Read Online On Common Ground (Harlequin Super Romance) by Tracy Kelleher - Free Book Online Page B

“She also happens to have been the ex-fiancée of my senior year roommate.”
    “Ex? Now this I got to hear more of. Have you seen her yet? Is she everything you’d hoped for?”
    Cupping the phone under his chin, Justin strapped on his watch and looked at the time. He hurriedly slipped his wallet into the back packet of his trousers and grabbed his blue blazer off his unmade bed. “Listen, I don’t have much time because, as a matter of fact, I’m just on my way to do some errands, then pick her up to take her to lunch with the university president.”
    “Did you clean out your car?”
    If his father had asked the same question, Justin would have lost it. But because it was Roberta, Justin took it as a matter of course. “Okay, now. I have just enough time to answer one question. You want it to be about the car or the woman?”
    “Which do you think?”
    “Okay, I was going to vacuum—”
    Justin heard a groan from the other end of the line.
    “She’s done all these amazing things, and I think she may be more beautiful than ever....”
    “Why do I feel a ‘but’ is about to follow.”
    “But,” Justin continued, “she’s not the woman I remember.”
    There was silence from the other end of the line. Finally, Roberta cleared her throat. “So she’s not the same woman. Heaven knows I’m not the same person I was ten years ago—as my bathroom scale unfortunately tells me far too often. But so what? You think my husband loves me any less?”
    “How did we get to talking about love? I called about my teaching. And as far as that goes, thanks for the reassurances.”
    “It’s not my words that count. You’re the one who needs to reassure himself that he’s doing the right thing.”
    “About teaching or about love?” he asked, making light of their conversation.
    “You tell me. You’re the teacher,” she answered.
    He didn’t laugh.

CHAPTER NINE
    “L ILAH , IF ANYONE EMBODIES Grantham University’s motto of duty to society, it’s you.” Grantham University’s president, Theodore “call me Ted” Forsgate greeted Lilah at the entrance to Edinburgh House, Grantham’s faculty club.
    The Italianate mansion, surrounded by a lush formal garden—with its own endowment no less—once served as the on-campus home for the university’s presidents. Then the sixties came, and even though student protests at Grantham University were mild compared to other locales, the then-president thought it wise to decamp to an equally imposing abode about a mile down the road. The protestors’ loss was the professors’ gain. Lunch and dinner were served regularly, and the university frequently used the rooms for official functions.
    “Thank you, President Forsgate,” Lilah said, bowled over by the sincerity of his double-handed shake—almost literally, since President Forsgate was a large man and took a full-blooded approach to shaking hands. “It’s very rewarding to be back in an environment that puts a premium on public service. I must confess, I feel a little overwhelmed by the recognition,” she added. This was the first time she had met Forsgate, an astrophysicist who had apparently discovered a distant galaxy.
    Then she turned to her left and attempted to extract her hand. “I think I owe all the attention in large part to Justin. You’ve met of course, Justin Bigelow?”
    Justin nodded.
    “Of course. One of our premier varsity athletes. Always a pleasure. You’re also Stanfield Bigelow’s son, correct?”
    “You have a good memory, but really, I’m just here as a chaperone and bodyguard to keep Lilah’s adoring fans at bay. This weekend is about her, after all.”
    “You’re right, of course,” the president replied. “Shall we?” He ushered Lilah into the rotunda with its soaring cupola. The interior had been restored to its former glory and the woodwork and walls were painted with period-appropriate faux marbling.
    “Your parents must be very proud,” he said.
    “I think they