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“Right? That’s why I love maps. Not just for my research but in real life. I don’t even like relying on my car’s GPS. I need to plot out my route ahead of time, so I know exactly when to turn and which exit to take. I sound like I’m eighty, but…I have developmental topographical disorientation.”
“What? Is that even a thing?”
“It is. I looked it up online.”
“Of course you did.” But he didn’t seem quite as angry. Instead, he released a jagged breath.
“Please, Rick?”
His shoulders sagged. “I’m tired of fighting with you.”
“No fighting. I promise. No more bringing up the past.”
“First, answer me one thing. But do it without getting mad, okay?”
She swallowed, trying to clear the knot from her throat. “Okay.”
“I know you were upset last night, but do you really regret everything that happened at Clear Lake? Was it all just a big mistake to you? If the answer’s yes, I’ll accept it, but I’ve been wondering for years.”
She was surprised at how much that summer meant to him. After all the experiences he’d had, he could have dismissed their fling as nothing more than a youthful diversion. But he’d been as powerfully affected by it as she had.
If he was making himself vulnerable, then so could she. “Most of it wasn’t a mistake. Those nights at the lake were incredible. I loved being with you. I’ve never felt like that with anyone.” She drew in a shaky breath. “But the fallout was terrible.”
Her pulse rate quickened out of fear she’d admitted too much. Even after all these years, being around him still played havoc with her heart.
The warmth in his gaze eased her worries. “Thanks for being honest. In return, I’ll help you out.”
A huge weight lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you so much.”
“Sure. Since you’re already out here, I can give you an overview. But the bigger issue is whether you should be leading a survey team at all. I know you’re meant to be taking Frida’s place, but this is a huge challenge. We’ll be crossing rough terrain—not just farm fields but deep valleys and steep hills with nothing to guide us but our GPS units and our topo maps.”
A growing panic spread through her. Frida hadn’t gone into much detail when she’d described the survey unit. “Once I’ve practiced, I should be able to handle it. Right?”
“Maybe, but there’s another issue. The team leaders have to drive the rental cars. You’d be driving on the left side of the road, finding the start point for each day’s survey in unmarked territory, and then driving back.”
She groaned and looked up at the sky. “Are you serious?”
He laughed, but it wasn’t mean-spirited. “I’m totally serious.”
She was sunk. At most, she figured she’d have to drive into Paphos to get supplies. Not traverse the country’s back roads looking for random markers. She twisted her hands together. “What should I do? I don’t want Dr. Roth to be upset that I’m not leading a team.”
“You won’t be doing him any favors if you can’t figure out where you’re going. You can still supervise the students during the lab sessions, and you’ll have no problem leading a trench during the excavation unit. Providing you can remember what you learned at Clear Lake?”
She nodded. Despite the way the dig had ended, she’d learned a ton in the six weeks she’d spent excavating. “It’ll come back to me. But what about the survey teams?”
“We’ve got enough leaders. I’m in charge of a team, and so are Grant, Juno, and Stuart. It wouldn’t be a stretch to put you with one of them.” He gave her a sly smile. “Unless you want to join my team?”
Did she? No doubt he’d be an encouraging leader but avoiding temptation would be easier if she wasn’t working with him directly. “You sure that’s a good idea?”
“No, but I’d like to work with you again.”
“You would? After everything I said last night?”
He raked his hand through his hair. “Don’t be so fucking stubborn. Just say yes.”
If she was being sensible, she’d tell him to put her with someone else. Anyone else. But she couldn’t do it. Now that they weren’t at each other’s throats, she wanted to spend more time with him. “Okay. Yes. Please.”
