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ChapterThirty-Three
Seated on the balcony of Sofia’s apartment, Olivia watched the sun make its descent, painting the sky with a rose-gold glow. Sipping her wine, she released a contented sigh, thankful for an evening out. Her day had gotten off to a rough start at breakfast when Rick had announced that his team would be digging at the Neolithic site they’d found during the survey. When Rick had locked eyes with her, she could have sworn his expression softened. For a tantalizing moment, she thought he might ask her to join them.
But if he’d felt a connection, he hadn’t acted on it. Instead, he rounded up his team and left. Olivia went about her normal duties at the excavation site while trying to ignore the growing ache in her heart. When Sofia had texted her with an invitation for a girls’ night in, she jumped at the chance and brought Dusty with her.
Dusty joined her on the balcony, carrying a can of Pellegrino. “This is a sweet setup. Whenever I traveled with my parents, we never stayed anywhere like this.”
“Were you mostly in army tents?” Olivia asked.
“Sometimes. Either that or a field house, but they weren’t as nice as the one Roth is renting. We’re talking bunk beds, communal bathrooms, and a shared kitchen. Not exactly the height of luxury.”
Sofia bustled out to the balcony and set a ceramic tray on the wrought-iron table; on it were clippers, nail files, cotton balls, and bottles of polish. “Manicure time. You two have the worst nails I’ve ever seen.”
Though Olivia usually wore work gloves while excavating, she preferred using her bare hands when uncovering smaller artifacts. As a result, stubborn bits of dirt remained lodged under her fingernails. “It’s kind of a waste, seeing as how we have another week of excavation left.”
Dusty examined her hands. Though she didn’t spend her days digging, her fingers were streaked with ink. “I’m willing to go for it.”
Sofia passed Olivia a bottle of crimson polish. “Here. This will look good with your tan. Dusty, your skin tone’s a little paler, so the rose polish is a better match.”
Olivia had never been one to fuss with her nails, but she appreciated her sister’s effort. “Thanks. Pass me the clippers. The first thing I have to do is trim these suckers.”
“Before you start, do either of you want anything else to drink?” Sofia asked. “More wine?”
“I’m good for now, thanks.” Olivia’s second glass had smoothed over the day’s rough edges, but a third might make her too sleepy.
Dusty held up her can of sparkling water. “I’ll stick with this. I have to drive us back to camp.”
“You can crash here if you want,” Sofia said. “Isn’t tomorrow your day off? Why not sleep in and wake up with real coffee? Olivia can bunk with me in that giant bed, and you can take the couch. I’m sure it’s nicer than those ratty camp cots. Plus, the shower here has hot water.”
Like the place where I’ll be staying in Athens. Olivia had been so pleased when she’d found an affordable hotel room with a big bed, a private bathroom, and a balcony with a view of the Acropolis. Except now, she didn’t have anyone to share it with.
“I’d love to take advantage,” Dusty said. “But we’ve got an early morning tomorrow. We’re going to the Troodos Mountains.”
Olivia winced as she clipped off a hangnail. “I’m not sure whether I should go. I don’t need to be stuck in a car with Rick for two hours.”
As soon as she spoke, she wished she’d kept quiet. She hadn’t told Dusty or Sofia exactly what had happened, only that she and Rick were over. She hadn’t planned to bring him up, either. Tonight was for having fun, not for agonizing over her failed love life.
“Back up a sec,” Sofia said. “Because you still haven’t told me the whole story. One day, you were all, ohmigod, we’re having sex in a temple dedicated to the goddess of love, and the next, you’re telling me it’s over.”
Dusty’s eyes went wide. “You and Rick had sex in the Sanctuary of Aphrodite? That’s unbelievable.”
“And romantic,” Sofia added. “You said the sex wasamazing.”
A rush of heat warmed Olivia’s cheeks. She shot Dusty an apologetic glance. “Sorry you had to hear that. I’m not the type to brag about—”
“About what? Your amazing sex life? At least someone’s getting a little action. Stuart still treats me like I’m his sister.”
“Stuart? The hot blond guy?” Sofia asked. “I can see why you’d be into him. TJ’s sorta cute, too, in nerdy way. But we’re getting off topic. I want to know what happened with Rick.”
Keeping her eyes downcast, Olivia focused on buffing her nails. “Fine. That okay with you, Dusty?”
“Absolutely. Spill.”
Since Dusty didn’t know what had happened at Clear Lake, Olivia had to backtrack. Then she had to explain the long and frustrating path she and Rick had taken before they’d finally gotten together. Though she didn’t go into detail, she did mention the temple. She still found it hard to believe she’d had sex out in the open. She finished by explaining how Gategate Two had led to their big argument.
Dusty blew on her nails to dry them. “You want my advice? Go apologize. I don’t blame Rick for being mad, but he’s had time to cool off.”
“But after the way I dumped him, what makes you think he wants me back?”
