AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thank you, Alisha. Olivia wiped her forehead. “Right. The UC system has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, and we’d hate to send any of you home early. Also, if you get involved with someone and it goes badly, you’ll still have to see them every day until field school ends.”
A few women nodded like they were taking her seriously. Good. Even if she wasn’t bringing down the hammer like Grant would, she wanted them to understand their actions had consequences. Maybe then, none of them would behave as foolishly as she had when she was their age.
For the next fifteen minutes, she reviewed the rules, the schedule, and the course expectations. She didn’t want to overwhelm them, not when they had a full day of lectures and training tomorrow. When she was done, one of the students asked to talk to her privately. At eighteen, Marisol was the youngest of the group, but her petite stature and round, cherubic face made her look even younger.
Olivia took her aside while the others went to get their cots. “Everything okay?”
Marisol’s light brown skin glistened with sweat. She twisted her jet-black braid between her fingers. “What if I mess up? Or do a bad job? I’m way out of my comfort zone.”
You and me both. “I won’t lie—the first week might be rough, but I think you’ll adapt quickly. By the end of this class, you might even feel like a real archaeologist.”
Marisol scuffed her sneaker along the wooden porch. “Right now, I feel stressed-out. Like I don’t belong here.”
“That’s normal, but even if you’re nervous, you belong here as much as anyone else.”
“Thanks.” Marisol managed a faint smile. “Can I come to you if I have any problems?”
“Absolutely. If I’m not around, Dusty or Juno can help you out, too.”
As Marisol went to join the others, Olivia wished she could offer more reassurance. But even if she felt more grounded than she’d been on her first day, she was still struggling to adjust to the conditions.
Quiet time didn’t start for another hour, so once the students set up their cots, they were free to talk, play cards, or read. If they kept the noise down, they could stay up as late as they wanted. But they’d soon learn that wake-up was a bitch, thanks to the nearby farm filled with animals that woke at the crack of dawn. On Olivia’s first morning, an overly zealous rooster had roused her at 5:30 a.m. with his nonstop crowing.
The soft strum of a guitar caught her attention. She stood stock-still, listening as the guitarist played a few bars of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”
Rick.
She’d always had a weakness for musicians. At Clear Lake, when Rick had brought out his acoustic guitar, she’d been drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Following the strains of the music, she walked over to the small outbuilding that housed the camp kitchen. Next to it were two long picnic tables, shaded by a couple of olive trees, that served as the eating area for their morning and afternoon meals. Rick sat on one of the benches, strumming his guitar. At the sight of her, he smiled knowingly, as though fully aware of how much his music was affecting her.
You don’t have to join him. Just smile and walk away.
But the lure of his guitar was impossible to resist.
Rick set his guitar on the bench beside him. He hadn’t been sure how Olivia would respond to his music. Would she feel a touch of nostalgia? Or be annoyed at him for resurrecting old memories? Back in Clear Lake, she’d been the first person to join him when he’d played for the camp. Once he’d heard her incredible singing voice, he’d been a goner.
“Is…that the same guitar?” she asked.
“Yep. Kind of a pain to haul around, but I take it everywhere.”
“I wasn’t sure…you didn’t play it before, so…”
“I wanted to wait until the students got here. The first day of field school is always stressful, but sometimes music helps.”
Usually, his music brought people together. Some wanted to hang out and listen; others wanted to sing along. Over the years, his repertoire had expanded to include popular tunes from Greece, Italy, and Turkey. When in doubt, he fell back on the classic rock standards so many people seemed to know.
He patted the bench. “Sit with me a sec?”
Still wary, she gnawed on her lip. “Um…”
“Come on. I don’t bite—much.”
That got her to laugh. It was the same line he’d used the night he coaxed her into joining him.
She sat down beside him. A simple gesture, yet the familiarity of it pleased him more than it should have. He suspected they wouldn’t be alone for long, but he’d take what he could get. She’d been on his mind a lot over the past two days. Which made no sense because whatever passion she’d felt for him must be long gone by now. But that hadn’t stopped him from revisiting old memories.
“Are you doing any better?” he asked. “That first day was rough.”
