Chapter 14
LAILA
I was in the god realm. I didn't even know what to do with that information, especially when it was quickly being followed up by the fact that I was in the god realm because I was Poseidon's date.
I wasn't even entirely sure how the whole situation had come about, other than that we'd been having a lot of fun together over the past few weeks.
I was lucky that I could set my own hours, because the late-night dates after Poseidon had finished at the restaurant had completely shifted my rhythm.
The food, the company, and the sex, had all been well worth it.
I smoothed down my dress and looked in the mirror of the dressing room at The Underworld, grateful that I hadn't had to arrive in my evening gown.
It was funny that Poseidon had said I didn't have to wear blue when I'd had this dress in my wardrobe for years, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to wear it.
And now it was here. The fabric clung to my body in a way that should make me self-conscious, but instead made me think about how desirable it was going to make me feel when I was standing in front of Poseidon.
It was a huge confidence boost to know that a literal god wanted me.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," I called.
It opened, and Poseidon appeared in a smart tux, which seemed to be midnight blue when it caught the light, but was so dark that it appeared black otherwise.
"You look beautiful," he said.
"Thank you." I smoothed down my dress another time. "Do you think I look right for the event?" I might have been to an event with lots of gods in attendance before, but this time was different. It was going to be almost exclusively gods.
"Absolutely." He put an arm around my waist and pulled me to him.
I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, not wanting to risk more until later so that I didn't accidentally ruin my makeup.
"Do you want to see the room before everyone arrives?"
"Yes." Especially because then I might be able to take it all in before I end up overwhelmed by all of the people who were coming.
Though thankfully, that included my best friends and their boyfriends.
I was grateful that Poseidon had suggested I extend the invitation so that I wouldn't be on my own when he was overseeing the kitchen.
"Right this way." He gestured for us to leave the dressing room and locked it behind us. He handed me the key, and I slipped it into my bag.
It didn't take very long for us to get to the main room, and I let out a gasp. It was hard to believe that this was a nightclub when it looked nothing like one right now.
A huge curved tank dominated one of the walls, even bigger than the one in Poseidon's house, and it was necessary. Large silvery-blue fish swam lazily around the tanks.
I couldn't help but laugh. "You've brought in tuna for while we all eat a menu inspired by tuna?"
"Yes." He grinned. "I thought it would fit with the theme. We have to be grateful for the bounty the ocean brings us, and admiring the beauty of the living fish is part of that. My charity also supports ethical fishing practices and conservation, having the live fish here is partly promoting that."
"And eating them promotes...?" I prompted.
"How tasty they are." He grinned. "I joke. Kind of. But that's actually also about ethical fishing practices. All of the seafood served tonight, and in my restaurant, adheres to strict ethical practices to avoid overfishing and causing damage to other species."
"I never realised. Maybe I should get my boss to okay another interview with you, I'm sure there's lots more interesting things you could say."
"I'd always be happy to give you another interview."
"In bed, naked, right?" I joked.
"If that's where you want me to be." His eyes twinkled with mischief as he said the words. "Anyway, other than the fish, what do you think?" He waved his hand around the rest of the room.
It was clear that things were set up to resemble the ocean, including what looked like an enchanted model of a coral reef, complete with projections of fish everywhere.
"I wanted it to feel like we were eating in the ocean," he said as he watched me take it in. "Later, there'll be lights too, they should make it feel as if it's underwater."
"It's incredible," I said.
"I wanted merfolk performers too, but Aphrodite talked me down," he said. "Something about it feeling like it would undermine the point of the event."
I laughed. "I'm not sure whether it's safer to disagree with Poseidon or Aphrodite."
"You can find out now," he teased, turning me and gesturing towards where a gorgeous blonde woman was giving some of the workers last-minute instructions.
My eyes widened. I liked to think that I was a confident person. But there was confidence, and there was meeting a literal goddess of beauty.
Poseidon placed a comforting hand on my back and drew me over to her. Aphrodite turned to look at us and flashed us a winning smile.
"Good, you're here," she said, presumably to Poseidon.
"I'm on time," he said.
"Just."
"Aphie can be a bit of a perfectionist," he said to me.
The goddess laughed. "It's what I'm known for. Oh, you remember Damien, right?" She gestured to a man with sandy hair. "If you hear Aine talk about it, I stole him from Jinx."
"And what do you call it?" Damien asked.
"That I gave you an offer you couldn't refuse.
" She beamed at him in a way that made it clear their relationship was more than just a work one.
"I like my events to be the best, and Damien is one of the best in the organising business.
Besides, Aine can still hire him, she just has to pay me to do it. "
Poseidon chuckled. "You've never changed."
"I have," she responded. "Just not in some things. Also, I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. I'm Aphrodite. Aphie to my friends, so not to Poseidon."
"Rude," he muttered, though I assumed it was a joke when he'd already called her that.
She held out her hand to me.
"Laila," I responded as I took it and gave it a shake. "Which is what my friends and enemies call me."
Aphrodite laughed. "I like her."
"So do I," Poseidon responded, looking at me with a softened expression. "She's been an inspiration for the menu tonight."
My cheeks heated in response to his words.
In theory, I'd known what I was getting into when I'd decided to flirt with a god, but it was still surreal to hear him saying those kinds of things when I was just me.
The gravity of the situation I'd found myself in truly hit.
I was here as Poseidon's date, but that meant I was here as the organiser's date.
The whole evening was about him, which meant that people would be talking about him.
And so they'd be talking about me.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves.
If I wanted to keep dating him, then this was something I was going to have to get used to.
And I really did want to keep dating him.
He was everything I'd ever looked for in a partner, and more.
I hadn't expected to find someone who viewed food quite the same way I did.
"Your guests are about to arrive," Aphrodite said. "So I'd suggest getting yourself into position in order to greet them."
"Who made you the boss?" he murmured.
"You did when you hired me. Now do it. I'll make sure your date is cared for."
He mumbled something under his breath, but still remembered to lean in and kiss my cheek before doing what Aphrodite said.
"You know, that took less convincing than I thought," she mused as he left. "You must have been good for him."
"I don't think that's me," I responded. "Just Poseidon being himself."
"Hmmm, we'll see. Anyway, he'll be done in about twenty minutes, then he's yours until food service is about to start."
"Thank you." I smiled, feeling a little nervous about the fact that I was having a casual conversation with Aphrodite, even if I'd been casually spending time with gods for a while.
"Oh, just one thing." She reached out and removed a piece of lint from my dress. "There you go. Picture perfect. I need to make sure the photographer gets pictures of you with Poseidon."
I nodded, realising that this was the event that was changing us from just dating to an actual relationship, even if neither of us had actually talked about that.