By Jove Read Online Free Page B

pursed. “It’s time for dinner.”
    “Dear me, is it really? Well, I’ll let you get on with the summoning.” Julian turned from her and held out a hand to Theo. “Won’t you join me?”
    Grant cleared his throat beside her. “I’ll just—”
    Theo turned to him and put a hand on his arm. “Oh, but you were about to tell me about the bears in drag. Please don’t go.” Why did their conversations always seem to be interrupted? And why wouldn’t June and Julian and everyone else just go away?
    Julian’s smile dimmed as he and Grant exchanged glances. “Indeed? I would like to hear about that too.” He gestured politely that they should precede him to the table, seating himself at the table’s head and placing Theo at his right hand. To her delight, Grant seated himself next to her, ignoring Julian’s gesture at the chair across the table. Julian scowled.
    Theo saw Dr. Waterman sit a few chairs down on the other side of the table, next to a sturdily built young woman with short hair and a deep tan. She was chatting with a handsome man with shoulder-length blond hair and delicate features.
    “We’ve definitely got a shot at the division title this year,” Theo heard her say. “We’re into our second week of practice, and it’s really coming together. We’ll bring that trophy down yet, you’ll see. They’re a dedicated group of women.”
    “Not bad-looking, too, if you’d ever let them out of uniform,” the man drawled. He toyed with a bread knife, stroking its flared blade with long, slender fingers.
    “You keep your hands off ’em, you. Those are my girls, and I want them focused on hockey, not hormones.”
    “You’re such a single-minded bore,” the man returned amiably, throwing a piece of roll at her. He missed. She nipped it up and landed it squarely on his nose.
    “I never miss, remember? Don’t get into a bunfight with me or you might regret it,” she said, wiping the butter off his nose with her napkin and grinning at him.
    “Children,” Julian sighed. He turned to Theo. “That irresponsible pair are Diana Hunter and Paul Harriman, and they teach Greek with me when they’re not squabbling. Diana also coaches women’s field hockey, and Paul dabbles in early music.”
    “Dabbles? I beg your pardon, Julian. I don’t call a two-album recording contract dabbling,” sniffed Paul. He looked at Theo and his expression altered. “Hello,” he said, turning a sunny smile on her.
    Julian frowned. “Behave, Paul.”
    “Yeah—behave, Paul,” said Diana. She punched him in the arm.
    The gong sounded again, this time from the foot of the table where Ms. Cadwallader was seated. She stared at Diana and Paul until they joined in the general quiet.
    Julian rose. “Welcome, my new and returning colleagues, to the start of a new academic year. I am delighted to see all of you here, and ask that you join with me in drinking to our continued prosperity here at the university.”
    Theo turned to Grant and held her glass of wine out to him. He smiled and touched his own to hers . “ To Latin,” he said.
    “To Latin,” she echoed. “May your moose improve their mastery of it.” Was there a Latin word for moose?
    “I’ll settle for my undergrads mastering it for now,” he said lightly. “But I’ll work on the moose when I get back.”
    Theo waited while their salads were served, making a list of small-talk topics in her head that would hopefully draw him out. “You’re teaching this year?”
    “Just one class. I enjoy teaching, and it’ll give Dr. Waterman a break from first-year Latin.”
    Theo shuddered. “You like teaching first-year Latin? Try it with twelve-year-olds for a while, and I’ll ask you again how you feel. Unless you like being a martyr.”
    Several expressions seemed to cross his face: pain, defiance, then a glimpse of self-deprecating humor. He stared at his salad for a moment, then looked up at her. “I suppose you could say that I’m used to it. What about