His Human Surrogate (Monsters Love Curvy Girls #2) - Michele Mills Page 0,4

from a distance on my daily walks and I’m super curious about it. I’ve always wondered what it’s like inside. Looks like today is the day I get to find out.”

Bestla steps up, unlocks and opens the creaky front door.

Dust floats out and I cough. I’m immediately hit with the sensation of unsealed tombs and ancient artifacts. Which of course tugs on my curiosity. “Are you sure it’s okay that we’re all just arriving unannounced?” I ask as I step inside behind Riley, with Kari perched on my hip. We all gather inside the soaring foyer. Two babies, two humans and one Hyrrokin grandmother.

“Oh yeah, it’s fine,” Riley answers, her voice echoing through the vast space. “The Touchstones always walk into each other’s houses unannounced. You’ll see. Bergelmir won’t mind a bit that we came over for a look.”

Bestla snorts in agreement. “Today and tomorrow are my days off, so we had to come today. My son won’t mind that we took a tour while he’s at work.”

“Do you think he’s happy he bought this place?” I ask tentatively, looking around at the layers of dusty insect webs, the warped floors and the cracked windows. I love old homes, and I know Berg does too. It’s always been my dream to one day purchase an ancient house with lots of history and bring it back to its former glory. New Earth is sorely lacking in its own history, so I tend to seek it elsewhere. But this place is an obvious currency pit and Berg is a busy guy. “Maybe he’s taken on too much work?” I ask.

“Oh, he’s happy with this purchase,” Bestla assures me. “Bergelmir really likes this place. It’s the original work of a famous Hyrrokin architect who went on to build a multitude of other fabulous houses, hotels and public buildings. This home is on the Hyrrokin historical register of dwellings. If Berg remodels it, he’ll have to find out what’s allowed according to historical specifications.”

“Okay…” I murmur. “It’s nice that it’s so close,” I comment, trying to think of something good to say and refrain from mentioning how ugly it really is. “It’s just one or two streets over from both your houses and from Methone’s house.” In fact, the short walk over here was nice. Riley started our adventure, walking the babies over to Bestla’s in the double stroller and then we joined her, and then we all walked together to check out Berg’s house.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Bestla answers, a huge smile on her red face. I met Berg’s mother for the first time yesterday, and I was having the hardest time getting past her deadly fangs and the black horns on her shiny bald head, but now, in the short time I’ve known her, I think Bestla is a handsome woman. Her inner beauty shines through. “Now we can all live within walking distance of each other,” she gushes. She looks delighted at the idea of having her family so near. “If only we were all next door, or across the street from each other. That would be even better.”

Riley leans in and whispers in my ear. “Eh, a little too close for comfort for me.”

I bite my lip, forcing back laughter. But I have to agree with Riley. If I were part of the family, I’d prefer a street between each of us too. Close, but not too close.

“I’ve been trying to get Bergelmir out of that cabin for years now,” Bestla remarks as she wanders around the enormous front room. “I hate how it’s so far away and isolated. I’m so glad he’s moved here.”

I glance around as she talks. Dark, rough-hewn wooden beams cover every surface. There’s a crumbling fireplace tall enough for Bergelmir to stand inside of. Hmm. I’m already imagining what I could do to this space.

“I told my son all of us need to live in this community together. Methone got a house here last year. I moved in last month with their grandmother. And now, both my sons and grandchildren are here too. This is wonderful.”

“Hardly anything was coming up for sale,” Riley explains to me, “This was all there was, and no one was buying it because of the headache involved in the remodel. But I can see why Bergelmir bought it. I mean, look at that view.” My best friend sweeps her hand out at the front picture window toward the spectacular expanse of lake. “It’s literally the best spot in the entire community.