Ruugar’s expression grew solemn. “I can’t pretend to know what you’re feeling. After losing Wexla, I understand why you’d be cautious, why opening yourself to someone new would feel like a betrayal.”
“It’s not only that.” I struggled to put words to the tangle of emotions in my chest. “When Wexla died, I thought that part of me passed with her.”
“But it didn’t.”
“No.” I stared out at the snowy landscape, the truth settling into my bones. “It didn’t.”
“Some males never find a mate at all. Some are blessed enough to find one. And a very few…” He nudged my shoulder. “A very few are given a second chance. The question is whether you’re brave enough to grab onto her and hold her close.”
“And sometimes the fates offer impossible choices.” I shrugged off his hand, pacing along the fence line as frustration surged through me. “She’s leaving, Ruugar. Her life, her career, everything she’s worked for is out there, not here in Lonesome Creek.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Have you asked her whatshewants?”
“She told me already.” At the cabin. “She wants a successful consulting business. Independence. She’s worked ten years to build her reputation. I can’t imagine she’d want to give that up.”
“And she can’t have that here? What I see is a community that’s already embraced her. Visitors who respect her expertise. A rodeo program that will be more successful because of her vision. Lonesome Creek is growing. Tourism is just the beginning. We need someone with her skills, not just for the rodeo, but for the entire operation. Someone who understands our goal of integrating orc and human culture. A person who can see both worlds clearly.”
The possibility unfurled inside me.
“She won’t know it’s an option unless someone tells her.” His pointed look made it clear who that someone should be.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and a message from Dungar lit up the screen.
Got it.After I found the snow globe online with my cousin’s help, Dungar had volunteered to pick it up today.It’s the exact match to your description. Wait until you see it. You’re going to be amazed. I’ll be back with it later today.
“Good news?” Ruugar asked, noticing my expression.
“Dungar picked up the snow globe for Carla.” I couldn’t keep the excitement from my voice.
“Like the one she told you about, the one her aunt and uncle lost””
“I bet they threw it away.” The thought still made me want to snarl. “It was her mother’s, one of the few things she had left of her parents. She told me how she’d wind it up and watch the snow fall over the little rabbit while the music played. How it was the only Christmas tradition that felt real to her after they were gone.”
“And you’re giving it back to her.” He whistled low. “That’s not only a gift, but it’s also a statement.”
“It’s returning something precious that was taken from her.”
“It’s telling her you care for her, that you understand what matters to her. For an orc who claims he’s not ready for another mate, you’re certainly acting like one who’s already decided.”
“I don’t want to trap her.” The admission burst out of me. “If she stays, it has to be because she wants to, not because she feels obligated by these.” I flicked my wrist, the golden mark catching the sunlight. “Certainly not because I manipulated her emotions with gifts.”
“Is that what you think you’re doing?” Ruugar shook his head. “A gift given from the heart isn’t manipulation. It’s honesty. The purest kind.”
The truth was, somewhere between snowstorms and Christmas parades, between watching her face light up at human traditions and seeing her care for the sorhoxes with gentle hands, I’d fallen completely in love with her.
“I need to go.” I pulled away from the fence, needing movement. “I’ll see you at breakfast at the saloon. After that, I have to make sure the final preparations for the starlight ride are in place. We’ve got children’s activities to organize.”
“Running again?”
“Planning.” I shot him a look that warned him not to push it. “We have a full day ahead. Twenty-six tourists confirmed for the ride, plus all of us.”
“While you’re doing all that, remember one thing. When we orcs find someone worth fighting for, we don’t hold back.” He adjusted his cowboy hat. “We do have a full day. Beth’s excited about the ride tonight. Says the stars on Christmas Eve are magic.”
A week ago, I would’ve dismissed it as human sentimentality. Now, I found myself hoping it was true. That maybe under those stars, Carla would see what was right in front of her. What could be hers if she chose to stay.
“You know what the best part of having a mate is?” Ruugar’s voice turned serious. “It’s not the physical connection, though that’s incredible. It’s not even the marks, though they’re a tangible reminder of what you share.” He paused, looking toward his ranch where Beth still slept. “It’s that you’re never alone again. Even when you’re apart, you’re with each other.”
“I lost that once.” The words dropped between us.
