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ChapterTwenty-One
Olivia tried to approach the survey party with a festive attitude. She was going to have fun. Live for the moment. Channel her inner Sofia.
Above all, she was not going to obsess over Rick.
She was the last to arrive since she’d spent an extra hour in the lab making sure all the finds from the day’s survey had been processed. After she’d showered, she wasted valuable time agonizing over what to wear. Most of her clothes were disgustingly grungy or hopelessly wrinkled. She settled on a purple sundress with embroidery on the bodice, purchased during a family trip to Baja. Maybe no one would notice the wrinkles once it got dark outside.
When she reached the picnic tables, the students were milling around and talking. After three weeks of field school, they’d attained a palpable level of comfort around each other. Teasing and in-jokes had become the norm, especially during their nightly dinners at Spyros.
Dusty waved her over. “We clean up nicely, don’t we?” Like Olivia, she’d swapped out her work clothes for party attire. She was wearing a sleeveless green sundress embellished with white polka dots. Around her neck was an engraved pendant displaying Egyptian hieroglyphics.
“I love that dress,” Olivia said. “Mine is all crumpled from spending three weeks in my backpack. I could have used an iron.”
“What are you—my grandma? No one irons anymore.” Dusty gestured to the picnic tables. “What do you think? Do they look sufficiently festive?”
Though the rest of Camp Kouklia appeared as bare-bones as ever, the eating area had gotten a makeover. The long wooden tables were covered with blue-and-white checked cloths; atop them were flickering candles set in mason jars, vases filled with scarlet lilies, and pitchers of water and lemonade. Twinkling party lights adorned the olive trees above them.
“Looks great,” Olivia said. “Did you do this?”
“Me and Juno. She set up the music, too.” Dusty pointed to a soundbar playing a tune that sounded suspiciously like the theme from Zorba the Greek. “Grant insisted on the traditional stuff, but we’ll break out the bops once we’re done eating. Though I wish there was booze. More chance for shenanigans that way.”
“No shenanigans for me. Not tonight.” Or any night.
“You sure?” Dusty cast a glance toward Rick, who was talking with Marisol and Alisha. “He’d probably love to celebrate his big find.”
Olivia followed her gaze. Why did he have to look so good? Bad enough that he was sexy as hell when he was sweaty and dirty. He was even harder to resist when he was all cleaned up, wearing a light blue chambray shirt that brought out his tan.
Juno approached them. “Greetings, party people.” She whipped out a small silver flask and took a sip.
“Is that booze?” Olivia asked.
“Of course not. It’s cough syrup. For my ticklish throat.” Juno gave an exaggerated cough. “Kidding. His royal grumpiness is not here yet, so I have time to imbibe.” After taking another swig, she tucked it into the pocket of her long peasant skirt. “Lucky for me, tonight’s ensemble has ample pockets.”
Dusty snorted. “Nice. Just don’t get caught.”
At the sound of Rick’s laugh, Olivia snuck another peek at him. Not as discreetly as she’d hoped, since Juno raised her eyebrows.
“Were you scoping out Rick?” she asked. “For a little fun later tonight?”
“What? No!” Olivia gave an emphatic shake of her head. “I need to congratulate him for finding that site. I wanted to tell him sooner, but I was too busy in the lab. That’s all.”
Juno shrugged. “If you like him, then go for it. Like TJ said, when we’re out here, field rules apply. Why not let loose and have a little fun?”
Because my heart can’t take it.
Olivia was saved from further discussion when a cohort of women from the village arrived, bringing bountiful trays of Cypriot specialties—moussaka, kleftiko, stuffed grape leaves, and grilled chicken souvlaki. Her mouth watered at the sight of her favorite appetizers: bowls of tahini and tzatziki with peasant bread, grilled halloumi cheese, spanakopita, fried zucchini, and olives. She’d always preferred appetizers to entrees, and Cypriot appetizers did not disappoint.
Dinner was more fun than she expected. Not only was the food delicious, but everyone was in good spirits. With three weeks of surveying behind them, the field school was at the halfway point. The next three weeks would focus on the excavation unit, which offered a welcome relief from the unpredictable nature of surveying. Instead of hiking through uncharted territory, the students would work at one location for the entire time.
At Olivia’s table, the students took turns sharing their favorite—or least favorite—experiences on the survey. Dr. Roth joined them and told a few tales from his younger days. Even Grant appeared to be enjoying himself. He spent the entire party seated next to Dr. Lidia Bouras, a striking woman who was visiting the field school as a representative from the Department of Antiquities. From the way Grant hovered over her, Olivia couldn’t tell if he was trying to schmooze with her or hoping to win her affection.
After dinner, Stuart gave out the survey awards, Juno’s team performed a humorous song entitled “Somewhere Over the Transect,” and Stuart and Dusty blew everyone away with their rapid-fire version of “The Model of a Modern Archaeologist.” But even as Olivia joined in the teasing and good-natured jokes, her gaze kept wandering over to Rick. He sat with his team at the other table, his laughter so boisterous she couldn’t ignore it.
Clearly, he wasn’t missing her one bit.
When Juno switched the music from traditional Greek tunes to pop, the students held back as if hesitant to let loose. This wasn’t a dark nightclub where they’d have some degree of anonymity but a camp where they lived and worked with each other every day.
“What are you waiting for? This is a party.” Rick stood and gestured for Marisol and Alisha to accompany him. They followed his lead, imitating his exaggerated attempts at Greek dancing. Stuart and Dusty joined in next. Olivia longed to lose herself in the music and have fun. But as she watched Rick, a lump formed in her throat.
