“I do. You’re my employer, and regardless of the circumstances, I should have shown more respect. I’m sorry.”
Surprise briefly flickers across his face. “But you meant what you said.”
It would be great if he could just take my apology and leave it at that, but if he needs more explanation before we can move past this, then I’ll give it to him.
“Yes. I did. I could have addressed things in a more professional way. Away from the others. With more tact. Or… I could have not addressed it at all.”
“Hmm.” He turns his attention back to his laptop, typing something. “Is that all?”
The dismissal is clear, and it rankles. But I hold my ground.
“Calvin—”
“Mr. Aarons,” he corrects, not looking up.
Wow. Okay. We’re doing this.Apparently, my apology wasn’t accepted.
“Mr. Aarons,” I say carefully, “I understand if you’re upset with me. But we’re going to be working closely together for six months. We need to find a way to communicate effectively.”
“I agree. That’s why I expect professional boundaries, moving forward.”
“Of course. Absolutely.” I pause. “Are you… do you want to replace me on this project?”
That gets his attention. He looks up sharply. “Can I?”
“Technically, yes. There’s probably someone else who could?—”
“But there’s no one as qualified for this specific region. No one as familiar with the theories about this site. No one available who could start immediately.” His voice is flat, matter-of-fact. “We both know that. So, no, Dr. Halford, I’m not replacing you. You’re here because you’re the best person for the job. But that doesn’t mean I have to like being publicly corrected by my employee.”
The words land like stones.
“Understood,” I manage.
“Good. Was there anything else?”
“No. That’s… that’s all.”
I turn to leave, then pause at the entrance. “For what it’s worth, I genuinely do want this project to succeed. Not just for me, but for you too. For your grandmother.”
His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t respond, and I leave the tent feeling worse than when I entered.
Outside, the sun is blazing. Dr. Akkhad waves at me from across the camp, gesturing toward the meal tent. It must already be lunchtime. The morning passed so quickly with Fatima showing me around.
I wave back but don’t immediately head in that direction. Instead, I stand outside of Calvin’s tent, staring out at the desert, at the excavation site, at the endless expanse of nothing.
We’re stuck here together. Calvin and me, unable to escape each other for the next six months. And we’ve already establisheda dynamic that’s… not great. He’s cold. I’m defensive. He’s controlling. I’m combative.
This will turn into a disaster if we don’t figure something out.
But then I think about the photographs in the work tent. The carved figures. The evidence that Henry was right. The possibility of uncovering something truly significant.
That’s what matters. Not my hurt feelings. Not Calvin’s wounded pride. The work.
I’ll focus on the work. I’ll be professional. I’ll do my job brilliantly, prove that I was the right choice, and at the end of six months, I’ll take Ella home with a college fund secured and a publication that will revive my career to the point that people will be knocking my door down for consultations and talks.
And in the meantime, I’ll ignoreMr. Aaronsas much as humanly possible.
Feeling confident in the plan, I head to the dining tent, where the camp staff is serving a lunch of rice and grilled veggies and meats, and Ella is sitting on Lois’s lap, munching on some crackers. There’s a joyous mood about the team as they get their plates and settle in, the excitement of what’s to come palpable.
