Page 20 of You Can't Fight Lightning
“For what?”
“For research. To learn how to relate to other people, women specifically. I mean, that’s what you were asking when you said you needed to learn how to make a human fall in love with you, right? Or did I miss something?”
“The library.” Roxy said she loved the library. Maybe she still spent a lot of time there? That would allow me to spend time with her if I was able to run into her. Which was a good thing. “What should I read?”
“Romance.” That came from the vampire. “Romance will give you an idea of what women like.”
“Aren’t those stories for women?” I couldn’t tell if they were having fun at my expense still.
“Yes. They are love stories for women, often written by women. So…” Delilah looked at me expectantly.
I looked at her, waiting. Was she going to finish her sentence?
“How in the name of all the gods were you in charge?” Tuesday stepped forward. “Are you sure you’re really Zeus, and not just pretending?”
“I’m Zeus. But if I see you around, please call me Z.” I kept my temper in check. “What is your point?”
Delilah looked at Tuesday, and they both shook their heads. Then she looked back to me. “The point is, stories by women for women might give you an idea of how to, I don’t know, talk to a woman.”
“Instead of attacking her as a bird.” That was from Tuesday.
“How would you know? I see no evidence of a relationship here.” I looked around pointedly. I couldn’t help myself, even as I knew my words weren’t going to endear me to these women. I also ignored the reference to my time as a swan.
“Delilah is doing just fine in that department. In fact, she’s doing more than fine. She has multiple love interests.” Tuesday’s sarcasm turned itself to her friend. “All in the name of being unable to choose.”
This had the sound of an old argument. I knew that sound well.
Thank all the gods, even Cronos, the old goat. Tuesday’s focus was off me. “Sometimes it’s hard to choose.” Why couldn’t I keep my stupid mouth shut?
“Shut up.” Delilah waved her hand in a shooing motion at Tuesday, clearly not bothered. “Go and read, great Zeus. May you find wisdom and the path of righteousness.” Now she waved her hand at me as though she were offering a blessing.
“Thank you.” I walked toward the door. “I’ll take it under advisement.” I had to get out of here.
The laughter swelled behind me as I made it out the door as fast as I could without running. This was not a good look for a god, even one in my situation, even though I was trying to just be human like everyone else in this place. Fleeing didn’t look good on anyone.
They were women, and they’d mostly laughed at me. It was not a pleasant experience.
I hoped the library had a lot of romance books.
Chapter Seven
Roxy
Iwas grumpy when I came into work, just after the lunch rush. I’d gone to work out, hoping to ease some of my frustration.
But no go. No joy. No, now I had sore arms in addition to not enough sleep. Yay. I’d made enough for rent already this month, but I was trying to save to get a new car. I loved my Indian, and my current bucket of a car worked fine for a vehicle with no A/C, but there were days I wanted a climate controlled environment around me. Even here, in the southernmost point of Arizona.
“Hey, girl.” Pete was behind the bar today. “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”
“A snit of massive proportions.”
He boomed with laughter, making the patrons all look at him, and then me as I ducked under the bar gate.
“You’ll be fine, sweet pea. You’re all set up. No games tonight, just a nice peaceful Wednesday afternoon.”
“Good.” I stowed my things and tied on my apron.
Surprisingly, Pete was right. The bar was busy, but not overwhelming. We often had busy nights on nights that other bars didn’t. Which was good for me. I found some of my irritation had eased.
