Page 15 of One Night with Her Grumpy Orc (Toothsome Monster Romance #3)

Grev

Two Weeks Later

Pride doesn’t begin to describe the sensation in my chest when I see Betty walking around the library, chatting and laughing with everyone who’s here to celebrate the re-opening. She’s built something special, a refuge and a community.

Everyone who helped fix the library is here. Even Matt, our mechanic and snowplow driver, who could be cursed as the reason the library was damaged. Or praised as the catalyst for bringing Betty and me together, finally. Matt stands at the window, hand resting on the wooden frame, smiling, as if he is the proud father of the new window. Here only because his truck crashed into it.

“Good turnout,” Koru says to me, pulling my attention away from the angry words I’m dreaming about saying to Matt. “I can’t remember the last time I visited the library to actually look around. Had to be when I was in Ms. Turner’s class. Remember the essays she made us write? Know how many essays I’ve written since then?” He holds his fat hand up, fingers in a zero shape.

“Betty has transformed this place over the last year. New books. New activities for the kids. She’s worked hard to make this a safe place. It makes me happy to see people celebrating it, and her.” Koru looks at me with that thoughtful big brother smugness that I hate. Like he’s seeing me for the first time.

“Betty has also had a transformation on you, brother. And it gladdens my heart.” He slaps a hand on my back, and for a brief moment, I forget that I’ve kept my longing and need for Betty a secret. That I hadn’t trusted my brothers with who I really am.

“Yo! Great shindig! August sent me over here. She said I wasn’t allowed to re-arrange the books on the shelves anymore.” A quick glance shows August with an enormous stack of books on the floor at her feet, trying to re-alphabetize them. And this is my reminder of why I haven’t opened up to my brothers.

“If you haven’t been in the library since Ms. Turner’s class, how long has it been since this buffoon has been here?” I ask, pointing a thumb at our idiot brother who stands with the cockiest grin on his face.

“What are you talking about? I come in here all the time when August is working.”

“I’ve never seen you,” I say.

“Well, I wait until you’re not here. I don’t need your quiet judgment hovering over me while I’m trying to flirt and be sweet to August. I certainly don’t need you overhearing me quote poetry to her.”

My jaw is on the floor, and I’m not sure how to get it back up to the rest of my face. “Poetry? What are we talkin’? Dr. Suess?”

“See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. In fact, we’ve been working through a book of poems based on Taylor Swift songs.” His voice is almost a whisper as he confides in us. The words poems, and Taylor Swift , coming out of his mouth in the same sentence causes both Koru and me to snort. Loudly in disbelief.

The perfect zinger is on my lips when two things happen. I see the honesty in Bjorn’s eyes, and it pulls me up short. I didn’t know my brother had any depth to him, let alone a single romantic bone. It’s weird to think the power that August has over him, has changed him. And I find new respect for her.

And at the other end of the library, I hear Betty’s squeak. The same one from the blizzard—shock and fear. My head whips around to find her standing face to face with her parents, who are standing in the entryway with grimaces on their faces.

Pushing past my brothers, I make my way over to Betty. There’s no way I’m letting her face them alone. When I rest my hand on her back, her rigid spine softens into me. Exactly, I’m here for you. I can smell her spike of anxiety.

“This looks so good,” Betty’s mom says. Then she looks me in the eyes and says, “Grev, you look good today. Thank you for helping to restore the library.” Her lips are still tight. There’s no smile, but the words are sincere. Betty’s dad nods, silent but in agreement.

The background noise of folks chatting is still present. August’s put on a playlist quietly, which makes this really feel like a party rather than a library. But none of that matters as Betty trembles slightly. Her parents showed themselves to be complete asses the last time they were here. Intolerant and small-minded. This community Betty has created is filled with humans and monsters from all over town and the island. It’s vibrant and full of laughter and love.

“You’re welcome to hang out and look around. But only if you can be civil and kind to everyone .” Betty’s voice is firm and low. If I thought my heart preened at her success earlier, that was nothing compared to the pride I feel now.

“Oh Betty, we’re sorry. Both of us. I was caught up in a fantasy of you and Jake, childhood friends, and I didn’t respond right to discovering you and Grev had feelings for each other.”

Oh, is that it? I must make a sound because Betty puts her hand on me to steady me.

“Really, Mom? How many times have I told you nothing could ever happen between us? Why can’t you trust that I know what’s best for me?”

“I’m sorry,” Debby’s eyes fill with tears.

“Dad? What about you? You were awful to Grev and me.” Betty looks at him with the fury of a thousand suns. I make a mental note to stay on her good side. Our children are going to have to learn not to make her mad.

Betty stares at him, that I’m waiting look of a librarian on her face, arms crossed for a minute, then she has to push her glasses back into position on the bridge of her adorable nose. Sigh. I love this woman.

Ted is sweating, his eyes darting back and forth between his daughter and his wife. Watching him panic is satisfying, and I let him panic a decent amount of time before stepping in to save him from Betty’s wrath.

“Betty, sweetheart, Ted and I had a good conversation yesterday. Everything is water under the bridge. Or, ice in the bay? Or?” I shrug, unable to make any more horrible metaphors. Especially with the squinty-eyed, confused look she’s giving me.

“You—talked to Ted? Ted my dad? And everything is—good?” She speaks slowly, with lots of pauses and question marks. “And, you didn’t tell me?” I’m pretty sure her eyebrows are about to erupt off her beautiful face. I nod, hoping that she’ll find the humor in this situation soon. Like, now.

Betty throws her hands up in the air with a grunt of frustration and stomps away into the fray of the non-library-standard-quiet party. Nope. Not finding the funny yet.

Looking back at Ted and Debby, he thrusts his hand out toward me for a handshake. I stare at his hand, then at him.

“I see that you are taking care of my Betty, and I want to thank you for that. Despite the insulting behavior of her family, you have stood beside her, protected her, and helped her. Thank you. You’re a good man.” I grasp his hand and we shake. If I believed in Bjorn’s theories of Ravena being a witch, I would swear I could feel a vine binding us together. Not in love, but in partnership—in caring for Betty.

“My only focus is Betty. Loving her and taking care of her. If you and Debby fit into that, then you’re welcome to be a part of what we are building. But if not, I have no hesitation in helping her block you out of her life.”

“I would expect nothing less from someone like you.” Ted smiles, then winces as his words register in his mind. “I mean, someone with your strength and core. Not...you know,” he waves a hand in my general direction, then over at Gordon, Skerr, and Koru, who are chatting off to the side.

“Understood. Let’s start by not waving your hand at all of us. Let me introduce you to my brothers.” And with that, I usher them to meet Koru, then track down Bjorn, who is sure to embarrass them.

––––––––

L ATER, WHEN THE CELEbrATION has calmed down and most folks have left, I stand in line with a book at the front desk where August is checking in a few books that someone dropped off today. It only takes one glance at me for her to get Betty from the back office with some lame excuse, then walks away, leaving Betty and me together at the desk.

“Are you checking out books? You know we aren’t really open,” she says quietly, a slight exasperation in her voice. There’s also the hint of a smile behind her stern librarian face.

“Your parents had a good time,” I say, setting the book on the desk. She eyes it but doesn’t pick it up.

“So they said as they left. Then again when they called from the ferry. They seem quite smitten with you.” She adjusts her glasses again, tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ears. “I know I shouldn’t be mad. You were helping, and it is sweet. It just caught me off guard, and I hate feeling like I’m left in the dark.”

Stepping around the desk so there’s nothing in our way, I say, “I wasn’t leaving you in the dark. It was a surprise.” Her lips twitch into a smile, her cheeks redden. She’s so irresistible, even when she’s fighting a losing battle. Reaching forward, I cup her cheek, brushing my thumb against her sweet, soft skin. “I didn’t know surprises were on the ‘fuck off’ list.”

“Fuck off list?” There, a chuckle. I’ll take it.

“Yeah, the list of things that make you say ‘fuck off.’ Right now your list includes bigotry, Pixie made food, and surprises.”

“Yes, that’s accurate. What’s on your ‘fuck off’ list?” Betty asks, her hand resting over mine now. My other hand is itching to pull her hips into me and hold her tight, but I resist.

“Well, anything Bjorn says. Also, bigotry. Litter. Busybodies. And anything that keeps me from you.” The stare she gives me is molten desire.

“I like your list.” Her voice has that low, quiet sound of a summer night that drives me crazy. I pull her into me, both arms wrapped around her, and kiss along her jawline. Her pear and vanilla scent mixes with her arousal and her breath hitches, her breasts pressed against me. When I reach her ear, I run my tusk along the outside edge. Up and down, then repeat my kisses along her jawline to the other ear.

“Grev? Take me home.” Her voice is barely there.

“I thought you’d never ask,” I say as I scoop her into my arms. Her squeal of laughter is pure joy to my heart.

“Keep it down out there!” August yells from the back office, which causes Betty to giggle and blush again as she wraps her arms around my neck.

“Auggie? Are you ready to go home? I’m ready to lock up.”

“Give me ten!” August yells.

“Now, August,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. Judging by Betty’s high-rise eyebrows and August popping her head out of the office to squint at me, I didn’t succeed. “I mean, please.” I pull my lips into a smile, again a failure as August makes a scrunched-up face at me like she smells something rotten.

Eventually, after I’m forced to set down Betty, they get the library properly shut down and locked up for the night. Outside, the construction dumpster will get picked up tomorrow, and at the edge of the parking lot is one pile of snow—all that’s left from the blizzard. The first of the Spring Peepers sound their appearance, and I breathe deeper.

“Take me home, hot stuff,” Betty says, tucking her hand into mine.

“As you wish, my love.”