Page 14 of Hera

“Yes,” he said emphatically. He lowered his voice to not offend any of the other ladies, “Nobody else holds a candle to her.”

“You really hit it off, didn’t you?” Eve said.

“Hit?” Augustine was confused for a moment. “Oh, you mean we got along. Yes, for my part. She also seemed inclined.”

Eve smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out.”

Augustine bowed to her and pivoted slightly to peruse the room. He was in a slightly shadowy corner, so nobody seemed to notice him and he was able to take his time. There were several men with groups of women surrounding them and multiple men by themselves nursing beers. Augustine winced in sympathy for those men. He couldn’t see Hera anywhere, though.

Moving out of his corner slightly, he saw her at one edge of the bar. The broad back of one of the men had hidden her from his view before. She was leaning back as far as she could manage in the tight space he allowed her and kept her drink between them. Everything about her body language screamed discomfort at her situation.

What should I do?

Let her handle this or step in?

He made his way across the room, avoiding making eye contact with the other women, until he was directly behind the big man.

Hera’s wide grey eyes met his and she smiled, relieved.

“Thereyou are, August,” she said, slipping off her stool and sidestepping the man. “I was hoping we could play a game of darts, just you and me?”

Augustine’s brain rebooted after the affectionate nickname she had bestowed upon him. “Of course,” he said graciously, offering her his arm and leading her over to the dartboards. Once they were out of earshot, he said, “Do you want to play darts or were you just that desperate to get away from him?”

“A little of both,” Hera said with a chuckle that ended in a sigh. “How’s your game?”

“Terrible,” he said, deadpan. “My brothers and I have a board set up in our living room. It is all we do on our days off.”

“I don’t know if you’re joking or not,” Hera said, picking up her first dart. “I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” The dart hit one of the single areas and she wiggled her body excitedly. “I hit the board!”

“Yes, you did.” Augustine let his first dart fly, hitting the bullseye.

“You are very good,” Hera said. “I’m impressed. First one to reach a score of two-hundred and one gets to pick the first date?”

Augustine grinned. “You are on. First toss counts.”

Hera frowned but agreed. Her second dart hit the triple ring under the ‘20’.

“Did you try to hustle me?” he asked, eyebrows rising. His next dart hit the bullseye again.

“We both win no matter what,” Hera replied archly. Her third hit the same triple ring as the last one.

“That is true.” Augustine lined up his third dart. There was barely enough room for it when it hit the bullseye again.

“Nicely done,” Hera replied. Her fourth dart joined the other two in the same space.

“You are very good at this,” Augustine said admiringly. “But I have a hundred and fifty points. I only need one more bullseye and then I can take my pick of the board to pass two-hundred.”

“You’re right,” Helen replied serenely. “Go ahead.”

Augustine frowned in concentration as he aimed at the board. There was a tiny space in the middle of his cluster that he needed to hit. He released a breath and the dart at the same time, his aim true.

“Beautiful,” Hera replied. Her fifth dart joined the other three in the triple ring. “But I’ve won.”

“Wait... What?” Augustine blinked.

“I passed two hundred. Twenty times three, for the triple ring, times four, for the four darts, makes two-hundred and forty.” Hera’s expression was entirely too smug.

Augustine closed his jaw, not sure when it had opened. She was right. “Do not forget the sixteen from your first throw,” he finally added. “Even if I somehow managed to get another bullseye, I would not be able to pass your score. Congratulations, my lady. I concede defeat. You are incredibly clever and I consider it an honor to be schooled so soundly by you.”

---