Page 41 of Troy Story
Nope. Not going that route again.
Besides, work was so much easier now that Dr. Hughes didn’t actively hate her. While she still didn’t trust him, she could do her job without being subjected to his constant criticism. And he’d stopped bitching about the Germans, probably because he’d convinced himself Dr. Wagner’s search for a royal archive was a “wild goose chase.” More than once, he’d taken Dusty aside to ask her opinion, whereupon she’d agreed that the German director was wasting his summer digging through an ancient Greek garbage heap.
Did she believe that? Hell, no. Dr. Wagner wasdefinitelyonto something. But she’d never admit it to her boss.
As they drove through an area thick with pine nut trees, Hayat suggested they stop at a local stand selling honey, nuts, and fruit. They bought a few bags of nuts for their snack arsenal and a large jar of honey for their morning tea breaks. When they reached Bergama, they parked in the older part of the city, which looked like a delightful place to explore, filled with narrow, cobbled streets, colorful houses, and small restaurants.
Though the ruins of Pergamon were spread out around the city, the main attraction was the ancient Acropolis, located on a hilltop site that could be reached by car or gondola. Dusty lobbied for the gondola since she loved rides—everything from slow-moving cable cars to death-defying roller coasters. Crowded together in their gondola, Dusty pressed her body close to Stuart’s. The mere act of sitting beside him with their shoulders touching filled her with an unexpected burst of happiness. In the past, she’d always jumped into flings with little buildup. But she loved this feeling of anticipation as their desire for each other grew stronger each day.
Once they reached the Acropolis, they had a breathtaking view of the city below. Even better, Dr. Hughes had opted not to join them due to his aversion to heights. Kerim led them around the major attractions: the Temple of Trajan, with its perfectly preserved columns, the Temple of Athena, and the massive remnants of the city walls. The best feature was the stunning Roman theater, built right into the hillside.
“This is the steepest theater in the ancient world,” Kerim said. “Back when the Romans used it for performances, it could hold over fifteen thousand people. Be careful walking around because it’s easy to get vertigo.”
Case in point, Mort had plunked down on one of the carved stone seats and was wiping his brow. Since Clarissa was busy taking photos of the valley below, Dusty went and sat beside him. “You doing okay?”
“I’m a little dizzy. Not used to heights like this, especially in the heat.”
“The view’s worth it, though. Want me to take your picture?” When he handed Dusty his phone, she backed up and tried to capture the shot but almost careened over a row of seats.
Stuart grabbed her elbow. “Watch your step. It’s a long way down.”
She took a moment to catch her breath. “Thanks. You’d better take it.”
After Stuart handed the phone back to Mort, he gave them an indulgent smile. “You two make a cute couple. Let me take a photo of you.”
Dusty had posed for plenty of pictures with Stuart, but she didn’t have one where they were an actual couple. She placed her arm around his waist and leaned into him. To her surprise, he didn’t check to see if anyone was watching but rested his arm on her shoulders. After Mort sent her the photo, she let out a cry of delight. “This is perfect. Thanks, Mort.”
When they’d finished their tour of the Acropolis, they took the gondola back into the city, where they visited the ruins of the Red Basilica, a monumental building with tall, red-brick walls and arched doorways. Since it had once served as a temple for the worship of Egyptian gods, Dusty took a few photos to send to her mother.
During the last hour of their visit, Kerim suggested they explore the town of Bergama. While most of the group went in search of a coffeehouse, Dusty and Stuart wandered off on their own. Older homes with crumbling facades lined the narrow streets, bringing to mind a bygone era. Dusty loved old neighborhoods like these. Even if archaeology was in her blood, sometimes she preferred exploring cities to tromping through another set of ruins.
When they came upon a quiet side street, she pulled Stuart into the shade and kissed him. All the week’s tension faded away as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back with equal passion. She tasted watermelon on his tongue—from the Jolly Rancher she’d given him on the gondola ride down. For the moment, she wanted to forget the dig and pretend they were nothing more than two lovers enjoying a few stolen moments while on vacation together.
At the sight of an elderly couple, Stuart pulled away but kept hold of her hand. “You okay to drive back? If you’re tired, I can take over.”
“Are you saying that to be nice or because you’re terrified I’ll get into a wreck? I saw you clutching your seat a few times.”
“Only when you got riled up about Hughes. You lost focus there for a minute.”
“Sorry, but he needs to stop with those sexist comments. There’s no excuse for shit like that.” She tugged on his hand. “Come on. Let’s grab some Turkish coffee before we go back. I could use a little caffeine for the drive.”
Stuart nodded but stopped when they passed a store displaying tourist trinkets. “Wait. I have to ask. Were you disappointed in me?”
Dusty picked up a key chain bearing a large blue glass bead, meant to ward off the evil eye. She’d seen different versions of these beads all over Turkey. “What do you mean?”
“During the drive, when Hayat asked me to talk to Hughes, I felt like I let you down.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.” She set the key chain back on the spinner rack. “I’m not the one with all the responsibility.”
“Don’t bullshit me. I saw the way your hands tensed around the steering wheel.”
Trust Stuart to see right through her. “Only because that asshole ahead of me was barely going the speed limit. But yeah, I was a little disappointed. I get that Kerim doesn’t want to rock the boat, and I know you’re trying to be careful, but Hayat shouldn’t be stuck with Hughes for the rest of the season. Can’t all of us rotate through his trench?”
Stuart did that pensive thing where his brow furrowed, but he wasn’t angry. Just thinking. Then he smiled. “That’s a good idea. I could ask Hughes to rotate all the students but frame it positively. Like everyone should get the chance to dig in this new trench in case it leads us to the cemetery. Then it wouldn’t look like I was playing favorites.”
“You see? That’s better than doing nothing, and you can suggest it in a way that flatters his ego.”
He grinned at her. “How are you so smart?”
