"Zeus called you a drama queen," Dionysus mumbled through a mouthful of falafel.

Aphrodite grimaced, idly stabbing at her own plate, with no real interest. What was a falafel anyway? They didn't serve it in ancient Greece. How could this place call itself a Greek restaurant? Where was the fish, the freshly baked bread? Hades, she'd even settle for a bowl of olives over whatever this fried brown ball was.

"Are you sure he was talking about me and not you?" She pushed her plate away and reached for the bottle of wine at the center of the table, it was the third one the waiter had uncorked and placed between the pair. Concern in his eyes as he watched Dionysus grab the bottle and take a drink. No glass and no dignity.

"Me?" He asked, perplexed, "I've been called a lot of things, but a drama queen is not one of them." He giggled and took another swig, the red wine dribbling down the sides of his mouth. "Anyway, I'm not the one that has started serving up demigods to a human girl as if she had anything to offer them."

"Oh, it's just for fun, and most of them owe me favors." Aphrodite shrugged the remark off.

"Maybe it's fun to you, but I heard Apollo might actually have a crush, can you believe that?"

Aphrodite's eyes went wide and she leaned forward, "Who told you that?"

"May have been Artemis, may have been Sciron." He snorted.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. Those were two vastly different demigods, Artemis was a brat and Sciron was a liar, so either way whatever news they brought to the drunk Dionysus' ears probably held little weight. "Oh please, next you'll tell me that you've never kissed a woman."

Dionysus nearly spit his wine across the table but managed to swallow it down before erupting into laughter. "I see your point," he cackled, "But forget all that! Tell me, when will you admit defeat and come home? You know how boring it is without your parties."

"The cheap wine must have gotten to your head, you know I won't settle for a loss."

When Ember walked into the shop at 10:30 Aphrodite couldn't help but notice the smile on her face. How extraordinary that Himeros had been right, she made a mental note not to remind him that it was his idea to contact Apollo.

"Happy today are we?" Aphrodite asked from behind the counter where she'd been doodling silver hearts on a blood-red sheet of paper.

"It's a beautiful day." Ember smiled, pulling her apron over her head. "Any customers yet?"

"None of any consequence," Aphrodite smirked. "What did you think of my colleague? He's good at what he does isn't he?" Oh, yes he was. Apollo was a sight to behold with almost as much confidence as she had, and he'd been smart about it too, he hadn't even hit on Ember, well played indeed.

"I couldn't really say, we didn't get to talk much. He does seem rather impressive though. Professionally, of course! And strong to lift those casks you purchased so easily," Ember beamed, and Aphrodite did not miss the fact that her cheeks turned crimson.

Like a moth to a flame, Aphrodite thought, congratulating herself on the small victory.

Ember set to work and Aphrodite left her to it, taking up her normal position on her chaise with a bottle of wine. She pulled a white cell phone out of her pocket and tapped it, waiting for the screen to blink to life. After the twins had taken her letter to Apollo they'd brought her this back, insisting she use it to communicate with the humans, but it had come with one phone number already programmed into the address book and she selected his name and began to type.

Aphrodite: Hello?

Apollo: Well, well, if it isn't the matchmaker herself.

Aphrodite: I should be given awards for the work I do.

Apollo: Yeah, you and me both. How are you liking the gift?

Aphrodite: Is this communication device your doing?

Apollo: Who else.

Aphrodite: Yes well, I'm sure you owe me a favor or two. Anyway, here is the girl's phone number 555-526-8415, continue your work and I'll make sure you'll get something nice.

Aphrodite didn't wait for a response before slipping the phone back into her pocket. The game board was set, all pieces in place, now all she had to do was watch and let the win come to her.

"Oh no," Ember frowned, "We're all out of pinot."

Aphrodite eyed the bottle next to her, whoops, she wasn't quite sure how wine shops stayed in business, it was like a child running a candy store, how could she not indulge herself? "No problem, go and find Eric or Harry, they'll assist you."

"You mean Henry?"

"That's what I said, love, they should be in the stock room."

The moment the stockroom door shut behind Ember the front door swung forward and Aphrodite pouted, she didn't want to deal with customers.

"Um, hello there." a male voice called edged in uncertainty.

Aphrodite jumped to her feet, and marched forward, "What do you want?"

Tyler leaned back, shock spreading across his face. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

"Have we met?!" Aphrodite sneered. How dare he act like he hadn't set eyes on her perfection, there was no way the jock only had eyes for his new little girlfriend with fried hair and a terrible fashion sense. She composed herself, straightening her back and donning a fake smile. "Indeed we have, but the better question is what are you doing in my shop?"

"Oh... Sorry, I'm bad with faces, my mom said I need glasses, but I don't think that's it, plus I can't really play football and wear glasses, cuz you know..."

Aphrodite wanted to scream. How could Ember have dealt with this babbling buffoon for two years? Even though he was a touch handsome, it was still no wonder she was so smitten with Apollo, meeting him must have been like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert.

"Again, Tyler, what is it that you are doing here?"

"You know my name? Wow, guess we did meet. Cool. Um so, I heard Ember was working here now and I wanted to talk to her, is she in?"

"No," Aphrodite said flatly. "If that will be all, then you can go."

"Well, would you give her this?" Tyler held out a white envelope to Aphrodite with Ember's name written in pink block letters on the front.

"Certainly." She snatched the letter and shoved it into her pocket. But Tyler didn't move, instead, he began looking around the shop in wonder.

"Wow, this color scheme is badass, it's like one of those love hotels you take a chick to." He laughed, "Oh man, is that white wine? I heard it's good for your muscles."

Aphrodite froze, listening closely, she could hear Ember making her way back to the front of the store. "Yes, would you like it, it's yours," she snatched a bottle off the display and shoved it into Tyler's arms, "We're closed now, sorry, time to go, ta-ta!" She pushed him forward and out the door.

Ember stepped back into the room, a smile still on her lips. Good, Aphrodite thought, she was none the wiser.

A chime issued from Ember's apron and Aphrodite grinned. Finally, Apollo. He certainly took his time. "Don't ignore your phone on my account."

Ember nodded bashfully and pulled her phone out, her eyes scanning the screen for a moment before her smile dissolved and she shoved the phone back into her apron pocket.

"Did you give Jude my phone number?"

Aphrodite didn't waste a second, "Yes of course! He was so impressed by you and-"

"No!" Ember shouted and Aphrodite recoiled at the insolence. "I don't want to date anyone, I already said that, why are you so concerned with my love life?"

"Ember, I was only trying to help," Aphrodite was surprised by how calmly she responded, normally a female shouting at her would result in very, very terrible things... mainly death.

A blaring alarm sounded and Aphrodite jumped, turning to look around the room, "What is that?"

"It must be your stupid alarm." Ember snapped.

"My alarm?"

"Your cell phone alarm! In your pocket, look!" Ember grabbed at the edge of the phone protruding from Aphrodite's pocket and pulled it out, along with it the letter fell loose and tumbled to the ground. Ember ended the alarm and stared at the letter. "What is that?"

"No idea," Aphrodite responded a little too quickly.

"It has my name on it," Ember grabbed it and tore it open, unfolding a handwritten letter, and then set her eyes back on Aphrodite. "Tyler was here?!"

"He just left, and I hadn't the time to tell you yet," Aphrodite feigned innocence, knowing she never had any intentions of telling Ember her ex had come looking for her.

"I came here for a job, not for you to mess around with my love life like it's some lame-ass dating game on TV." She wrestled the apron over here her head and threw it in a heap on the floor, "Thank you for the opportunity, goodbye!"

Aphrodite watched as Ember exited the shop. Her temper finally catching up with her as the door slammed shut behind the girl. She missed the time when those on earth just worshiped her and prayed for things like sex and riches. Humans were too complicated now.