Page 26 of Matchmaking With Cupid

"I've looked up all the major gods, and it's a seafood restaurant. I assumed Poseidon owns it."

"Mmm, he's the chef there too," I said.

"Wait, Poseidon is a chef?"

I nodded. "Classically trained too I believe, he's studied just about everywhere he possibly can."

"Huh, that wasn't what I expected."

I pulled out a chair for her and she sat down, touching my hand with hers before I let go and went to my own seat. "Not all of the gods do things related to their fields. You're just used to being around love gods and we love to meddle."

"I've noticed, especially as we're here now instead of just cancelling the date," she pointed out.

"I'm starting to think I should have made a different choice."

"It's too late now. They've already sat down to eat. I'm impressed, if I found myself on a blind date with one of my exes, I'd probably have thrown my drink over them and stormed out already."

"Hmm, well the rumours go that Hades is still in love with Persephone." From what I'd heard, she felt the same, but I had no proof of that. "And she's always been level-headed, other than the whole temper tantrum over going to the god realm to be with Hades for half the year. Though between you, me, and almost every god in existence, I'm pretty sure that was more about getting away from Demeter than anything else."

"So she's actually Persephone's mother?"

"Oh yes, and the entire world knows about it. Anyway, I don't think either of them are going to be horrible about it, but I don't expect them to be happy either."

"So let's hope that nothing goes too badly. At least you can blame me. I've only been at Jinx for a few months, it could just be a case of me messing up because I don't know the system."

I reached out and took her hand across the table. "I'm not going to do that. I meant what I said about making sure nothing happened to your job, I'm not going to go back on that now."

She met my gaze, a lot of emotions lingering there that I didn't expect.

The waiter came over and took our order, breaking through the tension.

"You know, now that we're getting dinner, I realise I am actually hungry," Eloise said.

"You came without eating?"

She cocked her head to the side and toyed with one of the ringlets framing her face. "I guess there was a part of me that was hoping you'd be here and that we could get something to eat afterwards," she said. "As a second date."

"I would have taken you up on the offer," I said. "So does this count?"

"Absolutely not," she responded. "This is a work dinner so we can babysit two immortal beings who have no idea that we're here."

I chuckled. "How could I forget?"

"Now, if you invited me back to your flat for dessert and coffee, that would be a date." She met my gaze, and I could see the hint of challenge there, as if she wanted me to do just that.

"I don't have anything suitable in the fridge," I admitted. "But there's a late-night bakery down the street that makes delicious cannoli, we can pick some out and go back for coffee."

"Good, then we're agreed." She picked up her water and took a sip.

"We are," I murmured, not in the slightest bit confused about what she was suggesting.

"Good, because before Hades called the other day we were having fun."

"We were."

"Good." She looked over to where Hades and Persephone were dining. Unsurprisingly, the two of them seemed to be having a civil conversation. "I'd never guess they were exes. How long ago did they break up?"

"Not that long," I responded. "Maybe two years or so. It's hard to keep track of time."

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