“Deal.”
And I don’t know what Ethan thinks, but the next half hour seems more like a twenty than a fifteen to me.
Before anyone stirs, I get dressed, creep out of Ethan’s room and back up onto the middle deck, where I lay down on the deck cushions and pull a rug over me. I’m so exhausted from the excitement of the find, and my time with Ethan, that I fall into a deep sleep. Anyone who finds me will no doubt assume I’ve slept there all night. I hope.
Anyone but Riley.
“Where did you spend the night?” she asks, eyes narrowed.
I sit up. Groggy because I can’t have had more than an hour of sleep.
“Oh, I must’ve fallen asleep here. I was too wired to go to bed. So I stayed up watching the moonlight on the river.”
“Hmm. Or so you’d like us all to think.”
She can’t possibly know anything. There was nobody around. She’d been in bed for hours by the time we snuck into Ethan’s cabin. And we were very quiet. But a cold weight settles in my belly. Ethan is right. We can’t keep this a secret much longer. And I don’t want to. But we have to stay the course till the end of the dig at least.
I try and arrange my face into disinterest.
“I really don’t care what you think, Riley.”
I’m saved from further discussion by the sounds of stirring from the back deck. One by one, the Cambridge boys stagger down the short staircase to the middle deck. I can’t tell whether they’re still pale from Egyptian belly or the partying. Either way, they all look pretty rough.
“Anyway, I might go and have a shower. Wash off the dust from yesterday’s dig.” And the smell of sex and Ethan’s aftershave. Because if anyone gets too close, they’ll know exactly what I’ve been up to.
By the time I come back on deck, the argument about going to Asyut has been had and we are already motoring towards the town. I’m disappointed. I wanted to spend all weekend gazing at my find. But it will still be there when we get back on Sunday. It’s probably also a good thing to have a distraction from Ethan for the next couple of days.
Asyut is a slightly larger town than El Minya, and there's plenty to keep us occupied. Ethan wisely splits us into two groups, andI go with Ashraf and two of the Cambridge boys to check out the hill tombs about an hour out of town. Riley says she needs to email her family so wants to find an internet café, because the wi-fi on the boat is pretty dodgy. Then Ethan is going to take them to the Coptic sites in the city.
We arrive back at the boat much later than we expect. Since everyone is still feeling a little fragile from the Egyptian belly and the partying of last night, we pull together and make our own dinner from what we find in the fridge rather than go out. Much to Riley’s disappointment. It’s amazing how she suddenly feels well now that we’re away from the dig site.
On Saturday, Ashraf has arranged for us to visit some local craftsmen, including a potter and a rug factory. Ethan stays on the boat to catch up on his dig notes, and as much as I miss his company, it’s nice not to have him there, hijacking my thoughts at every opportunity.
We arrive back at the boat, relaxed and laughing, to a tense, white-faced Ethan. My stomach does a double roll because everyone looks confused, with the exception of Riley. Who looks smug.
Without a word Ethan takes Ashraf back down the gangplank, and they disappear down the road.
“Wonder what that’s about?” Simon helps himself to the tea and one of the steaming hand cloths Marwa has left on the table on deck.
“Hmm, yes. Iwonder.” Riley’s tone is so arch everyone looks at her. While she looks expectantly at me. A wash of cold runs down my spine.
A cold that turns to ice when Ethan returns.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Ethan
Icould barely breathe as I read the email from Jennifer.
After the students left this morning, I headed to a local hotel to use their business centre. The email was short and to the point. A complaint had been made against me, which included claims of negligence, favouritism, and a report of inappropriate conduct between Sadie and me. Sadie was to return to Sydney immediately. I was to remain and complete the dig. We’d discuss my situation on my return.
Fuck. How the hell do I tell Sadie? One night. I had one fucking night when she trusted me. Allowed me in. And now this. I should’ve sent Riley home. At the first sign of tension between them, I should’ve packed her up and sent her home. Her father’s donations be damned.
How many times am I going to let the women I love down before I learn?
And there we have it. I love Sadie. I’ve been in love with her for weeks. I should’ve told her the other night. Because I sure as shit can’t tell her now.
I’ve practically worn a track in the deck waiting for them to get back. When they arrive, all I need to do is tip my head for Ashraf to follow me down the gangplank.
