Page 3 of Troy Story
“Says the woman who’s sitting in her parents’ apartment on a child-size bed.”
“First of all, child-size fits me perfectly since I’m not a six-foot-tall giant like you. Second, why wouldn’t I stay here? This little room isn’t much, but it’s the one place I can call home in this corner of the world.” The wall facing her bed held a trio of bulletin boards, where she’d pinned dozens of drawings, photos, and postcards. The sight of them always improved her mood. “Anyway. Iamcoming. I can’t wait to spend the summer digging at Troy with you. I’m flying to Istanbul, then taking the bus to Çanakkale. I figured I’d come a day early so we’d have time to catch up. Any chance you could get me at the bus station?”
“I’ll give it my best shot.” He flashed her an affectionate smile. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re going to be there.”
“Really?” Her heart did a skip-jump. Was he thinking the same thing she was? That this might be their chance to take their friendship to the next level?
“Yeah. This dig’s going to be stressful, but having you around will make a big difference. You’re such a great friend.”
A friend.
That was all she’d ever been.
But maybe this summer, that could change.
CHAPTERTWO
Talking with Dusty was the boost Stuart Carlson needed, and not just because of her unabashed enthusiasm. Even though they were seven thousand miles apart, her presence on his laptop screen was so vivid he felt like she was in the same room with him. As always, he found her completely irresistible, with her impish smile, expressive hazel eyes, and hair that had seen every color of the rainbow. She might have been a foot shorter than him, but she was more fearless than he would ever be. If he could choose anyone in the world to have his back, it would be her.
And right now, he needed all the support he could get.
He’d always been prone to anxiety, but the past month had raised his stress levels to new heights. On the one hand, he was immensely grateful he’d landed a teaching job at the University of Boston. Most students with a newly minted PhD in Classical Archaeology weren’t so lucky. But he’d expected to have the entire summer to get ready—to pack up his apartment in San Diego, prepare for his classes, and move across the country. Instead, he’d had to rearrange his entire schedule when the chair of the Classics Department, Dr. Valeria Fiorelli, had asked him to start the job three months early so he could assist with the university’s excavations at Troy.
Not that he was complaining. Working at a legendary site like Troy was one of the reasons he’d gotten into archaeology. The more he read about recent discoveries at the hilltop site, the more his excitement grew. But the job also came with a staggering amount of baggage.
When Dusty disappeared from his screen, he startled, wondering if she’d wandered off, but her face reappeared a minute later.
Grinning, she saluted him with a bottle of beer. “Sorry, I needed something stronger than water. Before I forget, Mom sends her congratulations. She’s impressed you landed a tenure-track position, right out of the gate. I know you were hoping to score the assistant professor spot at UC Santa Barbara, but I think Boston’s a better fit.”
“I only wanted the Santa Barbara job because of Shelby. She was adamant that I find a post in California. But when I didn’t get it…well, that was the beginning of the end for us.” He winced inwardly, remembering her furor when he’d told her the news. “I’m glad Olivia was offered the position instead.”
If anyone else had beat him out, he might have been resentful, but he had nothing but respect for his colleague Olivia Sanchez, who was not just a brilliant scholar but one of his closest friends.
“Olivia was thrilled when she told me,” Dusty said. “The location’s perfect for her since she and Rick both have family in California. But trust me, you’re going to love Boston. It’s filled with amazing universities, great museums, and tons of incredible restaurants.”
“And you’ll be there, right?”
“Indeed, I will, by order of my mother. Once you’re settled, I’m taking you to Gourmet Dumpling House. Best dumplings in the city. And we have to go to the North End for Italian food and pastries.” She gave an audible shiver. “It’s going to be so much fun.”
“I can’t wait.” Despite the frantic nature of his move, he was looking forward to starting fresh in Boston. Not only would he put some much-needed distance between himself and Shelby, but he’d also get to spend more time with Dusty.
“Back to this Troy gig.” She leaned closer to the screen, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Again, mega impressive. But I’m guessing there’s more to the story. How’d you score the assistant director spot? Technically, you’re not even working for the university yet.”
“I am now. This is just between us, but the whole situation is kind of messed up. How much do you know about the American excavations at Troy?”
“Not that much. I’m familiar with the history of the site, and I watched a show about it on the Discovery Channel last week, but I don’t know all the dirt. Get it—dirt?”
A terrible joke, but it made him smile. “Nice. Well, starting in the ’90s, the University of Boston led a series of digs there. The guy running the project was Professor Rutherford Hughes. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
Dusty’s eyes widened. “Yeah. He was a big deal back in the day. Wrote a couple of books about Troy, did the lecture circuit. But then he dropped off the map. Is he still teaching at Boston?”
“He is, but…” Stuart swallowed as he recalled what he’d learned from Dr. Fiorelli. “His reputation isn’t what it used to be. Ten years ago, during a summer season at Troy, he got into a dispute with the German archaeologists working there. I don’t know what happened, but the Turkish Ministry of Culture got involved and revoked the University of Boston’s excavation permit. They haven’t been back there since.”
“Not for ten years?That’s harsh.”
The severity of the sentence had shocked Stuart.Ten years. Whatever Dr. Hughes had done, it must have been bad.
“It was a huge blow, but they worked out a new agreement this spring,” he said. “I’m not sure if money changed hands, but we got permission to go back. But then, the woman who was supposed to serve as Hughes’ assistant turned down the job. They had a big falling-out, to the point where she called him a ‘sexist asshole’ and swore she’d never work with him again.”
