“I’m Sven Alfson. I’m Magnus’ twin brother.” Sven actually looked a bit pained. “I’m sorry for Magnus’ outburst. He’s not usually like that, but he’s been a bit stressed.”
“He thinks I’m a sea witch,” Mercedes stated. “I can assure you, I’m not.”
Sven smiled politely. “I figured, and he knows that. You just… well I don’t have to go into details about anything. He’s calmed down and I’m really sorry if he distressed you.”
“We did have a rocky first date,” Mercedes admitted. “I wasn’t exactly kind to him either, especially when he started going off on me about curses, etcetera.”
Actually, thinking about what she’d said to him made her cringe a bit, but she had been so taken aback when he accused her of being a witch, talked about hexes and all those other things in a public place… She’d reciprocated, accusing him of smelling like a bear’s asshole, though she wasn’t exactly sure what a bear’s butt smelled like, but it seemed to insult him.
Their exchange grew fairly heated before they went their separate ways. Actually, she was glad nothing exploded. Usually, when she was pushed that far, things went kaboom.
“He told me, and then when he got stuck because our vehicle broke down in your town, he was quite incensed. People weren’t receptive to a ghoul there, well…it just made things worse.”
Mercedes winced. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tallowfield wasn’t Harmony Glen, and much like her family, not many people in that town were particularly welcoming to monsters. It’s why her ancestors settled there.
“If there’s any way I can make it up to you?” Sven asked.
She was about to say there was no need, but then Pearl stepped in. “Mercedes is moving to town in a couple of days and looking for a job. Your dead-and-breakfast is about to open, you could use a housekeeper.”
Mercedes was stunned. Work for the ghoul brothers? What would Magnus think about that? She wasn’t one to go angling for a job or beg for one, but she could really use a steady paycheck.
Especially when starting her life over.
Sven’s eyes widened and he smiled. “We could use someone to come in and clean, do laundry, that sort of thing. Would you be interested in that?”
“I would, but what would your brother think? I mean, we don’t exactly get along.”
Sven shrugged. “Magnus’ job is in the kitchen. Believe it or not, he’s kind of a cooking whiz. The management of the dead-and-breakfast falls to me for the most part, and I say you’re hired.”
Things were looking up.
“What do you say?” Pearl asked, clapping her hands, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
“Okay. When do I start?” Mercedes asked.
“In three days, at seven in the morning,” Sven stated. “And don’t worry about my brother. I’ll handle him.”
Pearl hugged Mercedes and then hugged Sven. “Sven, you’re the sweetest ghoul ever. Thank you for helping out my friend. Besides this party, it’s the best present ever.”
“No need to thank me, Pearl. Harmony Glen is a welcoming place; it’s why I’m glad I was cursed to roam here for all time.” Sven walked away.
Mercedes cringed slightly at the mention of the curse. She knew nothing about it, except that Magnus seemed to think she was responsible for it. As if she were the reincarnation of her horrible ancestor.
I could be. My family wanted me to be.
She shook that thought away. At least now things were looking up. She had a job offer and a place to stay. Even thoughthat job meant she’d be working in close proximity to Magnus, things couldn’t possibly get any worse.
Could they?
Chapter
Two
“You did what?” Magnus asked in disbelief as he helped Sven clear up the remnants of Pearl’s graduation party. One that he didn’t get to really enjoy because of who showed up.
It’s your own fault you didn’t enjoy the party, not hers.
