Field Rules, page 25
“Me, too. Athens would have been a blast.” He got up, taking his guitar with him.
She watched him go, feeling more miserable than ever.
She’d won him a victory. But not getting to celebrate with him was the worst feeling of all.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Though Rick was grateful Olivia had helped clear his name, it didn’t change anything between them. The damage had been done. Not only had she dumped him when he was at his lowest, but she also considered him so unworthy that she didn’t even want to spend her last week of field school with him.
He set his guitar on his cot and strode away from camp, wanting to put some space between himself and Olivia. When his phone buzzed, he removed it from his pocket grudgingly.
Dr. Roth had texted him. We should chat. How about a drink at Spyros?
Despite his sullen mood, Rick wasn’t about to turn down an invitation from his boss. Sure. Be there in ten minutes.
By the time he reached the restaurant, he’d calmed down a little. Dr. Roth was seated at a table on the patio, drinking a beer. Rick joined him and ordered one for himself, but he was unsure of how to start. Should he apologize for lying about the gate? Bring up the Grant issue?
Fortunately, Dr. Roth took the lead. “How are you doing?”
Heartbroken, but I’ll survive.
Rick managed a weak smile. “Better, now that Marisol came to you and confessed.” He looked up as the server set down his beer. “Thanks, Kostas.”
“No problem, Mister Rick,” the boy said. “Nice and cold, the way you like it.”
Dr. Roth waited a minute before speaking. “Why’d you do it?”
“Cover for Marisol, you mean?” Rick asked.
“Yes. You put your reputation on the line for a student you’ve known for all of five weeks. Why bother?”
Rick took a pull of his beer. The cool, refreshing ale went down so easily he could have drained it in a few swallows, but he needed to pace himself. “What I did wasn’t just about her. It was about every student who’s been intimidated or felt like they weren’t good enough. I didn’t want her to leave this field school feeling like she’d failed, just because she made a mistake.”
Like Olivia, back at Clear Lake.
“That’s a noble gesture, but what about you? What about your future? And don’t say it doesn’t matter because we both know that’s not true. What do you want?”
Rather than make up some bullshit about considering a graduate degree, Rick opted for the truth. “Honestly? To keep doing fieldwork until I’m too old to lift a shovel. Either here in the Mediterranean or back in the States. My plans might change at some point, but for now, I feel like that’s enough.”
His shoulders tightened as he waited for a response, hoping Dr. Roth wouldn’t think less of him for not going the full academic route.
But the professor merely shrugged. “It’s more than enough. If you wanted to get a doctorate, I’d tell you to go for it, but I sense your heart wouldn’t be in it.” He gave a rueful smile. “Besides, academia has its own burdens. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone unless they’re sure it’s the path they want.”
Rick might have wanted it when he was nineteen, but his life had followed a different course. It was time he started respecting himself for the choices he’d made. “Thanks. I appreciate your take on things.” He cleared his throat. “Given the job I’ve done this summer, I’d also appreciate it if you could recommend me to your colleague in California. I have a lot to offer.”
“Indeed you do. Can I ask you, though—what really happened at Palaikastro? From what I’ve seen, you’re not the type to go on a drunken bender and show up for work hungover.”
An unexpected laugh broke free of Rick’s throat. “You’re right. I’ve never done any of that—not when I was on the clock. My only mistake was chasing after the wrong woman and pissing off her father.”
Dr. Roth chuckled. “Ah yes, I can relate. I’ve been there myself.”
I’m sure you have.
“I’d like to help you out however I can,” the professor said. “So, I tell you what—not only will I call my colleague, but I’ll also write you a letter of reference for any job you’d like to pursue in the future. Finding someone with your integrity is rare indeed.”
His words boosted Rick’s confidence even further. “Thanks. For what it’s worth, I’d jump at the chance to work with you again.”
“I’d be glad to have you on board. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Grant. Olivia and Marisol told me he’s been bullying the students. But when I spoke to him about it just now, he claimed the two women were overreacting.”
Rick frowned. “They were being honest. Grant’s attitude has been toxic from day one. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it up sooner.”
“Don’t apologize. I should have paid more attention. I’d like to meet with the students and get their feedback—maybe one night after dinner. They deserve to be heard.”
“Great idea. But what about Grant?”
Dr. Roth rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s a tough call. He hasn’t had the easiest path. Have you ever met his father?”
“Dusty told me about him—some academic big shot at Princeton?”
“He’s a brilliant scholar. Fluent in six languages. A huge name in the Classical world. And—if you’ll pardon my French—a complete asshole.”
The professor’s unexpected profanity made Rick laugh so hard he almost spit out his beer. “Really?”
“Trust me. I had the misfortune to take a couple of his classes when he was a visiting lecturer. The man could bring a student to tears with a few well-placed words. Following in his footsteps couldn’t be easy.”
Rick nodded. “I got that impression. My dad’s not much better. He kicked me out four years ago, after I dropped out of law school. At the time, it hurt like hell.”
“I’m sorry to hear it. But you still turned out to be a decent human being. Someone who treats students with respect and patience. Grant—not so much.”
Rick didn’t want to feel sorry for Grant—not after everything he’d done. But he couldn’t hate the guy either. Anyone that toxic had to be dealing with a lot of internal pressure. “Maybe you could try talking to him again? Not that he deserves another chance, but if he doesn’t change, he’s not going to have much of a future.”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” He smiled at Rick. “Now tell me about this law school business. I have to say I’m very intrigued.”
Now that he was back in Dr. Roth’s good graces, Rick was given another chance to take his survey team—TJ, Alisha, Logan, and Marisol—back to their Neolithic site to investigate it further. When Roth suggested it, Rick almost asked if Olivia could join them since he knew she’d love the opportunity. But he was still smarting over the way she’d ended things.
Our lives are headed in different directions. Code for “I’m going places, and you’re not.”
After his talk with Dr. Roth, Rick had no regrets about the path he was on. If Olivia couldn’t respect his choices, then so be it. He didn’t need her.
To be fair, she wasn’t the only one who’d fucked up. Instead of telling her about Turkey sooner, he’d thrown it at her when she was already upset. Even then, he could have smoothed things over by admitting he cared about her. He should have told her he’d struggled with his decision to stay in the Mediterranean. Not because of his family, but because he didn’t want to lose her. But when she accused him of wasting his life, his walls went up, and he pushed her away.
They’d barely spoken since. Yet another reason he was grateful that he didn’t have to spend the day excavating at the House of Heracles. He and his team had been digging at the Neolithic site since early morning, but he’d been so immersed he hadn’t noticed the time passing. He straightened up, his body stiff from crouching for so long, and walked over to the pit where Alisha and Marisol were working.
“Time for lunch,” he called out.
Marisol peered up at him, her face smudged with dirt. “Do we have to stop now? I think Alisha and I found part of a wall. Or maybe a structure. Does that mean our site could be a settlement?”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Hopping down inside their pit, Rick scraped his towel along the row of stones. They were packed too tightly to be a random assortment of rocks. “Yep—you’ve definitely found something. Great job. We’ll need to expand out from this area.”
TJ dropped his sieve and loped over to them. He gazed down at the stones lining the far side of the pit. “Sweet! If we could find a structure, Roth would be pumped. Maybe he’ll mention us in his survey report. I already have a few publications to my name, but I’ll take whatever credit I can get.”
“Of course you will,” Alisha said. “You want to be as famous as Dusty’s parents. Did you know they were on last year’s season of Ancient Histories—Ancient Mysteries? They did six episodes about Ancient Egypt. I have to watch it when I get home.”
“It’s a great show,” TJ said. “Maybe a little dumbed down for the masses but still entertaining. I wouldn’t say no if they asked me to do a guest appearance. Not that I want to go all Hollywood or anything. Gotta keep it real. None of that Indiana Jones bullshit.”
Alisha stood and stretched out her back. “Nothing wrong with Indy. I wouldn’t turn him away from my bed. The young Indy from Raiders of the Lost Ark, not the cranky old guy from that whack movie about the aliens.”
“Yeah, the fourth one really sucked. Aliens? That’s the biggest cop-out of all time.”
While TJ and Alisha continued debating the merits of the Indiana Jones franchise, Rick retrieved the team’s cooler and brought out their lunch—peasant bread, cheese, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, oranges, cookies, and more of the ubiquitous grapes. After everyone had cleaned up with the wipes from the dig bag, they sat together in the shade.
“Rick, are you doing okay?” Marisol said. “Dr. Roth spoke to you, right?”
He was grateful she cared enough to ask. “He did. Thanks for telling him the truth.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t confess right away, but I was afraid of Dr. Nilsson.” Her eyes brimmed with tears, but she swiped at them with the back of her hand. “Olivia gave me the courage to speak up. When we talked to Dr. Roth, he wasn’t even mad. Not at me, anyway. And not at you, either.”
“Thanks. I’m glad it all worked out.” Even as Rick said it, guilt nagged at him.
Olivia had stuck her neck out—not just for Marisol and the other students, but for him as well. If not for her, he wouldn’t have gotten a second chance with Dr. Roth. Had he actually thanked her for what she’d done?
No. He’d been a jerk. Still smarting from the way she’d dumped him, he’d frozen her out and refused to accept her apology.
Alisha’s voice grounded him. “Rick. You still with us?”
He nodded. But as he unwrapped a piece of Laughing Cow cheese, he recalled Olivia joking about it during their trip to the supermarket in Paphos. He pushed the memory away.
TJ popped a handful of grapes into his mouth. “So, Rick, now that we’re almost done here, what’s your next gig? Have you got something lined up?”
Trust TJ to ask if he was thinking ahead. But looking forward was far preferable to brooding over Olivia.
Rick tapped a hard-boiled egg against his knife and started peeling it. “I was considering a couple of options, but I decided to go back to Turkey to work for the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. I’ll be doing a mix of underwater excavation and lab work like I did last fall.”
“That’s so exciting,” Alisha said. “I lived in Istanbul for a year and really liked it. If you visit the city, hit me up for recs. I know some killer restaurants.”
“Just out of curiosity, what was the other choice?” Marisol asked.
“I was thinking about going home to California to see my family,” Rick said. “I haven’t been back in years. I was going to look for work in cultural resource management.” At Marisol’s curious look, he added, “Rescue archaeology—conducting surveys or excavating sites threatened by construction or land development.”
Alisha unpeeled an orange and broke it into segments. She passed a few to Marisol. “Let’s see…uncovering an underwater shipwreck versus digging up the site of a future high-rise. Sounds like you made the right choice.”
“Except if you went back to California, you could be with Olivia,” TJ said. “Isn’t she at UCLA?” At the stunned looks Alisha and Marisol gave him, he clapped his hand over his mouth. “Oh, shit. Forget I said that.”
Marisol giggled. “Seems obvious to me. I’ve seen the way Olivia looks at you.”
“Yep, the girl’s got it bad,” Alisha agreed. “Are you two an item?”
Rick released a tight breath. “We were, but not anymore. It wouldn’t work out in the long run.”
“Why not?” Marisol said. “You’re both archaeologists. You both love what you do. I think it’s so romantic.”
“Yeah, but by next spring, she’ll have her PhD and be looking for teaching jobs. I’ll never be at that level.” Rick’s gaze fell on TJ. “Like you said, it’s all about connections, right? I’m not a very valuable one.”
“Shit, man, I shouldn’t have said that,” TJ said. “I was talking out of my ass. When I saw you at the airport in Larnaca, looking so jacked, I had to compete somehow. Unlike you, I’m not exactly built like a superhero. I don’t have half your experience, either.”
“But you’ve battled scorpions in the desert heat,” Alisha teased.
“Rick’s done more than that,” TJ said. “The guy’s been living without a safety net. That’s super ballsy.” He grabbed the last two cookies from the pack and crumpled up the wrapper.
“You honestly think Olivia cares whether you get a PhD?” Marisol asked. “That might be her dream, but it doesn’t mean she expects you to do the same thing. Unless you want to?”
Even if he’d been stung by Olivia’s words, their argument had forced Rick to think about what he really wanted, as had his conversation with Dr. Roth. “Nope. As much as I like working with students, academia’s not for me. I’d rather be out in the field, but it’s hard to teach without a doctorate. Or a master’s, at least.”
“Maybe you could figure something out,” TJ said. “Like, if you did the rescue archaeology thing, you could teach high school students about it. Run weekend courses where they could learn about preserving our cultural heritage. They won’t care if you’re from an Ivy League school. They’ll just want to hear about all the stuff you’ve done in the field.”
True. A kid fascinated by archaeology would be more impressed by Rick’s adventures than his credentials.
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll consider it, though I’m not sure when I’ll be heading back to California.”
“What about Olivia?” Marisol asked. “Are you just going to let her go? If you really want her, I bet you could make it work. She knows you care about her, right?”
Does she?
When she’d told him it was over, he hadn’t asked if they could talk things out. Instead, he’d let her walk away. He hadn’t even tried to stop her.
“No. I never told her. Because I’m an idiot,” he muttered.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Alisha said. “Most guys are idiots. But it’s not too late to fix this. We’ve got—what—a week left? That’s still time to win her back.”
“Yeah, man,” TJ said. “First rule of rom-coms—it’s never too late for a grand gesture.”
Rick wasn’t sure what a grand gesture entailed, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to ask. Knowing TJ, there was a lengthy story behind it.
Once lunch was over, he and TJ staked out two more test pits. With any luck, they might learn whether the stone feature Alisha and Marisol had uncovered was part of a larger structure, like a wall or a building. Rick secretly hoped they might find the remains of round stone dwellings, like the type seen at Choirokoitia, a well-known Neolithic settlement located an hour east of them. Discovering a similar site would be a huge accomplishment.
As his team continued working, he watched them with pride. Despite the dust and heat of the day, they were just as invested as if they’d uncovered a Pharaoh’s tomb. What had started as a chance find—a handful of stone tools—might turn out to be a seven-thousand-year-old settlement. This was the part of archaeology he loved—being at the forefront of new discoveries and sharing his excitement with the students.
A twinge of sadness pinched his heart as he imagined how much Olivia would have enjoyed being here with him.
For the rest of the day, he couldn’t get her off his mind. She’d risked a lot when she’d gone to Dr. Roth. She’d had the courage to speak up against Grant, regardless of the repercussions. And she hadn’t done it to get ahead. All she’d wanted to do was help the students.
But Rick had shut her out. He’d been so defensive about graduate school that he’d forced her hand. Then he’d put up walls so high she couldn’t get in.
Could he risk lowering them? Could he try to win her back?
The only way to do it was by being completely honest. He needed to tell her how he felt.
Battling scorpions in the desert heat might be easier.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Seated on the balcony of Sofia’s apartment, Olivia watched the sun make its descent, painting the sky with a rose-gold glow. Sipping her wine, she released a contented sigh, thankful for an evening out. Her day had gotten off to a rough start at breakfast when Rick had announced that his team would be digging at the Neolithic site they’d found during the survey. When Rick had locked eyes with her, she could have sworn his expression softened. For a tantalizing moment, she thought he might ask her to join them.
But if he’d felt a connection, he hadn’t acted on it. Instead, he rounded up his team and left. Olivia went about her normal duties at the excavation site while trying to ignore the growing ache in her heart. When Sofia had texted her with an invitation for a girls’ night in, she jumped at the chance and brought Dusty with her.
