Page 105 of Digging Up Love
Quentin grinned at that, shaking his head.
Somewhere down the hall, behind the closed door, a conversation started up. His dad continued, voice pitched low. “I guess what it comes down to is, I never understood your interest in dinosaurs. Ancient monsters? What’s to be gained from studying them? But I’ve been a fool. Doesn’t matter whether I understand or not. It doesn’tmatter if this”—he gestured around the cramped office—“is what I would’ve picked for my son. It’s not my life, Q. It’s yours.”
Quentin’s breathing picked up, and Dad brushed a finger under his nose, pressed a thumb to the corner of his eye. “Now I see you’re exactly where you need to be, changing the world. I’m sorry I stood in your way for so long, Quentin. Will you forgive me?”
Tears in his eyes matching his father’s, Quentin nodded.
“Now, about this nonsense about you being suspended—”
Another knock sounded on the door, and before Quentin could say anything, Tre poked his head in. “Oh ... hi, Mr.Harris.” His eyebrows shot up, and he sent Quentin a totally obvious wide-eyed look of amazement. “Sorry, Q, didn’t realize you had a visitor.”
“It’s fine, Tre.” Reggie leveraged himself out of the low seat. “I was just leaving.”
“Why not stay and celebrate?”
“Celebrate?” The Harris men spoke in unison, voices rusty.
Tre grinned. “Check your email. Word is, Lawrence met with Alisha yesterday.”
“Alisha?” Here? Talking to Lawrence? But Alisha didn’t confront people, not even her own family. No way she’d schedule a meeting with the chair of his department.
But Tre nodded. “That’s what I hear. Just got off the phone with Bridget. Apparently she’s been trying to reach you all morning.”
Yeah, his phone was persona non grata right now, along with the entire internet. After signing into his laptop, he navigated straight to his inbox. One new message, from Lawrence.
His finger hovered over the mouse. Tre could be wrong. This could be the final blow, terminating his employment with the university and tanking his career. In front of his best friend. In front of hisfather.
He closed one eye. Clicked open the email. And let out a whoop.
“I’m reinstated! Cleared to go back to Hawksburg and finish out the season.”
Alisha.She’d saved him. Spoken up when he needed her most. But how?
Leaning against the doorframe, Tre pushed up his glasses, a lopsided grin on his face. “Looks like your farm woman went to bat for you after all.”
CHAPTER 40
ALISHA
Alisha got out of the car and stretched, muscles tight after the long drive, but Simone jumped out and slammed her door, lithe and limber. She caught Alisha’s eye with a shrug. “Yoga. You should try it, old woman.”
“If your sister’s old, what am I?” Granny, red faced and sweaty under her sun hat, walked over from spreading mulch in the garden and squeezed them both in a hug.
“Well preserved.” Simone grinned and stooped to plant a kiss on her grandma’s cheek.
Tilting up the brim of her hat, Granny raised her brows, swinging her eyes toward Simone in a silent question, and Alisha nodded. “I told her.”
Simone stepped back and crossed her arms. “And I still can’t believe I’m not the first to hear. But I’m glad you’re okay with it, Gran.”
“Okay with what?” Wayne walked around from the side yard, rubbing a hankie over his brow. He planted a kiss on Simone’s forehead. “What’d I miss? Other than a heads-up Sim was coming to town.”
She could do this. Speak up. “Actually, Grandpa, I was hoping to call a family meeting.”
“What? No.” Simone raised her arms in an X in front of her face. “A family meeting was not part of the plan, Al.”
But Wayne grinned. “Lemme fetch the pyrite, and I’ll meet you ladies out on the back porch.”
“This is beyond cheesy.” Simone slouched down in her chair, pouting like a preteen.
