Page 1 of Waiting For Psamathe

Chapter 1

PSAMATHE

The early morning sun shone off the crystal blue surface of the sea, and the sound of waves whispering across the sand was music to my ears. There was something so peaceful about this time of day on the beach. The tourists were yet to arrive and it was impossible to tell what century it was.

At moments like this, the world felt truly timeless.

I leaned my forearms against the railing of the terrace ofThe Phoke. A light breeze ruffled through my hair, bringing with it the salty scent of the sea.

Many of the other gods preferred city life, but that wasn't for me. The beach was where I belonged, the perfect combination of the land and sea.

Without meaning to, my gaze slipped to the other side of the cove where the first checks of the day were happening at the seal sanctuary. A figure emerged from one of the huts, and even from this distance, I could see that it was Zale going about his rounds, checking on the various seals under his care. I shouldn't be able to tell who he was from this distance, but over the years, I'd come to know the various workers at the sanctuary.

He turned in my direction and raised a hand in greeting.

I waved back, just like I did every time we were out here at the same time in the morning. Neither of us said anything about it, but it was also something we always did, and it always brightened my day, even if there was no real reason for that.

Footsteps against the wooden boards drew my attention, taking me somewhat by surprise. Only a few members of staff were around right now, and they were all inside setting up the resort for the morning rush.

"Hello, Psamathe, I was told I'd find you out here."

"Aphrodite," I said without turning around. "I didn't see your name in our booking system." Which raised a lot of questions about what she was doing here.

"I came via the god realm," she responded. "Though the views are beautiful, perhaps I should book a suite."

"I'm sure all of our rooms would be booked the day after with people trying to catch your attention." It wouldn't be the worst thing.

"Then I'd have to disappoint them, I have a boyfriend."

I finally looked at the beautiful blonde goddess, somewhat surprised. As far as I knew, it had been years since she'd seriously dated anyone. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask for a favour," she said, coming to stand beside me and flipping her perfectly curled blonde hair over her shoulder. Even on the beach in the early morning, every inch of her was perfect. And infuriating as a result.

"I wasn't aware I owed you one."

"You don't," she responded. "But I'm hoping the offer is enticing enough as it is."

I had to admit to being intrigued. The only thing she could possibly want from me was the resort, and I supposed it really wouldn't be that bad to have her name on a testimonial. "All right, what's the favour?"

"We'd like to hold a Jinx Dating Agency event at your resort."

I raised an eyebrow. "A Jinx event?"

"Yes, it's the dating agency set up by Aine, she's a Celtic love goddess."

"I know who she is, and what Jinx is." I lived in a Greek beach resort, not under a rock. I knew all about the dating agency set up by love gods from around the world. "Why here?"

"Because it's a beautiful venue," Aphrodite said. "AndLa Sirenecould easily make a stop here."

"The cruise ship?"

She nodded. "It would only be for one night. And we'll pay handsomely. You can vet the guest list if you want to. We wouldn't let anyone through the door that you don't want to be in your hotel."

"Hmm." I looked out across the cove and considered the benefits. I knew there were a lot of advantages to saying yes to her. The resort was doing fine, but it could always do better, and having several major gods come for an event would appeal to the clientele I wanted.

On the other hand, it was Aphrodite, she wasn't exactly known for her generosity.

"If I say yes, half of the ticket price has to be donated to charity," I said.

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