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I glance down at the screen, my gaze skipping over some rant about bananas, to a square image of Veer Bestlasson holding a guitar.
“May I?” I gesture at the phone.
“Of course.” Dr. Xander gives me his handset. “Read the comments below. Some of them are rather aggrieved.”
Odin’s nephew stares down at the camera with one hand tucked into the waistband of his skinny jeans and the words TIN SOLDIERS ON PLUTO photoshopped at his back. Standing on either side of him are students I vaguely recognize from the lecture theater.
The caption reads:Saturday @ 6pm. Campus Café. Be there or be square.
An idea hatches in the back of my mind. If I can’t lure Veer Bestlasson off campus, perhaps I could entice the Tin Soldiers on Pluto.
“Do you see?” Dr. Xander asks. “With one misplaced comment, you’ve alienated half the female students.”
“You’re right.” I turn to look him full in the face.
His pale eyes widen with shock. He’s a little older up close, with thin streaks of gray in his floppy brown hair.
“So, you’ll help me connect with the students?”
“Here’s what I propose,” I say.
He gives me an eager nod.
“An apology to the young woman. I realize now that the banana comment was inappropriate.”
“You could invite her and a few others for tea.”
“Let’s not overdo it.” I raise a palm. “Just the one in question would be best. She may not feel comfortable airing her grievances before her peers.”
Dr. Xander rocks forward on his heels, his expression lightening. “That’s a start.”
“Perhaps the students need to see us taking more of an interest in them as people.” I let the sentence trail off, hoping the other academic might take the initiative and suggest something that puts us in the way of Veer Bestlasson.
“Any ideas?”
I hand him back the phone. “You and I could attend a campus event together. Is anything happening on Saturday?”
He glances down at his handset. “There’s a concert at the campus café. I could gather a few others and—”
“Sounds delightful.” I clap him on the shoulder and stride away. “Just tell me when and where to meet.”
Dr. Xander takes the hint and doesn’t follow, but as my phone buzzes, and she messages me with a banana emoji, I realize my mistake. I’m supposed to be meeting with Phoenix on Saturday.
I text back,Since you enjoy bananas so much, I will reintroduce you to mine.
Yum.
And I’ll be grading you on your performance.
When she replies with a frown emoji, I furrow my brow. Unfortunately we’ll have to reschedule. I’ll inform her tomorrow when she arrives for the usual morning cock sucking.
ChapterTwenty
PHOENIX
Yesterday’s lecture was bad enough.
Today, I am fuming.
