Page 104 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Underworld

“You look like a perfect fairy, beautiful and terrifying,” I tell her as she runs up the stairs to hug me. “And if I wanted to scare you, you’d already be halfway back to your car.”

“Well you managed it, even if you didn’t mean to,” Jonas says with an enormous smile. He’s eye level with me by the time he reaches the second step.

At six five, he stands a head above the rest, normally. He seemsenormousnow that he’s up here with me.

“This place is creepy as fuck, Genevieve.” He takes off his ball cap and nervously runs his hand through his hair before stuffing it back on… he needs a haircut.

“Of course it’s creepy. It’s a haunted house!” I chuckle and glance inside, but Julia is silent, as planned.

“How haunted?” He gives me a little too familiar of a smile before he goes inside, but Jonas isn’t a problem.

Rose pulls a bottle of wine out of her bag and waggles it at me. “I know you said you’d provide the drinks, but I hate showing up anywhere empty-handed.”

“Thank you.”

“And I love this.” She nudges my jacket aside and wiggles her fingers at my top. “Let me guess, you made it?”

“I did.”

She groans. “Quit college and start a clothing line already. I’ll buy every piece.”

“That sounds like a headache and a half.”

She rolls her eyes at me in mock disappointment and yells out for Jonas, heading inside.

Parry and Margie follow her, both of them looking around warily and I hear one of them question which kinds of spiders are venomous.

“You coming?” I ask, smiling down at Dylan.

My best friend has his hands stuffed in his pockets as he glares up at the house’s chipped and peeling facade.

“Not going to lie, Gen. I thought the first time you had me out here it would be to your actual house and… not with the B team.”

“Can’t have a seance with just two people.”

He doesn’t smile at that, he just shakes his head and climbs up the stairs.

He hugs me and pulls me just a little too tightly to him.

I grit my teeth when one of his hands brushes against the skin at my waist.Not an accident.

Dylan is an attractive guy. I know half a dozen women who would jump at the chance to go out with him. But I am not oneof them. And in the last week or two, he seems to have forgotten that I’m not into guys… which means his attention would be better placed elsewhere.

“Okay,” I say, forcing excitement as I pull back and ignore the way his lips twist. “Let’s get inside and get this started!”

Let’s get this over with and get back to the way things were.

I lead the way inside, past Jonas, who’s stopped to gawk at the ceiling of the foyer.

“This was a farmhouse?” he asks.

“Not exactly.” Setting the wine with the other drinks and pointing to the chalk drawing on the floor. “Don’t step into the circle or you’ll have to wait around for me to draw another one.”

They chuckle and agree and rib each other. They all call me a witch as a joke, but none of them actuallyknow. Not even Dylan.

“Is Minnie coming after she’s done?” Parry asks. He used to date my twin sister, and I’m pretty sure he only hangs out with me for the opportunity to see her again.

Parry looks like the textbook definition of a farm boy come to life. He’s a little too sweet and a little too cautious.Timid times two does not a good couple make.

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