Chapter XIII
Roman
“Daddy, you’re home!” Junie squealed, sprinting across the cabin and launching herself into my arms.
I scooped her up and held her close, letting her warmth chip away the edges of a draining day.
It had been rough start to finish, from my run-in with Demi—who somehow managed to make me question everything I thought I knew about her—to the press grilling me about my fangirl moment, to Cassie’s interview, where she mocked me with every answer and probably hexed me with her eyes, to dealing with Blaine, the first male cast member to be interviewed.
He was a glorified frat boy with a trust fund and a jawline he thought made him invincible.
My divine intuition said Blaine was more insecure than he let on. Not a total tool. But definitely not the one for Demi. And that? That was new. My Cupid had never made a judgment call before the season officially began.
This wasn’t good news.
It meant Demi’s quest was about to go full Greek and my job was about to get harder. And Zeus was probably laughing about it somewhere in the clouds.
But for now, I didn’t want to think about Demi. Or her hex-happy friend. Or the gods playing chess with my life.
I just wanted to be Daddy, my favorite and most important role.
I kissed Junie’s head.
“How was your day, June bug?”
“It was the best day ever!”
I carried her into the kitchen, which smelled like fresh bread and garlic. I’d hardly eaten all day, and I was starving. My mom truly was an angel.
“Tell me all about it.”
“Well . . . I kind of got in trouble,” Junie admitted.
I glanced at my mom, who was just pulling lasagna out of the oven in our cozy, rustic kitchen with older appliances and decorated in homey warm wood tones.
“Junie had quite the adventure today,” she said. “She gave me a scare.”
I furrowed my brow at my daughter.
“Please tell me you didn’t run off again.”
Unfortunately, it was becoming a habit. Her little goddess had a mischievous streak, and Junie was easily swept up in it. I’d tried to teach her she didn’t have to follow every divine nudge. Not to say that Junie was never the instigator.
“Um . . .” She fluttered her eyelashes at me, knowing full well she had me wrapped around her little finger. “I had to go. I had to see Demi.”
I set Junie down, trying to process. While not an unexpected development, it certainly wasn’t welcome news. If word got out that Junie and Demi were spending time together, it wouldn’t bode well for my career.
Not that I was one to talk. I’d carried the woman home today. Held her. Felt her breath against my neck. And enjoyed it way too much. So much so that I could hardly get her off my mind.
“Junie,” I said, trying to sound firm, “I told you—Demi is a cast member. You need to stay away from her.”
Mom cleared her throat. “Well, that’s going to be difficult,” she said, “seeing as she’ll be here any minute.”
My head snapped up. “What? Why?”
“I invited her to dinner,” Mom replied, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Why would you do that?”
Mom shrugged and set the lasagna on the table in the kitchen nook that I just now noticed was set for four.
“I like her. A lot. Besides, I knew her mother, and she’s great with Junie.
You should have seen how cute she was reading to her.
And she took great care of her and made sure I immediately knew where Junie had gone to. ”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You realize I’m not supposed to have contact with her outside of the show. You’ve seen the headlines today. People already think I’m smitten with her.”
“Are you?” Mom grinned.
“No.” Maybe. Damn it.
“Well, then, there’s no harm. Demi’s cute friend Cassie is taking care of hexing the whole place.”
“Oh, hell.”
“Don’t you mean, Oh, Pluto, Daddy?” Junie deadpanned far too well for her age. It was enough to make my mom snicker.
“I heard a rumor that Hades and Pluto are tired of having their names invoked every time something goes wrong.”
“That’s strange,” Mom mused. “I met them at a few parties a long time ago, and I thought they enjoyed it.”
“Who knows, but I don’t need them against me right now.” It was bad enough that Zeus was interfering in my life. “And we’re getting off topic.”
“What topic is that?” Mom’s tone said she found this humorous.
It was anything but.
“Demi,” I growled. “She shouldn’t be coming here.”
“But Daddy, she has to,” Junie said earnestly. “My dreams have to come true.”
I knelt in front of her, more than worried now. Her dreams were notoriously accurate. They didn’t just predict—they took on a life of their own. Her mom and I had learned it was best not to get in the way of them.
“Honey, what dreams?” I could barely mask the trepidation in my voice.
Junie leaned in, eyes wide. “They’re secret,” she whispered. “I can’t tell anyone yet.”
Brilliant. This was just getting better and better.
To make it worse, there was a knock on the door.
“You better get that,” Mom sang.
I stood, clenched my fists, and stretched my neck from side to side. All I’d wanted was a few hours of peace with my family before I put Junie to bed and went back to work and all the chaos.
Junie grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
“Hurry, Daddy.”
I muttered a string of Latin swear words under my breath, praying my daughter hadn’t picked up on any of them.
Before I could steel myself, Junie flung the door open.
There she was.
The bane of my existence, looking too beautiful in her black jogging suit that highlighted her perfect figure.
Her red hair was pulled up in a sexy messy bun that begged to be let loose.
And I hated that I had thoughts of being the one to do the job.
Worse, she wasn’t wearing glasses again.
I was starting to miss them and the protection they’d unknowingly given me all these years.
Demi bit her lip. “Hi. I know I shouldn’t be here, and you don’t want me here, but I felt like I needed to come.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Demi’s candor caught me off guard. And if I was honest, it scared me that she had felt some pull to come. I needed to know what Junie was dreaming about and why she’d run off to find Demi in the first place today.
Junie took Demi’s hand and dragged her in.
I was quick to shut the door, hoping no one saw Demi. While I hated that Cassie was abusing her powers, I prayed whatever hexes she’d cast did their job concealing Demi.
“Don’t worry, my daddy likes you. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Demi laughed uncomfortably but not unkindly. “I don’t think your daddy would agree with you.”
I didn’t want to agree with my daughter, even though my Cupid side was wholeheartedly on board. Regardless, I needed to find out what had happened today while I was gone.
“Junie, will you please go help your grandma? I need to speak to Demi for a minute.”
“Okay.” She skipped off with no pushback.
As soon as she rounded the corner, I stepped closer to Demi.
Big mistake.
Her sandalwood scent hit me first—warm, familiar. Then her eyes—unconcealed, unguarded—stunned me into silence.
My divine side went haywire. It begged me to touch her. To try again. He wanted to know what was in her heart.
I shoved my hands deep into my jeans pockets, trying to cage the impulse. “I don’t know what happened today,” I said, voice low, “but thank you for keeping my daughter safe.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what happened either,” she replied. “But you’re welcome. She’s a special girl.”
“She is. But her goddess has a naughty streak.”
Demi laughed—really laughed.
And it caught me off guard. I hadn’t known she could laugh like that. It was melodic and superb. The kind of sound you want to bottle and play on repeat.
“My goddess and hers are kindred spirits,” she said.
And now I wanted to know just how naughty Demi’s divine self could be.
This was wrong.
So wrong.
I coughed. “Uh . . .” I lost my train of thought. “I just want to make sure you understand how important it is that no one knows about us. Not us,” I corrected inelegantly. “What I mean is—”
“I get what you mean,” she said, cutting me off. “And don’t worry, I don’t want anyone to know that I’m associated with you either.”
She smirked and walked off, cool and effortless.
I stared after her. My only thought—Was Junie right? Did I like Demi, and I just didn’t know it yet? Or did I just not want to admit it?