Page 27 of Pinch
“It belonged to one of the microbiology professors. He retired, and I guess he just donated it to the lab. Or he forgot it.”
“How could you forget something like this?” I put my hand around the arm to try and lift it, but I give up pretty quick.
It feels like it weighs fifty pounds, and I don’t want to drop it.More for Maverick to carry.
“Take it.” He stops to give me a hug. “I’m heading out. Good luck with everything, Hads. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again.”
Lucas got a job with NASA, which means the chances of us working together are slim, but I don’t see the need to point that out.
“Thanks so much for all of this. I’ll put it all to good use.”
He gives me a wave, and I stand back, surveying the large flatscreen, the microscope, and the file cabinet. I pull out the drawers, reconsidering my rejection. Everything I do is stored on my computer now, and we don’t have any hard copies in the lab.
“Still, it’s a neat old relic…” I muse as a light tapping on the door draws my attention. “Gavin!”
“Hey,” He stands to his full height, putting his hands in his pockets. “Mav said you needed help moving some stuff?”
“He was supposed to help me.”
“He had to do some publicity stills, so he sent me instead. I hope that’s okay?” He grins lightly, raking his fingers through the dark scruff on his square jaw. “You might not realize it, but your cousin’s pretty famous.”
“I realize it. He’s on the billboard outside the arena.”
The side of his mouth curls upward, and my lips twist. I don’t ask him what they did last night. Gigi and I always go home after the games, but the guys like to go out for drinks and whatever else they do.
Mav says he’s way too amped up to sleep after they play, but whether Gavin was with purple sweater is none of my business, even if he does look like he didn’t get much sleep.
Blinking my wandering thoughts away, I gesture to the items on the lab table beside the microscope. “It’s just these things. I think the two of us can make it in one trip.”
“Let me see.” He walks over to test the weight of the monitor, the microscope. The gray tee he’s wearing can barely contain his broad shoulders and rounded biceps.
Which is good, since I need someone strong to help me move this equipment.
“Is this stuff expensive?” he asks, and I nod. “I don’t mind making two trips.”
“I can at least show you the way.” He scoops up the microscope easily, reminding me how easily he caught me falling off the float… and tripping on my walk.Good grief. “How did you find me?”
“A guy in your room said you were down here.”
“That must’ve been Timothy.” I remember my plan to drag Maverick with us to have drinks, so Timothy wouldn’t get the wrong idea.
I guess I can drag Gavin.
We enter the open lab space, and I notice my fellow grad student behind a computer. His eyes lift to us as we enter and promptly narrow.
“Over here.” I lead Gav to my work space, where he puts the items on the table beside a monitor showing the direction of wind currents over the ocean.
Straightening, he surveys the stuff on my desk, my iPad, the notes I’ve made on a map of the Pacific, the calendars with dates and storm seasons highlighted.
“This is really high-tech.” His blue eyes land on mine, and I squirm a little under his gaze. Then he nods to the wall behind me. “What’s that about?”
I look over my shoulder at the “Women in STEM” poster. “That’s Heddy Lamar, Natalie Portman…”
“I recognized Queen Amidala.”
“They’re famous actresses who were also scientists.” We take a step closer, so he can read the captions.
“Invented a simple method to demonstrate the enzymatic production of hydrogen from sugar.” His brows lift, and he tilts his head. “Sounds like you’ve got competition.”
