Page 67 of Troy Story
Once they were backat the field house, Dusty washed up for lunch. Before heading outside with the others, she stopped by her room, plopped down on her bed, and booted up her laptop.
Emilia popped her head in. “Coming to eat?”
“In a minute. I need to check my Harvard email account. I still haven’t heard from my adviser.” Last week, Dusty had emailed her to announce that she was dropping out of grad school, only to get an out-of-office auto-reply. Frustrating, to be sure. Now that she’d made her decision, she wanted to file the paperwork as soon as possible.
“Didn’t you say she was in Greece?”
“Yeah, but I was hoping she’d check her email while she’s there. If she’s going to be mad at me, I want to get it over with.”
Emilia sat on her bed and unlaced her hiking boots. “She won’t be mad. If anything, she’ll be relieved she doesn’t have to deal with you.”
“I’m notthatbad.”
“No, but you weren’t exactly a model doctoral student, what with cycling through six different dissertation topics.”
“It was only five. But you’re right. That’s why I want her to reassure me she’s not angry.” As she was scrolling through her inbox, she paused at a new message.
Emilia tossed her boots on the floor and grabbed a worn pair of flip-flops. “Let’s go. I think we’re having kofte today, and you know how much I love those yummy little meatballs.”
“Hang on.” Dusty scanned the message, her excitement growing as she read it. “I got a job offer. From Professor Biancuzzo at the University of Parma.”
“Sweet. Have you worked for her before?”
“Three years ago. In Italy. She’s leading a dig in Sardinia this fall and needs an illustrator. I’m touched she remembered me.” Dusty took pride in getting offers based on her own merit rather than on her parents’ connections. To her, it was proof that she’d made a solid name for herself and that she didn’t need a PhD to succeed.
“You probably did a kick-ass job. Have you ever been to Sardinia?”
“No, but I’ve always wanted to visit. You’ve dug there, right?”
“Yep. Two years ago. The island’s famous for these mysterious stone towers called nuraghi, which are from the Bronze Age. That’s what I was working on.” Emilia leaned back on her hands and let out a wistful sigh. “I’d give anything to go back. When does the job start?”
“September fifth. I’d have a week to get there after Istanbul. But…”
“But what? Now that you’re not tied to grad school, you don’t have to go back to Boston. You could go anywhere.”
She could. A gig in Sardinia would mean breathtaking beaches, delicious food, and new experiences. She’d get paid, brush up on her Italian, and eat her weight in pasta. If she accepted the offer, she could also delay finding a real job until after Thanksgiving. Saying yes should have been a no-brainer.
But it wasn’t what she wanted.
“What’s the issue?” Emilia asked.
Dusty looked down, unable to meet her friend’s eyes. Why was it so hard for her to admit that she wanted a little stability in her life? “I…kind of want to go back to Boston.”
“Because of Stuart?”
She nodded, her heart torn. In the past, she hadn’t allowed anyone to tie her down. But Stuart wasn’t just anyone. He was the guy she’d loved for years. “I want us to stay together. Like, be a couple and everything.”
“Nothing wrong with that. If I met the right person, I could see doing the same thing.”
“It’s not just Stuart. Thanks to Mort, I have a shot at illustrating children’s books. I’d also like to spend more time with my dad. Does that sound too boring?”
“Honestly? It sounds great. I’m sure Stuart would love it if you stayed in Boston.”
Though he hadn’t said as much, Dusty knew how his mind worked. Just last week, he’d mentioned Boston three times, suggesting things they could do together and restaurants he wanted to try. Sardinia might be an amazing adventure, but she’d been on amazing digs all over the world. For once, the thought of being with the man she loved, in a city that felt like home, was the most exciting option of all.
* * *
At lunch,Stuart listened with the others as Dusty shared the news of Leo’s discovery. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but he suspected the fragment was part of an incised tablet. The implications were so exciting that he wasn’t even jealous the piece had come from the Germans’ site.
