“Don’t tell me. It was one of Titus’s previous lovers.” Apollo laughed because Regis looked worried. “I could see so much passion in those brush strokes – it’s just something I do – so I’m not surprised. Whoever it was, they were extremely talented. Was this same person responsible for the art I saw on the trucks? They all seem very bright and cover various themes, which is intriguing.”
“Titus picks the different themes with each new truck before it even arrives,” Regis said, clearly happier now that they were off the topic of the painting. “The drivers have their favorites, and for the most part, Titus encourages drivers to use the same truck each trip. That artwork is done by a professional signage company. It’s a great way of personalizing them. There are a limited number of types of trucks that carry goods over the long-haul routes. If you’re parked at a truck stop, the art makes it easier to pick out fellow drivers in a field of similar vehicles.”
“I can’t drive,” Apollo admitted. “To be fair, I’ve never tried. There are times when my mind tends to wander off and I find myself thinking about things that have nothing to do with what I’m doing or my current situation. From what I understand that could make driving on public roads quite hazardous.”
“Ooh, definitely.” Regis winced. “Knowing Titus the way I do, he’ll probably try and teach you. It might be an idea to let him know that you do that sort of thing sometimes.”
“I will, it’s only fair. But that’s why I’m telling you, too.” Apollo leaned forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees. “Titus seems determined that we’ll all have a lot to do with each other going forward. I’d hate for you to feel ignored or think I was being rude simply because, mid-conversation, I’m suddenly looking out of a window, or studying a piece of art. It happens quite a bit, never intentionally, but I realize not everyone understands that it’s just part of my nature. It’s one of the reasons I’m lousy at business matters.”
“I appreciate the heads up, and as for business, you’ll find this place pretty much runs itself.” Regis was more relaxed, and that was Apollo’s intention. Being perceived as perfect, or just as a god, was often a huge barrier to getting to know a person.
“It’ll be really good to see Titus getting out and about with you, rather than worrying about his business quite so much. He’s built up totally efficient systems, and the staff and drivers all know what we’re doing. But then, he’s always been a very hands-on manager, from the very start of this business.”
“Which again is not a bad thing,” Apollo agreed. “It’s just not something that I would do. But then I’ve always heard that theFates send us people who are perfect for us, not the same as us. Perhaps that’s why they gave me Titus.”
“Is everything all right in here?” Titus came striding in, wearing a T-shirt that appeared to be glued to his top half and a looser pair of jeans that still accentuated an ass definitely worth a second look. He’d swapped out his shoes for boots and looked very competent, right down to the belt he was wearing with a large wolf head as a buckle. His bag was slung over his shoulder, and his grin was filled with anticipation and excitement.
“Regis has been very kind, keeping me company.” Apollo jumped up, and then, checking no one could see in the windows, blinked up an outfit very similar to Titus’s, except his belt buckle was in the shape of a lyre. “Will this do?”
“I see what you mean about not having to pack.” Titus’s eyes were heated as they looked him up and down. “Very nice. It’s time for me to introduce you to my truck,” he said. “This is going to be so much fun.”
“Just don’t ask your new mate to drive,” Regis called out as they left Titus’s office.
“Not at all?” Titus looked at Apollo in surprise.
“Definitely not,” Apollo said. “I might look the part, but if you value your truck, you’ll be the only one behind the wheel.”
Chapter Eight
“Will you get into any trouble if I don’t wear my seat belt? I believe they’re expected of passengers, but I find them really confining and uncomfortable.” Apollo flicked Titus a smile that would have him agreeing to anything. “I’m immortal, so it’s not like I would die in a crash or anything, but I don’t want you getting into trouble for something I didn’t do.”
The fact that Apollo even thought to ask was something Titus didn’t expect. But then just by climbing into the cab of his truck, Titus had found the first major flaw in his road-trip plan. Yes, taking the time to talk to Apollo and get to know him, in Titus’s opinion, was the fastest way for them to build rapport so the claim could happen.
What he hadn’t counted on, or realized would be such a problem, was that his wolf was already panting for the claim, and Titus’s baser instincts were keen on getting to the fun stuff, too. Apollo’s scent was filling the confines of the cab –thoroughlywas the word that came to mind. Titus could barely think with his larger brain when his smaller one – the one tucked in his pants – was being demanding.
“There are federal laws about wearing seatbelts in commercial vehicles, but I don’t wear one myself,” he said, more gruffly than he’d like, but Titus was desperately trying to focus.I’ve got this. I can do this.“Like you, my wolf hates being restrained. If we got pulled over, we might get a fine, but it’s not usually a lot, and for me, getting a fine is easier than driving long hours with a disgruntled wolf.”
“Ooh, I can understand that.” Apollo curled one of his legs under the other one, apparently making himself comfortable. “Well, actually, I can’t understand because I’m fairly sure I haven’t been a wolf before, but for any animal, I imagine it would beuncomfortable being strapped to a seat. Betsy, my driver, always complains if I don’t wear a seatbelt, even if I’m in the backseat. This is much nicer.” He looked around with a half-smile. “You can see a lot more from this height than in a regular car, too.”
“You seriously don’t drive yourself?” Titus forced himself to focus, starting the engine, checking his gauges, making a note of the time in his logbook, and ensuring he had the right destination in mind for the pickup. The goods were at a warehouse about five minutes away, and from there it would be easy to get out onto the highway.
“I have trouble staying focused at times. My mind can wander off onto other things when I’m supposed to be paying attention. I decided when cars were first invented that I would be a definite road hazard if I tried driving one myself.”
Titus had to take a second look at his mate. Apollo genuinely didn’t seem bothered by his confession, which a lot of men would be reluctant to confess. Driving, for an adult male, was a rite of passage in a lot of ways. Although Titus reminded himself, it was not as if Apollo went to school, or grew up with peers he might need to impress…or did he?
That was a question for another day. Putting the truck into gear, Titus checked to make sure he had full visibility with his mirrors and cameras, then got the truck moving. “I thought gods were all-seeing and all-knowing,” he said, hoping Apollo would understand he was teasing.
“Can you imagine what a headache that would be?” Apollo chuckled as he tapped his head. “As gods, we can see anything we focus on, and I hear a lot of my colleagues use the Paulie app to find out things they don’t know.”
“The Paulie app?” Titus steered the truck into traffic. “Ancient gods have an app now? Can you download it from the Google store?”
“I doubt it. That would be truly chaotic.” Apollo’s chuckle turned into laughter. “Can you imagine it? An all-knowing, all-seeing app that could greet you by name, and knew your life history and the histories of anyone else? Sometimes people need a bit of mystery in their lives.”
Titus guessed that by “people,” Apollo was referring to mortals like himself. “Having an app suggests that gods have kept up with modern technologies, which is not something I’d ever considered before.”
“Some of them do, some of them refuse to even walk on Earth anymore. There are numerous pantheons and thousands of gods.” Apollo smiled widely. “I’m just one of many. As for the Paulie app, it was created by my father, Zeus, Father of All, according to the Greek pantheon. He named the app after his mate, Paulie. Zeus runs his own computer network on Olympus – not on Earth.
“Gossip claims that’s how he first spotted Paulie in the first place, through one of his screens. My father was one of those gods not keen on walking on Earth – I don’t think he’d been down here for about a hundred years until Paulie came along. But yes, after he and Paulie claimed each other, they moved to Montana, Zeus created the Paulie app, and you can ask it anything.”
