Julie Walters, a bright mind in the Department of Ancient Languages, is just months away from obtaining her Ph.D. She hopes to get a job at the Museum of Natural History, where she has wanted to work since she was a child. However, she is informed that all funding has been pulled from the department for student services, including employment and financing, her only sources of education funding. With no museum jobs available which would be her first choice as a replacement, Julie decides to offer private language lessons instead.
Her first students are Rose and Earl Williams, who have their son Dan in a long distance relationship with Cosette, who is originally from Paris. They communicate exclusively in English. Upon first sight, Julie discovers that one of her new students is an assistant curator at the museum, whom she had earlier had a somewhat awkward discussion regarding working there.
Dan, busy with his studies and reluctant to enter into the lessons, is more practical than romantic in his relationships, dealing with Cosette solely in those areas common to them, namely in English and around museums. He works in Paris, which is how they originally met.
Julie, believing that one learns better if it applies to them, ends up also coaching Dan in how to be more romantic in his interactions with Cosette. As Julie starts to fall for Dan, and it seems he for her, their path forward may hit the further roadblocks of Cosette, and of her goal of working at the museum.
