"You were going to tell me about why you've been avoiding going anywhere other gods might be," she prompted.
It was clear I wasn't going to be able to dodge the question. She probably wasn't the only one to want the answer to it.
"People wind me up," I responded. "I avoid humans and paranormals just as much as I avoid other gods."
"Hence the cat sanctuary."
"Exactly."
"And I imagine it has nothing to do with avoiding your ex?"
"Ptah? Honestly, no. That was just an added benefit. I'm sure he's moved on." It was hard to believe she'd put me so at ease already, it was like no time had passed since we'd last talked to one another instead of several centuries.
"But have you?"
"I've got my cats."
"So that's a no," she observed.
The bartender returned with our drinks and placed them down on the bar in front of us. "I'll add them to your tab," he said.
"Thank you." I picked up my wine and swirled it around, something that seemed to have become a habit for me.
We headed back out into the room, but this time I paid more attention to who was around me. I doubted that Menhit and Ptah were the only people I'd crossed paths with in the past.
Sure enough, several of the other faces seemed to be familiar, though I couldn't put names to all of them. It seemed that anyone who was anyone had turned up to the event.
A bell rang, announcing that it was time for us all to take our seats. Nerves fluttered within as I considered what was to come. It would be too late to turn back once I was seated.
"Come on, you can sit on the table next to mine," Menhit promised. "That way, if you have any questions between dates, I can answer them."
I sighed with relief, glad I didn't have to go through this alone. I'd signed up to go speed dating, not blind dating. Though perhaps they were one and the same in this instance.
Excited chatter filled the air as everyone made their way to their seats. No one seemed to be as nervous as I was, perhaps this wasn't their first time at a speed dating event.
Menhit took a seat opposite a woman with dark brown hair, while I sat down at the empty one next to her.
Not that there would have been before. If Sekhmet heard I'd backed out at the last minute, then she'd be dragging me back the next time the event happened. No doubt she'd sit at the bar and watch me to make sure that I was flirting.
It was definitely better to do this without an audience.
Chapter 3
Ptah
Jinx events were always an experience, though I wasn't entirely sure that dating was my thing, especially when there wasn't a single person I'd met who could hold a candle to the woman I knew was my perfect match.
Having lost Bastet still stung more than I wanted to admit, but after thousands of years, I was starting to feel as if I had a handle on it.
"Ptah," Baal called, waving to me through the crowd.
I gestured for him to come over. Unlike some of the other storm gods, he tended to have a cheery outlook on the world. It made him pleasant to be around.
Most of the time.
"I didn't think I'd see you at an event like this," he said once he reached me.
"I wanted to get out of the house. I forgot that tonight was speed dating," I admitted, not seeing any harm in it. "I don't plan on participating."
