Questions swarmed around my mind, but I couldn't settle on which to ask.
The bell rang out, robbing me of the chance to ask any of them.
"I'll see you soon, Bastet," he said. "Enjoy the rest of your dates." The twinkle in his eye suggested that he didn't hope as much.
"You too," I whispered after him, but he was already getting settled at the next table.
"Good evening," a well-dressed woman said as she sat down opposite me.
The smell emanating from her, as well as the look in her eyes suggested that she was a big-cat shifter, though I doubted I'd find out during the short date we'd have together.
I tried to pay attention to what she was saying, but my gaze kept slipping back to Ptah at the table next to me.
At one point, I was certain our gazes met, but it was so fleeting that I might have been imagining it.
Eventually, the final bell sounded, and my last date got to her feet and said goodbye, disappearing to fill in her card.
I leaned back in my chair and let out a loud sigh.
"That bad?" Menhit asked as she leaned over from the next table.
"It was a lot of people," I admitted. "I don't think I'm cut out for it."
The wide smile on her face suggested that she didn't have the same problem. "It's a lot to take in the first time," she responded. "But I saw you had a little moment with your ex there. I thought you said you were over him?"
"I am," I murmured.
"You're not fooling anyone. At all. The way the two of you were looking at one another, you'd have thought there wasn't anyone else in the room."
A blush rose to my cheeks despite the fact I was an immortal goddess who shouldn't embarrass so easily. "It was nothing."
"Mmhmm. So why were you such a terrible date to the rest of them?"
I groaned. "You noticed that?"
"I did, but I don't think half of them did, they probably just thought that you were a good listener. You'll probably still get plenty of ticks."
I glanced down at the card in front of me.
"Are you going to mark anyone off?" Menhit asked.
I shook my head. "It's better if I don't. I really was a terrible date."
"Not even Ptah?"
"No. We had our time, and it's passed now. I don't think either of us wants to revisit it."
"Mmhmm." She didn't seem convinced.
If I was honest with myself, I wasn't completely sure either.
"But I'd love it if you came around for dinner sometime? We could catch up properly?" I suggested. I might not have found myself another date, but that didn't mean I'd come away empty-handed. Reconnecting with an old friend was just as good, if not better.
"I like the sound of that," she agreed. "But I'll warn you in advance that I'll try and convince you to come back here again."
"You can try." But even I had to admit that if she succeeded, it wouldn't be the worst thing.
Chapter 5
