“I’m getting there,” I groused, even though I could’ve regaled him with another hour’s worth of ancient history. “So the year before he died, Max met and fell in love with a woman, a young schoolteacher, Emily Branigan.”

“Ah, a woman,” Ian said, nodding astutely. “That always spells trouble.”

“Very funny,” I said, backhanding him in the arm.

He chuckled. “Knew you’d like that one. So, what happened?”

“Max had recently broken up with this really bizarre woman who also taught at the institute.” I had to think for a few seconds, then frowned. “Angelica-that was her name.” I’d heard Max call her Angel once, but she was the furthest thing from an angel I’d ever met.

“Max’s friends couldn’t stand Angelica, so when he finally broke up with her, then met and fell in love with Emily, we were all overjoyed. They threw a party in Dharma to announce their engagement, and I needed to bring a gift. I’d had this copy of Beauty and the Beast for years, and I thought it would make a perfect gift.”

“For an engagement party?”

“I know.” I smiled ruefully as I sat back down at the conference table. “But it was the perfect gift for Max. You remember how big and brawny he was. He reminded me of that bear in the frontispiece.”

Ian picked up the book and opened it to the engraved illustration of Beauty serving tea to the Beast. “Okay, whatever. That’s sweet, I guess. But, seriously, you gave them a fairy-tale book for their engagement?”

“Come on,” I insisted. “We’re all book people. That’s what we do.”

“I’m teasing you,” he said with a grin. “Sort of. It’s sweet, as I said.”

I sighed deeply. “I cornered Max alone and gave him the book. I told him I would be glad to rebind it as a more appropriate engagement gift for Emily, but he wanted it kept exactly as it was.”

“Why?”

“He said he was a scruffy old beast and the book would always remind Emily of him.”