“Aphrodite should be here soon,” Geri announced.
Together, they carried the trays into the lounge, where the massive windows overlooked the shimmering lake, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Just as they were arranging everything, Artemis’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and sighed. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.” She slipped out onto the deck, closing the glass door behind her.
Moments later, Aphrodite materialized in a swirl of rosy light. She beamed at Geri. “Darling! Look at this spread!”
Geri laughed and stepped in for a quick hug. “Hey, Aphrodite. Come grab a plate.”
Aphrodite wasted no time piling goodies onto a dish, sighing happily after a taste. “This isdivine. What are we drinking?”
“I…hadn’t thought about that yet,” she admitted.
Aphrodite waved a manicured hand. “Well, my friend from the Upperworld says everyone’s obsessed with espresso martinis right now.”
“Ah, yes,” she said with a grin. “That would be a nice treat after. But why don’t we start with some wine to go with all this?”
“Perfect,” Aphrodite agreed, settling onto one of the plush couches.
As Geri poured crisp white wine into sparkling glasses, she added, “Artemis is just outside on a call. She’ll be back in a minute.”
They clinked glasses and were chatting about Olympus goings-on—who was feuding with whom, new temples under renovation, and Hellenagram trends.
By the time Artemis slipped back into the room, Geri was sipping an espresso martini, savoring the sweet bitterness on her tongue.
“Hey,” she greeted, giving Aphrodite a quick smile before sinking into a chair beside Geri.
“I tried EternaGlow with Hestia the other day,” Geri said.
Aphrodite threw her head back and laughed. “Isn’t it ridiculous? It’s delicious, though.”
Geri snickered, shaking her head at the memory. Then she glanced at Artemis, who was staring out the window and seemed miles away, lost in her thoughts. “Artemis? What do you want to drink?” she asked, studying her with concern.
Artemis forced a smile. “Right, girls’ night. Sorry, I’m a bit out of it. What are you drinking?”
“An espresso martini,” she replied, holding up her glass.
“Perfect, I’ll have one too.”
“Okay, an espresso martini it is.”
Aphrodite, who had been watching, waved her hand, and two drinks materialized on the table in front of them. Thegoddess of love raised her glass. “To girls’ night,” she said, her voice carrying a warmth that made it impossible not to smile.
Artemis lifted her glass, clinking it against Geri’s and Aphrodite’s.
They smiled warmly, leaning in as Aphrodite launched into a story about one of her Upperworld escapades, eyes sparkling with mischief. “So there we were, in Santorini, and he thought he was beingsodiscreet sneaking into my villa, only to crash straight into a marble statue of me. Knocked the head clean off!” She mimed the tumble dramatically, and Geri nearly snorted her drink, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
Artemis sat back against the cushions, one arm draped along the sofa as she murmured, “Typical,” under her breath.
Aphrodite’s voice dropped to a playful whisper. “And let’s just say…he more than made up for the accident afterward.” Geri blushed while Artemis shook her head slightly, a faint smile ghosting across her lips.
Artemis’s phone chimed, and Geri watched her typing on the bright pink bejeweled phone. She gave Artemis a careful look. “Everything okay?”
Artemis hesitated, then waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s nothing. Hephaestus asked about the pack, and I told him to text Cade.”
“Hephaestus?” Aphrodite, who’d been nibbling on a piece of cheese, froze mid-bite. She lowered her food and sniffed lightly, her eyes narrowing just a touch. “How is he?”
Geri watched the tension rise between the two goddesses. Hephaestus wasn’t just any god; he was Aphrodite’s ex-husband.
Artemis shifted in her seat, the lines of her shoulders stiff. “He’s…fine,” she said cautiously. “He’s helping out with an issue Cade’s pack is having.”
