Page 76 of My Kind of Monster

Chapter 21

SUKI

My computer.

I sit here, on the opposite side of the sofa, curled up under the blanket he wrapped me in the first night he brought me here, pondering his implication.

I have to admit that being able to do my job in this setting could be highly inspirational. I have never lived in a place as beautiful as this. The landscape, the forest, the wildlife… the views. And this beautiful damn house.

This house…

“Who designed this place?” I ask him.

“The house was already here, just in a different form. I hired an architect and contractor, but it was done to my specifications.”

Knowing what I know about him, I can imagine he is an architect’s worst nightmare.

“So… the theme of it, the material and fabric choices… the bathroom, was that you or the architect?”

“I’m no architect or designer, I can’t take full credit. However the initial ideas were all me. I knew exactly what I wanted; it needed to be simple most of all, casual, cozy without being too rustic, but rustic enough that it fits in this environment. Plus… it needed to focus on the views.”

The views.Damn these addictive views. He focused on them alright, the bathroom is something out of a dream. Being able to take a bath or a shower and face these valleys created by the looming mountains is absolutely incredible. Then his bedroom… it is simply perfect.

“Well… you certainly achieved it.” I agree.

“How long have you been doing this? Interior design,” he asks me.

This sudden interest in me, in what I do, it feels like he pulled the rug out from under my feet and I am caught off guard, on the floor, wondering what the fuck is happening.

Why the questions? Why the interest?

Yes, I know we already shared… intimate details about ourselves, secrets that no other souls know… but this is different, this is a different kind of interest.

“It has been just over six years now. I started working online when I was in the last year of University, since we were supposed to do a work experience year anyway.”

“Where did you go to University?” he asks and his curiosity intrigues me now.

“San Francisco.”

His eyes go wide for a fraction of a second, his body twitches ever so slightly, and I think it is time for me to ask some questions now.

“What is it?”

“Nothing... when did you go to University?” His stance changes and I feel like he is hiding something.

“Ten years ago actually. I finished it five years ago and moved back to South Dakota about three years back.”

“Fuck...”

“What the hell, I cannot do this Niklas, I am sick of doing this. You need to talk to me!”

“I’m from San Francisco, Suki. I was born there, I lived there... until about two and a half years ago.”

I sit there, on his sofa, in his cabin, drinking his tea, thinking about this strange connection. It is barely even a connection, really. Let’s face it, San Francisco is huge, there is no chance we ever ran into each other, ever saw each other... ever been in the same vicinity. Yet... it is a connection, a thin one, but it exists.

“Why San Francisco?” he asks me.

“I don’t know. I got accepted to a few Universities. San Francisco was a nice change of scenery, busy without being too crazy, studies were a bit more liberal... it felt right.”

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