AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Stuart barked out a laugh. “You’re kidding, right? You think Roth’s going to care if you hook up with someone? The guy’s all about field rules.”
She met his gaze with an incredulous look. “I thought he was married.”
“He’s been divorced for about ten years. From what I’ve heard, he hooks up on every dig. He hasn’t tried to hide it, either.”
“Even here? I haven’t seen him with anyone.”
Then again, why would she? Dr. Roth didn’t spend much time at camp and always went back to the field house after dinner. He could easily indulge in a passionate affair without any of the students taking notice.
Stuart shrugged. “I’m not sure who he’s with this year. Last summer, he fooled around with his housekeeper. The year before that, he was with a paleo-ethnobotanist who joined the team for a few weeks. None of his flings ever last longer than a season.”
Though Olivia wasn’t in any position to judge, she still found the revelation somewhat unsettling. Dr. Roth gave off such a paternal vibe that she didn’t want to envision him as a serial womanizer.
“If you want to be with Rick, then go for it,” Stuart said. “As long as you’re not breaking any laws, Roth won’t care about your after-hours behavior.”
As the rest of the team came into view, he switched gears and waved them over. “All right, everyone, let’s pack it in. If I can beat Juno back to camp, she’ll owe me five euros.”
During the drive, Olivia mulled over Stuart’s words. Since Grant had worked with Dr. Roth last year, he was clearly aware of the senior professor’s womanizing. That meant Grant had deliberately misled her, making her think Dr. Roth wouldn’t approve of her and Rick. No doubt Grant had done it to keep her in line.
Knowing she’d pushed Rick away based on Grant’s lies made her feel even worse than she had before.
To Stuart’s dismay, they pulled into camp only seconds after Juno, making her the victor in their daily wager. Olivia washed up and found a spot at the picnic table beside Stuart and Dusty. As they regaled her with a story about Egypt, she got so caught up in the conversation that she didn’t notice Rick’s absence until Juno brought it up. Olivia’s apprehension grew as she checked her watch. His team should have been back by now. Had something happened to them? Given the steep terrain they’d been traversing, one of them could have been injured.
After they finished lunch, the entire group waited in uneasy silence. With each passing minute, Olivia’s anxiety escalated. She checked her watch, then her phone, then her watch, flitting between the two.
When Rick’s car pulled into the parking area, she released a tight breath. No matter what had delayed them, they’d made it back to camp. Rick led the way, with his team following close behind. None of them looked injured. If anything, their walk had an air of bravado.
Grant sprang from the table and marched over to them. Olivia tensed up, anticipating an unpleasant confrontation. She wanted to leave but couldn’t make herself pull away.
Before Grant could utter a word, Dr. Roth strode over to join them. Olivia stared in shock. Apart from the first day of lectures, the professor had never shown up at camp before two.
“Rick!” Dr. Roth exclaimed. “Just got your message. I can’t wait to see what you found.”
Rick grinned. “Thanks. Our team uncovered evidence of a Stone Age site—possibly early Neolithic.”
Our team. Olivia swallowed back a lump in her throat. If she hadn’t distanced herself from Rick, it would have been her team, too.
Rick passed Dr. Roth a large Ziploc bag filled with obsidian flakes and chipped stone tools. The professor took out a perfectly formed arrowhead made of light brown stone and held it up. He let out a low whistle. “Marvelous. Looks like a Neolithic projectile point.”
“The site was in a prime location,” Marisol said, glowing with pride. “Lots of trees, nice vantage point, overlooking the Xeros River.”
“We’re talking a serious lithic cache,” TJ added. “I’d say it’s worth investigating.”
Alisha held out her phone. “Here. Have a look.”
Dr. Roth examined the pictures. No one else spoke, though Olivia caught a few of them smiling. Grant had to be seething. He couldn’t yell at Rick—not when this site trumped everything else they’d found on the survey.
“We took a little longer than we should have,” Rick said. “But we wanted to make sure we gathered up enough artifacts.”
“Excellent work.” Dr. Roth clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s not waste any time. After you grab a bite to eat, you should head back and get more samples.”
Rick nodded. “TJ, you want to help? You’re the lithics expert.”
TJ pumped his fist. “Hell, yes. I can’t wait to see what else is out there.”
Olivia pasted a bright smile on her face. She couldn’t let anyone know how disappointed she was to have missed out. “Great job, you guys.”
“Who’s going to supervise your team during lab?” Grant asked.
“I’ll do it,” Olivia said quickly. “That okay with you, Stuart?”
“Go for it. I’m just a little jealous.” Stuart aimed a mock glare at Rick. “Curse you, Langston, for claiming tonight’s prize.”
“Just got lucky, that’s all.” Rick flashed Olivia a quick smile. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
She wanted to praise him for his amazing find, but she couldn’t do it now. Not when she was perilously close to losing control of her emotions.
Tonight, at the party, she could congratulate him. Instead of avoiding him, she’d treat him like a colleague. Someone she liked and respected. She owed him that much.
If she put him firmly in that compartment, maybe then she’d be able to move on.
