The Five-Day Dig by Jennifer Malin Read Free Book Online Page B

room, if not a full-fledged temple. The project will be a boon for your dissertation. You do want to do it – right?”
    He looked stunned. “Bloody oath.”
    “I thought you would.” Letting out a sigh of relief, she started up the car. “The dig is in ten days. We get a small stipend and lodging during the filming. I’m not sure if I can get us funds from Growden to cover expenses to stay here until then, but don’t worry about it. We’ll work something out.”
    “If I have to, I can go home to Blighty while we’re waiting.” He shook his head. “I’m absolutely floored. I thought I did well scoring a date with Enza Rentino. I can’t believe you got us spots on ‘The Dig.’ ”
    Again, she felt that twinge of possessiveness. His dating Enza would be good, she pointed out to herself –one more reason not to mistake his flirting for meaning anything. She backed the car out of the spot and maneuvered through the parking lot. “I’m afraid so.”
    “You can’t actually be second-guessing your decision. This is the dig of a lifetime.”
    “I’m anxious about the television aspect. I would have rather helped off-screen, but Dunk nixed that idea. Hopefully, we’ll have very little on-screen time – or I will, anyway. You can be on camera as much as you want.” She pulled out onto the highway. “The other question is what Dr. Farber will think about the project.”
    “He’ll love the publicity.”
    “I hope so.” Charged with nervous energy, she slid into the fast lane like a native Italian. “But he’s not known for loving my ideas. Maybe the problem is in the way I present them.”
    “Would you like me to tell him? I guarantee I’ll sell him on it.”
    She shook her head, half-sorry to decline because she believed he could easily do it, and half-annoyed to feel less sure of her own ability. “I’ll tell him.”
    “Well, if he doesn’t like the idea, he can cry you a river. We’re on summer break, and he has no jurisdiction over us. ... I’m so excited I could kiss you!”
    The image gave her a start, and she reproached herself for taking him too literally. She managed a laugh. “Not while I’m driving, please.”
    “I could always come by your room later.” He made the comment lightly, but she felt his words go straight to the core of her body.
    Her reaction startled her. Again, she was just feeling the intensity of the moment, she told herself. Concentrating on the road, she said, “Except you have a date with Domenico’s daughter – someone closer to your age.”
    “I like my chances with you better.” His tone was teasing. “You’re attracted to my intellect.”
    Staring straight ahead, she forced a smirk. “Well, if I’m destined to give in to you someday, it won’t be tonight. My nerves are fried. Where can I eat dinner without running into Dr. Farber? I’m not ready to face him yet.”
    A pause followed, during which she worried whether or not he could sense that she’d developed a crush on him. If he tossed out one more flirtatious comment, she only hoped she could come up with another retort.
    “There’s a pizza shop right down the street from the hotel.”
    Thank heaven he’d moved on. “Oh, right. Do you know if they sell alcohol?”
    “Only Peroni beer.”
    “That’ll work.” She took a deep breath and continued watching the road.
    “ Champagne would be more appropriate. How about we toast this news at breakfast tomorrow? Shall we meet then to go over logistics?”
    “Sounds good. Meanwhile, Dunk is going to e-mail me details, so I’ll forward them to you as soon as I get them.”
    “I can’t wait.”
    A half- hour later, she walked into a small shop dominated by a glass display case featuring a selection of rectangular pizzas. A teenage couple in front of her paid the young woman behind the counter and left, each carrying a soda and folded-over pizza on a paper plate.
    The server looked at Winnie. “ Come posso aiutarLa ?”
    She pointed to a veggie