Page 29

GUNNAR

“ I want to visit Stella every week,” I said as we drove back to camp. Flynn’s shoulders flinched up and his face pinched in a funny expression.

“How about we start with once a month?” he asked. “I love seeing them, but I can only take so many visions and predictions.”

“I would like that. There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“You sound serious,” Flynn said and glanced at me from the driver’s seat.

“I would like to help any other monsters that cross the portal and need help adjusting to the human world. You helped me so much. But mostly you helped by not treating me any different than you did anyone on your crew. I appreciated that.” I hadn’t realized how much it meant to me until the other workers started treating me like I was one of them. The harder I worked the more they ignored the fact I was a troll.

“That would be nice. I can imagine it’s not easy for all monsters.”

“No, and it’s not only that not all humans are welcoming, it’s also that some monsters want change, but refuse to actually do it. They want to live here as they had in the monster realm and the world of man is not the world of monsters.”

“You’re a very wise troll, do you know that?” Flynn asked.

“Yes, I do,” I said and ate another cookie from the bag Stella had given me.

When I’d arrived here the weather was still cold from the last breaths of winter, now spring was fading into summer and a heat that felt like nothing I’d experienced. Work had finished early because it was just too hot to work.

“I’ve gotten permission for everyone to go to the lake this afternoon and cool off, how does that sound?” Frank the supervisor announced, as we all returned to camp.

“What does he mean?” I asked Flynn.

“We’re all going swimming,” Flynn said and pulled me to the cabin. “Do you have some shorts you could wear?”

“I don’t need shorts to go to the lake,” I said. We didn’t have many places to swim in Iceland other than the cold sea, but I didn’t mind it, and I never once wore shorts. Actually, I never wore clothes before crossing into the human world. The animal skins I draped over me were plenty.

“You do if you don’t want to scare all the guys. We can cut the legs off your jeans, that one pair is pretty much done,” Flynn said.

“Whatever you want, mate.” Jeans did not matter to me, what mattered to me was Flynn.

We walked into the cabin, and he took out the jeans he’d mentioned. Both knees were torn, and they had pitch from the trees stuck to them in a few places. He took out a pair of scissors and cut the legs off just above the knee before he handed them to me. “There, try those on.”

I took off the pants I had on and slipped on the ones he’d just cut. It was strange to feel the air on my legs, but I liked it. And by the look on Flynn’s face, he did too. “I like it,” I said.

“Me too.” He skimmed his hand over my shin and the electricity between us crackled to life.

“Not now, mate, later,” I said, and hated every word.

“You’re right.” He shook his head before changing his own pants and throwing a few items into his backpack. “Okay let’s go.”

They used a few of the work trucks to take us all to the lake, which it turned out was close to town. Dwayne drove the truck he used to deliver food and set up what Flynn said would be a barbecue. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious, and I was anxious to try it. “Ready to go for a swim?” Flynn asked.

Without answering, I stripped off my shirt and ran for the lake. When I got to the edge, I launched myself into the air and pulled my legs up to my chest to make a splash. The water was cool and refreshing and Flynn was right, it was perfect on this hot day. I surfaced and turned to swim back to shore. Flynn stood there soaked, frozen in place and staring at me with a look of shock. “Nice splash, babe,” he said when I swam closer to him.

“Thank you.” Flynn rolled his eyes, pulled off his wet shirt, and started walking toward me when Ben rushed past him laughing before he jumped in nearby before surfacing with a big yell.

“This is amazing,” he shouted. Just then a head popped up beside him.

“Hello,” one of the kappa with beautiful pink coloring and large eyes said to Ben.

“H-Hello,” he said.

Flynn stuck his foot in the water to test the temperature and I surprised him when I scooped him into my arms and carried him in. “Gunnar, it could be cold,” he protested.

“My love, it feels perfect. Don’t you agree?” I asked when he realized it was too late to protest. I held him in my arms as we spun slowly in a circle. He tipped his head back, letting it dip in the water and spread his arms out. My beautiful Flynn. Floating so free in the clear, cool waters of a beautiful lake in the mountains I now called home.

The sound of laughter caught my attention, and I was surprised to see Ben holding the kappa he’d just met and spinning her around in the water.

“Young love,” Flynn said with a grin.

“Ben’s not young,” I said, making him laugh.

“They’re cute together.”

“Not as cute as us,” I said. Because we had the most perfect relationship ever. Even if Flynn did get annoyed when I didn’t put my clothes away. I loved him, and he loved me. That was all I’d ever need in this life.