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“Yeah?”
“You will see me tomorrow because I’m going to ask for that date again.”
She was so still he wondered if she’d become a statue. When she did move, it was to walk toward the couch. She rested her hands on the back of it then leaned forward to drop the softest kiss on his cheek. Pausing for a moment, she squeezed his arm then backed toward the door.
“You know where to find me, Jackson.”
And then she was gone and he flopped his head back, staring at the spinning pine boards that made up the ceiling.
Ugh.
He needed aspirin, water, and a whole lot of sleep if he was going to be capable of finding Isabel tomorrow. Plus, he still had that funding to acquire. He needed a clear head to negotiate with potential donors, especially because they weren’t of a mind to part with their money so easily. Maybe it was time to look into officially hooking up with a college or museum. He’d avoided doing that so far. Being tied to one institution didn’t appeal to him.
Not doing any archaeological work didn’t appeal to him either so...
Jackson got to his feet. Now was not the time to entertain such heavy thoughts. It was time for a shower. His phone buzzing on the coffee table, however, delayed that plan.
He picked it up and Christian’s name flashed on the screen.
“Haven’t we had enough of each other for one day?” he asked by way of answering the call.
“You know there’s no such thing as enough of me,” Christian said. “Ask Nicole.”
“Biased company. Not a reliable poll sample.” Jackson made his way to the kitchen, only bumping into two or three things on his way. “What do you want? Did I mistakenly leave a million-dollar birthday gift at the farm?” And wouldn’t that have been the best gift ever. More than enough to get him back to Brazil.
“No million dollars and it was your idea to not have people bring gifts,” Christian said. “They wanted to.”
“I know, I know.” He filled a glass with water. “Hey, don’t tell Isabel I didn’t want any presents, okay?”
“She was at the party, dude. She saw you not opening presents.”
“Shit.” He gulped some water then fished around in a cupboard for the aspirin.
“Why?”
“I may have convinced her to go on a date with me as a birthday gift because she didn’t have one for me today.”
Christian let out a whoop that echoed painfully inside Jackson’s skull. “Slick, little bro. Slick. Maybe I have taught you a thing or two. Did she say she’d go on a date?”
“She said I was drunk and had to ask her again tomorrow if I was truly serious.”
“And you are truly serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Another hoot rattled Jackson’s brain and he held the phone away from his ear. “Man, lower the volume. Drunk guy over here.”
“Sorry, but I’m excited for you,” Christian said, his voice a few decibels softer. “Seeing you two together again was as if no time had passed. It looked... it looked right.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Jackson said, more as a warning to himself than to his brother. “She hasn’t agreed to a date yet.”
“Dude, you had a date today. She just doesn’t realize it yet.”
Jackson paused with the glass of water halfway to his mouth. He supposed Christian was right. He and Isabel had spent an entire afternoon together at a party. A party they’d arrived at together and had left together.
“I blew your giant, inebriated brain, didn’t I, nerd?” Christian laughed, fortunately at a more hushed volume. “I’ll talk to you later, man.”
“Wait. Why did you call?”
