Page 83 of Digging Up Love
Bunching her dress in her fists, Alisha swallowed. “I hadn’t given it much thought, actually. Not until recently.”
She hadn’t admitted that to herself yet, and now she was spilling it aloud—to his mother, of all people? But Isabel’s face relaxed, and she turned back to the stove. Just then Quentin strode in, his heather-gray tee hugging his chest, legs long in fitted olive shorts. He towered over his mom by nearly a foot, but he stooped down to plant a kiss on the top of her head.
“Mmm, sopapillas!” He rubbed his palms together, eyes alight. “Alisha, Ma must like you a lot. I haven’t gotten these in almost a year!”
Isabel swatted at him with the spatula before using it to flip the puffy piece of dough. “I’m only making these because they’re Lily’s and Lauryn’s favorite.”
Hands cupped to his jaw, Quentin mouthed, “She likes you.” Then he walked over and slipped an arm around Alisha’s waist, tugging her close. She couldn’t say she minded the PDA, not one bit. She felt affirmed, welcomed.
Despite Isabel’s pointed questions, his whole family swallowed her up just like Quentin’s comforting embrace. Dinner had been filled with overlapping chatter and good-natured ribbing, something Alisha missed. Ever since Simone had left for college, things at the farmhouse had been too quiet. The noise and energy in this house were contagious.And the love swirling through his parents’ home? Familiar, and every bit as welcome.
But thinking the l-word with Quentin’s arms around her had sent her into a tailspin. She flailed around for something to say. “So did you see Quentin on the news the other day?”
“News?” Reggie entered the kitchen, and Quentin’s arm tensed around her. He hadn’t told them? His dad frowned at her, and Isabel tipped a golden-brown sopapilla onto a paper towel–lined plate, then turned, hands on her hips, to give Alisha her full attention.Uh-oh.
“Um, yeah.” She glanced up at Quentin. A muscle in his jaw clenched, and worry shot through her limbs. “He and the other paleontologists were interviewed by a news crew about the find. It’s pretty—” Reggie crossed his big arms, and she gulped. “It’s pretty historic.”
“Historic? More likeprehistoric.” Hector walked in, snickering.
Oh gosh, Hector too? He joined his father at the doorjamb, and shoulder to bulky shoulder, the two men blocked out all light from the front room. The kitchen went dead silent.
Was it hot in here? Just the stove, right? Not because she’d somehow outed Quentin to his family. How did they not know this?
Reggie’s gaze flicked from her to his son. “You mean to say the dig you’re working on downstate is a big deal?” His voice rolled out like a freight train, and she wished she could see Quentin’s reaction.
“No, not really a big deal.” He spoke without emotion, but he gripped her tighter, as if for support. His shirt rucked up as he raised a too-casual shoulder. “Just unique.”
No way could she let him downplay his achievement.
“It actuallyisa big deal.” Addressing them from the shelter of his body gave her courage. He’d supported her dreams; she could do the same for his. “You guys do know there’s never been a dinosaur discovered in Illinois, right?”
Isabel stared back at her, face impassive.
“Really? He hasn’t told you?”
He let go of her then and stepped away, waving a hand to dismiss the magnitude. “There hasn’t been. But we always thought there might be. Not a total shock.”
Reggie was squinting now, pinning her under his iron gaze.
Hector spoke up. “Lemme get this straight. My little brother discovered the first-ever dinosaur bones in the whole state, on your land.” He pointed at Alisha, and she nodded. “And he’s now world famous. And we, his family, are the last to hear about it?”
Oh gosh. She hoped that was a rhetorical question. Quentin’s jaw bunched, and her pulse skyrocketed straight up through the popcorn ceiling.
“Well, it’s no cancer cure, but I guess my youngest son has finally done something right. ’Bout time!” Reggie punctuated this bizarre declaration by tugging his son in for a half hug, but Quentin’s back was ramrod straight, his triceps tensed and rigid.
Hector pulled his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans. “Which news outlet ran the story?” he asked, typing with his thumbs.
“Um, all of them?” Alisha spoke quietly. Isabel’s eyebrows disappeared into her wispy salt-and-pepper bangs.
A hiss and pop sounded from the hot oil. Alisha’s nostrils flared, catching the acrid smell of burnt dough. The smoke alarm sounded, and the kitchen descended into chaos.
A while later, Alisha and Quentin stood out on the empty sidewalk in front of the house.
“I’m so sorry, Quentin. I had no idea your family didn’t know about the dig.”
“It’s not your fault.” He paced a few steps away, then swung around. “And my familydidknow about the dig, but I told them itwas regular summer fieldwork. I didn’t think they’d understand the significance.”
“Of the only dinosaur discovered in the whole state, ever?” Anyone would understand the importance. His reasoning didn’t add up.
