Page 4 of Sleigh Rides With St. Nick

"Oh, all the time.Jinx bought the hotel a few months ago."

"They bought a hotel?"Laila echoed.

"Yes.I don't have much to do with the events department, but I think they have a lot of them going on.This is just a mixer, but there are Lock and Key parties run by Qestesh, she's over there."She nodded towards a dark-haired woman who exuded sensuality even from this distance."And then Venus runs a speed dating event.She's over there glaring at Aphrodite."She gestured towards a dark-blonde woman.

"How many gods do you know?"I asked, surprised that I was only just learning this.

She shrugged."I only know the ones I've seen around the Jinx building, or who are signed up for matchmaking, and I don't reallyknowthem.It's more a case of knowing what they look like and their connection to the others."

"Well, I'm going to head to the bar and find myself a god to learn more about," Laila announced, not even giving us a moment before disappearing.

"Is she actually going to manage?"I asked.

"Probably.This party is for the top-tier clients of Jinx, there are a lot of gods in attendance," she said.

"Right, so be careful what I say to who."

She snorted."Just steer clear of Zeus and you'll be all right.A lot of the rumours about him are true.And if Cupid is to be believed, he gets drinks thrown over him regularly at these events."

"All right, I'll steer clear of Zeus.Anything else I should know?"

She shook her head."Not really."

I found that hard to believe when we were in a room with some of the people who had historically held so much power over the world, but I kept that to myself.So long as I was polite to everyone, it would be fine.

Eloise’s whole face lit up as she spotted someone across the room.I followed her gaze and spotted a slight man with curly blond hair.He looked somewhat familiar, and it took me a moment to realise that was because of all of the depictions of Cupid I'd seen over the years.

"I guess this is your cue," I joked.

"I'll be back," she promised.

I laughed."Don't worry about me, I can fend for myself."

"I promise I didn't bring you here just to ditch you."

"I'll be fine," I promised her, giving her a small push on the back so she went over to the man she wanted to see.She finally went, and I watched her for a moment before realising it made me feel like a bit of a weirdo.

I turned around, scanning the bar to find Laila.I shook my head as I spotted her flirting with a man I didn't recognise.I supposed it didn't matter whether he was a god or not, she was getting what she planned out of tonight.

I let out a loud sigh.

"Abandoned by your friends?"someone asked.

I jumped and turned around, finding a handsome man with silver-grey hair and a short beard.It should make him look old, but it suited him and only added to his attractiveness."So it seems."

"Me too."

I raised an eyebrow."Is that some kind of pick-up line?"

"Absolutely not," he responded."I came with my friend over there."He nodded to where a handsome black man was flirting with someone who looked just like I'd expect a Norse god to look.

"I see."

"I'm Nick," he said, holding out his hand.

"Ivy," I responded, reaching out to take it.

His hand was warm, firm, and inviting in a way a handshake really shouldn't be.Was it weird that we were even shaking hands when we were at a mixer run by a dating agency?That wasn't a question I had an answer to, and I wasn't about to ask Nick about it.

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