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Four years. Even when her parents annoyed the hell out of her, the longest she’d been away from them was the two months she’d spent in Athens doing research. Despite the miles separating her and Sofia, they talked and texted constantly.
Though she didn’t want to pry, she sensed Rick was giving her an opening. “Can I ask why?”
“My dad pretty much disowned me when I dropped out of law school. He said if I didn’t go back, I wasn’t welcome at home.”
There was still so much aboutRick she didn’t know. “You went tolaw school?”
He dipped his chin in concession. “Yep. Worst idea ever.”
When he didn’t follow up, she sat up and stretched out her legs. If he wanted to talk, he’d keep going. If not, she’d respect his decision. She squeezed out her wet hair, letting the drops fall on her thighs as she waited for him to continue.
He eased himself up until he was sitting beside her and placed his hand on her thigh. “The law school thing? One hundred percent my dad’s idea. I don’t know if you remember, but he runs a law firm with big-money clients. That’s why our family’s so well-off. Dad wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but I had no interest. So we made a deal. I could take any classes I wanted in college, as long as I got good grades and agreed to apply to law school. Even if I sometimes had too much fun, I still made the Dean’s List every semester.”
She stayed silent, not wanting to rush him. Around them, the waves crashed against the breakwater. A speedboat raced by, loaded with cheering tourists. But they were alone on their own slice of paradise, with no one around to break the spell.
“During my junior year of undergrad, I did a semester abroad in Rome,” Rick said. “It was unbelievable. I fell in love with the ruins and all the history.”
She’d felt the same way during her two months in Athens. Even if she’d gone there to do archival research, she’d still geeked out when she first set foot on the Acropolis. “I’m not surprised. At Clear Lake, you told me you’d wanted to be an archaeologist since the third grade.”
“Good memory. Yeah, I’d always dreamed about it, but that semester sealed the deal. When I got back, I told my dad I wanted to get a doctorate in classical archaeology instead of a law degree. He said it was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard.”
Her heart ached for him. Though her parents might not fully understand why she was so passionate about ancient history, they’d never said anything so hurtful. “That’s awful.”
“Yeah, it was rough. What’s worse is that I didn’t have the guts to stand up to him. Instead, I backed down and applied to law school during my senior year at Berkeley. I got into three places but ended up choosing Stanford.”
Stanford. Her mind reeled. She’d always thought he was smart, but this was next-level. Getting into Stanford meant he’d gotten exceptional grades and crushed the LSAT. “Impressive.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But once I was there, I hated it. I begged my dad to let me pursue archaeology or ancient history instead. If nothing else, I could get an MA and teach high school history. He refused to listen.”
She wanted to go back in time and console that version of Rick. Instead, she placed her hand over his, hoping her touch would comfort him. “What happened?”
“I dropped out of Stanford after the first semester. When I went home for Christmas break, my dad was furious, but I held my ground. So he kicked me out and cut me off completely. I bought a ticket to Rome, crashed with friends there, and started looking for fieldwork in Italy. A week after I left, I called my dad to see if we could reconcile. I left messages. Sent emails. He never answered. Eventually, I stopped trying.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. I tried to make him understand. I told him I’d get student loans and pay for school myself, but he didn’t give a shit. Not if I wouldn’t play his game. My mom still talks to me, and Cassie’s been good about reaching out, but I’m worried about losing them forever.”
Emotion clogged Olivia’s throat. She hated that Rick’s father had cut him out of his life because he didn’t fit the acceptable mold. A few times, her parents had suggested she consider teaching high school rather than spending years getting her doctorate, since she wasn’t guaranteed a job in her field. But they’d never made her feel unworthy.
“I wish there was something I could do to help,” she said.
“Just listening is a huge help.” He put his arm around her. “It’s nice to be able to talk about it.”
She wanted to say more but froze when he traced the bridge of her nose with his finger. “You’re getting freckles from the sun, princess.”
His gentle touch made her tingle all over. “Better than a sunburn, right?”
“Definitely better. Though I’d be happy to rub aloe anywhere you need it.”
“Stop tempting me,” she grumbled.
“I’m tempting you? You’re the one wearing the world’s smallest bikini.”
Maybe Sofia had been right. “You like it?”
“Like it? I can’t take my eyes off you. You’re so fucking sexy.”
A thrill coursed through her, setting off goose bumps on her bare arms. “What are you going to do about it?”
