Page 29 of Shaped to Be Yours

The readings on my scanner were even more incredible, because here, in the monster realm, everything read the opposite as when I had been in the halls of the facility.

“Fascinating.” I took another sip from my coffee as I scanned the data. “It’s like a mirror universe where everything is in flux completely in opposition to the human realm. It’s all backwards. Or right side for you, of course. A natural portal forming between the two realms would require nearly impossibly precise conditions. No wonder the portal in the woods is unstable.”

“See.” Beck came up behind me with a wide smile. “We knew you would be the perfect intern.”

“No doubt,” Zinnia concurred.

I was either in a video game or a dream come true because this was everything I could have hoped for after college. The opportunity, the wonder of it all. I knew the monster realm wasn’t all beautiful, or at least not beauty that could be safely observed in every corner of the realm, but it was so amazing,I was sure Jason would feel less anxious about this place if he could just see one of the areas where it wasn’t some nightmare of eat or be eaten.

A large Venus flytrap like plant in the forest section behind one of the DO NOT ENTER signs suddenly reared upright, opened its mouth to reveal what very much looked like shark teeth, and devoured a smaller version of the same plant beside it.

I almost dropped my scanner.

“Do not worry,” Zinnia said. “They only eat each other.”

“Cool?”

They both laughed.

It was still worrying, but at least I had the best tour guides I could have asked for who knew all the places to not let some tourist wander off the path.

And to be honest, by the time the day was over, after a tour of their city kingdom and a return to the human realm, with everything prepped for tomorrow to begin direct experiments on the naturally occurring portal, I’d forgotten there was anything else to worry about.

Like Whitmore, who was at Jason’s house with all intention of joining us for dinner when I returned, and he definitely expected an update.

Chapter 7

JASON

The worst day had been followed by the worst surprise dinner guest.

At least Ricky was here, but because Whitmore was too, Ricky couldn’t tell me anything he’d learned from the scientist team. Going from Ronald McDickhole to Agent Asshole was not my idea of a successful first day of official adult life. Only it wasn’t really the first day of anything, but just another day in limbo.

“This chicken is amazing, Mrs. Bosco. And homemade Caesar dressing?”

“My own recipe,” Mom beamed. “Eat up! I always make plenty with the way this one was growing up.”

It was one of my favorite meals—perfectly seasoned, seared chicken, with sides of risotto and Caesar salad. I liked it almostas much cold for lunch the next day—not that we’d have any leftovers now.

“You really didn’t need to invite me to stay for dinner,” Whitmore said.

No,she didn’t.

“I appreciate it though, as it gives us more time to chat without me disrupting your plans.” Whitmore side-eyed me as he said that, reserving his real smile for Mom.

You’re disrupting plenty! I wanted to shout, but I’d promised Mom I would try to play nice. That didn’t mean I’d downright lie or act like I wanted him here. “I get that you need to check on me. Really, I get it. I’m an anomaly! But can you maybe not mack on my mom while you’re here?”

“Jason!” Mom chuckled and shook her head at me, more mildly annoyed than upset, since I had lessened the venom in my tone compared to what I wanted to use.

Meanwhile, Whitmore was a wall of stoicism. “I can assure you, Mr. Bosco, I have no such intentions. I am only trying to be polite and respectful to my host.”

“Sure ya are.”

He wore another casual Bond look with a navy sweater and long jacket, but since we were eating, this time, he’d removed said jacket and rolled up his sleeves to show off really nice forearms. I wasn’t generally into the ripped muscly type, but the Idris Elba look was everyone’s type, and it really irked me that he was so hot.

The intensity of Whitmore’s eyes on me made me squirm in my seat.

“I don’t believe we have much in common,” Whitmore continued, “which is why it is so difficult for us to see eye to eye. We do, however, haveonething in common. Your mother is a lovely woman but not my type.” He went back to his food.

---