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Something didn’t ring true, and she knew she would have to talk to Bill when she got back to the Cape. “How did you know I worked at the reserve?”
He rolled his eyes. “It wasn't hard to figure out, Ell.”
Her face heated. “Don't call me that.”
“You were determined to stay on the Cape. I figured you'd end up in Woods Hole. When they transferred you to the eutrophication project, I knew there was a chance you'd be heading down here.”
She turned her back on him to open the grill and flip the burgers, and then began peeling apart slices of cheddar cheese. “Why didn't you ignore Bill's recommendation? Why didn't you ask for someone else?”
“Come on, you know how it works. If someone is recommended, you take them. A recommendation is as good as saying you're the best.”
She said nothing, just kept her back to him and stared off into the small backyard.
“I have things I'd like to say to you,” he said quietly.
“That’s unfortunate, because I don't want to hear anything you have to say.” She turned to face him again. “You had your chance a long time ago.”
“I just want to apologize.”
“I don't want your apology. I did, once upon a time, but not now. I'm not the person you left behind. That girl—the one who looked for you, called you, cried over you—she doesn't exist anymore. I'm certainly not going to bring her back just to soothe your conscience.”
His eyes widened, but he said nothing.
“While I'm here, our conversations will be about work,” she continued. “If we're not talking about work, we're not talking. Period.”
He nodded. “Okay. I get it.”
“And Jason? Don't call me Ell again. Ever. It’s Elizabeth.”
The rest of the evening was uneventful. Dinner conversation revolved around their work at the basin, and Elizabeth’s excitement continued to build. Over the next few days they’d be driven to their research sites and would begin to learn the area.
Paul and Lisa were sweet, but watching them be so easily affectionate with each other throughout the evening filled Elizabeth with longing. They weren't clingy or annoying—thankfully—but would hold hands, or Paul would drape his arm around the back of Lisa's chair, lightly touching her shoulder, or Lisa would rest her hand on his knee.
It made her think of Will and the way he’d always rest his hand at the nape of her neck, sometimes—most of the time—entwining his fingers in her hair. Other times he’d lightly caress the skin there before tracing the length of her spine all the way down to the small of her back and then back up to her neck again. Thinking about it made her shiver, the recollection so strong she could almost feel his fingertips gliding over her skin.
Something else had become unbearable as well: her housemates listened to music constantly, and it seemed as though every damn song was either one she’d heard Will sing or one whose lyrics seemed to speak directly to her. She hadn't played any music since the day of that last disastrous softball game, because Will had managed at some point to get hold of her phone and download dozens of songs to her music app—songs they’d danced to or songs he’d sung to her, or songs he said made him think of her.
Of course, the reverse was true; all those songs made her think ofhimas well... Watching him play the guitar, his fingers plucking and stroking the strings, coaxing from it the most beautiful sounds…
It was a sure way of conjuring up images and memories she'd just as soon forget.
* * *
It was nearing almosteight o’clock on Thursday morning, and Will had just returned to the suite after a long, punishing workout in the hotel gym. He’d run five miles on the treadmill, pushed through three circuits of upper body weights, and then finished with a half hour on the bike. He was exhausted and soaked with sweat and knew that if he kept up this ridiculous pace, he wouldn’t have an ounce of fat left on his body by the end of the week. His phone rang, and when he saw his sister’s name on the screen, he wiped his face and answered.
“Hey, Georgie.”
“I got the job in Falmouth!”
“That’s great! Congratulations. I knew you’d impress them.”
“Thanks. I’m so excited. And relieved.” She paused. “How are you?”
“I’m fine. Richard and I are going to one of the building sites today. I thought we’d stay in LA over the weekend and see the second site on Monday, but I’m starting to rethink that.”
“So when will you be back?”
He poured a glass of orange juice and took a quick sip. “I don’t know. I’m going to San Francisco with Richard when we leave here. I’ve been thinking of making the rounds. I don’t get out to the satellite offices nearly enough. I’m overdue for visits.”
