the local paper already.

Ugwyll and I both are approached by large groups of humans both after games and on the streets wanting to talk to us.

Humans are wearing shirts with our names on them, even holding up signs with our names on them at games. Losing us will lose you money.”

“If we leave the team, the team will not survive,” Ugwyll said. “A few humans might come to watch the others, but the stands will be mostly empty. You need us.”

“And the pair of you needs me, needs this team,” the demon snapped. “Without this job, you’ll need to go back to your homes and your primitive clans. If you quit, the angels will send you back.”

I shrugged, trying not to panic, trying to…bluff. “Perhaps we have another job offer. The angels don’t care which hockey team we work for or even if we play hockey. They only said that we needed to ‘maintain gainful full-time employment.’”

Escellates sputtered, his face red. “Which team is trying to poach you two? Is it the Lightning? It’s that Vinik with the Lightning, isn’t it? I hate that guy.”

Ugwyll and I sat back, saying nothing and letting the demon rant about various other team owners, all of whom he seemed to hate. Finally, he glared at us, picking up a pen and throwing it across the room.

“If I hire a coach and a team trainer, you both are going to sign twenty-year contracts. ”

“One year,” I countered.

“Five.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

I glanced at Ugwyll, who gave me a slight nod. “We will sign three-year contracts, but the trainer and the coach need to start within the next thirty days, and if we are ever without an experienced hockey coach or a trainer, our contract is void.”

Escellates threw another pen and let out a string of curses. Then he stood. “Fine. Deal. Now get out so I can add up how much money I made last night.”

“ I ’ll do it.” I strode inside and made the announcement the moment Jordan opened her door. “I’ll stay here. I’ll keep playing hockey and will live here in the human world.”

“But what about your family? What about your job back home?” she argued.

I cut her off with a wave of my hand. “Now my career is hockey. I have signed a three-year contract with the Tusks and I’m staying. Yes, I will miss my family and my home, but the human world is beautiful and amazing. I will be happy here, especially with you.”

“Ozar…are you sure?”

“I have never been surer.” I took a deep breath, knowing that I needed to give her more. “Ugwyll and I talked with Escellates Johnson this morning. We told him that if he didn’t bring on a coach, and a trainer, that we would leave the team.”

Jordan’s eyes widened. “Did he call your bluff? ”

“It was no bluff. We intended to leave and find another job if he refused, but he didn’t.” I couldn’t help my smug smile. “Escellates Johnson agreed to our terms. Our new trainer starts in two weeks, and we will have a coach within a month.”

“But will hockey give you a satisfying career?” she asked with a frown.

“It will. I like the challenge of hockey. What I don’t like is not having the support the team needs to improve. I don’t want us to be fools. And if the other players”—like Eng—“refuse to be serious about our team, then we will recruit new ones for next year.”

“So, you’ll be happy?”

“Yes.” I hesitated a second, then dug the ring box out of my pocket.

It might be a mistake not to lay on the ground first, but I wanted to propose standing up this time.

“I want you to be my bride, Jordan. I want you to be my life partner. You are my mate, the only woman for me. If you are not ready to make this decision, then I will wait. If you do not want to be my bride, then I will still stay here in the human world and play hockey. But I hope you will say yes.”

“Oh, Ozar.” She gave a watery laugh and swiped a hand across her eyes. “I love you, but I can’t let you sacrifice your home and your family for me.”

“There is no sacrifice,” I insisted. “I love you. The time I spent traveling with the team made me realize that I was being stubborn and clinging to old ideas. Maybe when we are older, we can visit my homeland, but I am ready and excited to call this place my home now.”

Her smile widened. “I love you. I want to be your mate, your wife, your life partner, the mother of your children. I’m happy that you’ve got a great solution for a career in hockey.

But I don’t want you to never see your friends and family, your home and your clan ever again.

I don’t want our children to grow up not knowing what it is to be an orc.

I want them to meet your father, to eat the food you grew up eating, listening to the music and the festivals and being immersed in their orc culture.

I don’t want us to raise our children to be just humans, but as humans and orcs. ”

“I choose you over all those things.” I did, but I couldn’t deny how much my heart ached at the thought that my orclets might never see the home I loved.

“Ozar, that’s not fair to you or our children, and to be honest, I want to know your home as well.

That’s why I’ve decided to bring on a partner to my practice.

My breakfast meeting this morning was with a colleague of mine who I’ve known for years.

He’s getting ready to welcome his first child into the world and wants more flexibility in his business practice, just as I do.

We’re going to combine our businesses, bring on an additional dentist, and make the time for ourselves and our families outside of our careers.

Once we’re established, I’m going to start shifting my workload so I can take time off each year.

When the hockey season ends, we can go to your home and visit, maybe even stay there until you need to be back in the late summer.

At first, we might only be able to take a few weeks off, but I eventually want us to live among your clan for two or three months each year, especially after we have kids. ”

“You are speaking the truth?” My English faltered, and I could barely contain my joy at her words.

“Truth.” She extended her left hand. “Now put that ring on my finger and take me upstairs to our bed where we can roll naked in all those furs and celebrate our engagement.”