Page 5 of Take Two (Valleywood: Season Three)
Chapter 5
Phobos
I dropped onto a bus bench, the weight of it all too much. I’d thought things would be different now. They had to be! Apate promised!
At first, when I’d woken up after visiting the dark goddess in her secret cave, it had felt like the entire thing had been some kind of dream, though whether it was good or bad, I couldn’t decide. I’d been groggy, the image of a sexy lumberjack flitting through my mind, nursing a doozy of a hangover. I hadn’t even known it was possible for gods to get hangovers!
I’d stared at myself in the mirror, the sallow skin, bags under my eyes. Something was different… But it wasn’t until I’d tried to fly down to the café on the corner for coffee and a donut that I realized I didn’t have access to my god powers. I couldn’t even get an inch off the ground.
It wasn’t a dream! And that meant… I was free.
The realization had filled me with such buoyant hope. I’d immediately booked as many auditions as I could—for commercials, as extras in TV shows, even one looking for a hand model for a watch ad—whatever it was, I was trying out for it. I’d felt so confident that I’d even forced myself to go to a family dinner at my parents’ house. Things had been a little strained, certainly awkward, but it had been me taking the first step toward my new life. I’d smiled, hugged my brother, cuddled his new baby like I was fine. I shoved all my personal shit deep down and smiled like I meant it.
Except… I wasn’t fine.
And I was even less fine now.
“She promised,” I whined, propping my elbows on my knees and bowing forward, struggling to regain some kind of composure. They were lucky I didn’t have my powers, or I would be tempted to raze the entire studio to the ground. The thought seemed to kindle a warmth in my chest, like the dying embers of a fire, but without anywhere for it to go, it resulted in a sting I assumed was acid reflux. I rubbed at the spot, sagging lower on the bench.
Another audition and yet another rejection. The casting directors didn’t seem any more impressed than they had any other time. I got the same bored smiles, the same distracted nods, before they thanked me for my time and sent me on my way. What was wrong with me? Why wasn’t I landing any roles?
I shoved to my feet and trudged down the street, intentionally heading in the opposite direction of The Wolf’s Den. I couldn’t stand for Declan to see me like this—still a failure.
I figured… well, I figured if I could get a role, then maybe I could head back into the bar with something to brag about. Something that might make me worth his time… He hadn’t been impressed by my superhero role or my status as god of fear, but there was a good chance he hadn’t believed me. But if I were an actor, that had to be enough, right?
The snow after the blizzard had long been cleared, and when the wind blew now, I swore I could feel the hope of spring on the current. I wished it was carrying with it a little hope for me, too.
Staring down at the sidewalk like I was, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. It wasn’t until I heard my name being called that my head jerked up, bringing me face to face with Deimos and Cameron.
“Hey, Phobos! It’s good to see you.” Damn Cameron, looking so sweet and earnest. He really was happy to see me. It reminded me of why I’d fallen for him in the first place.
I wrestled my lips into a smile. “Yeah, you too. What are you guys doing downtown?”
“It’s date night,” Deimos said, and it irked me how he said it so casually, as if he didn’t know how lucky he was to have a date to start with.
“Uh-huh. Well, I should… go,” I began, trying to inch past them. “I’ve got to be up early for filming in the morning. You know how it is, the life of an actor.” I had no excuse for the lie, except that I wanted to stick it to my twin.
I felt guilty the second Cameron’s eyes lit up in genuine happiness for me. “You’re acting now? That’s awesome! What is it?”
“Um, no big deal, just some movie. I can’t really say anything about it yet, until the PR team makes their announcements. You understand, I’m sure.”
Cameron’s lip stuck out in a pout. “Aw, yeah, it’s okay. Maybe you can tell us more about it tomorrow.”
My brain hitched, my stomach dipping like I’d missed a step. “Tomorrow?”
Deimos arched a brow. “Yeah, dinner. You promised Mom you’d be there.” He smirked, as though issuing a dare. “You’re not backing out, are you?” My twin brother and I had always been each other’s competition growing up, and it was still the same now.
“Oh, I’ll be there, and you can tell Mom to set an extra plate, because I’ll be bringing a date.” Fuck. Why did I say that? “A-a super-hot date, with muscles a-and a beard.”
Cam clutched his hands at his chest, making goo-goo eyes. “Aww, you’re seeing someone? That makes me so happy!”
“Totally. W-we’re super serious.” I tried to control the tell-tale blush that was creeping up my cheeks, but Deimos wasn’t buying it.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Can’t wait to meet him,” he said darkly with the full weight of his skepticism.
“Yep. Sure.” This time when I moved to walk away, it was to turn around and head back the way I’d come. “I, uh, forgot something at the studio. Catch ya later.”
My legs didn’t move as fast as they used to as a god, and I found my breath sawing in and out of my chest by the time I came to a stop in front of the rustic bar. I leaned over, struggling to catch my breath, before I straightened up, shoved my shoulders back, and marched into that bar like I wasn’t about to beg—on my knees, if I had to.
Ignoring the two men seated in the corner, bickering over a pitcher of beer, I kept my eyes focused on the bartender. That damn burly omega, with his beard I found myself itching to run my fingers through, and his steely eyes that saw everything. He froze when he saw me, his whole body going rigid, his nostrils flaring, pupils blowing wide. I told myself he wasn’t as unaffected as he would have me believe.
I came to a stop in front of the counter. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, and it seemed my drunken memory of him hadn’t done him justice. If anything, he’d just gotten hotter. His shirt was blue plaid today, making his eyes closer to ice than steel, and I caught the faint whiff of something, maybe his beard oil. Whatever it was, it was tasty. “Come to dinner with me tomorrow,” I blurted before I could second-guess myself.
Declan spluttered. Whatever he’d expected me to say, this wasn’t it. “Forget it,” he managed to choke out, before he made a point of turning his back on me.
“ Please ,” I urged, trying to suppress the whine I felt bubbling up. Something in my voice—maybe my sheer desperation—seemed to get his attention, and he peeked back at me. Not one to ignore an opening when I had it, I pushed my luck. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior the last time I was here. It was… inappropriate. I’d been having a bad day and had too much to drink. Not that I’m making excuses, but I would really like the chance to make it up to you.”
Declan softened, just the teeniest amount, but I saw it in the way his face relaxed. “I don’t think that’s a good—”
“It doesn’t have to mean anything. It can just be two men hanging out, sharing some food, some wine. I’ll be a perfect gentleman the entire time, no pressure for anything.” Declan’s mouth had smoothed out, like his resolve was wearing thin, but he wasn’t quite there yet. “All I ask is that you give me a chance. I’ll do anything.”
That last word seemed to catch his attention. He narrowed his eyes, raking his gaze down my designer suit. “Anything?”
“Yes, that’s what I said. Name your price.”
He huffed a laugh. “Funny you should say that… What if I told you it’d cost you… a hundred thousand dollars?”
Was that all? The man was worth far more than that, in my opinion, and what did I care about money? I’d had hundreds of lifetimes to compile my wealth. “Deal,” I said without giving it another thought.
Declan blinked a few times. “W-what? Did you say—”
“Deal, yes. Give me your phone number and I’ll text you my address. Be there at 5pm sharp.” Resorting to bribery was not my finest moment, but if he didn’t have a problem with it, neither did I.