Dream Wedding(49)

But what about the dream? Had that meant anything? Was it a premonition or just wishful thinking on her part?

“I don’t want a traditional life,” she reminded herself. “I don’t want to fall in love again. I don’t want to care. If you love people, then they can hurt you.”

She’d experienced the latter firsthand. Her parents hadn’t meant to die and leave her, but they had. So had Billy. She was tired of caring and then being left alone. She wasn’t going to take that kind of chance again.

She heard footsteps and turned. Arizona walked over and gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I got caught up in this.” He shook the acrylic box. “Breakfast was a long time ago. You must be starving. Let’s go grab a couple of sandwiches.”

“Sounds good.”

They went outside and found the food. A few of the graduate students came by and talked to Arizona. As expected, he knew all of them by name. When a couple of the young women looked at Arizona with admiring eyes, Chloe had to fight down a surge of irritation. She wanted to slide closer to him and lay claim to him. But she didn’t. As far as she could tell, Arizona barely realized they were female, let alone attractive and obviously smitten. For someone who could read a life’s story in a single carved stone, he was amazingly dense when it came to women. It was, she acknowledged, a fine quality in a man.

At last, when they were alone, Arizona leaned forward and rested his elbows on the wooden picnic table. “Is it what you thought?” he asked, indicating the site.

“It’s bigger and there’s more activity. I’m glad you brought me. This will add a lot to my article.” She touched the box lying between them. “What are you going to do with this?”

“I’ll do some research. Most of what I need is available through Internet links with university libraries. I have to figure out what the carvings mean. Once all this gets dated, I’ll look at other cultures from that time. There are often similarities.” His eyebrows drew together. “My problem is I don’t have a lot of time. Once the lecture series is finished in Bradley, I’m leaving for the South Pacific. I’m doing some work there this summer.”

She’d known he wasn’t going to stay. Why would a man like him want to spend any time in a small town? But she hadn’t really thought much about his going away so soon.

“Are you excited about the island?” she asked, trying to pretend his plans didn’t matter to her. After all, she reminded herself, they shouldn’t.

“I’ve been there before. They have a rich oral storytelling tradition and I’ll be recording and annotating many of their tales.” His gaze lingered on her face. “You’d like it. It’s a strictly matriarchal society. The men exist to do the hard physical labor, but all the decisions are made by the women. I find it restful. There aren’t any pressures to act macho.”

“Oh, right. I would guess you like it because the women there probably wait on you hand and foot.”

His smile was modest. “There is that. But it’s also very beautiful.”

“I’m sure it is.” She forced herself to keep smiling. Later, when she was alone, she would try to figure out why her chest was suddenly tight and it hurt to breathe.

“What’s next for you?” he asked. “After the article, I mean.”

“More work. I’ve put together some of my best writing. When I finish this story, I’m going to go to New York and see if I can get a job there. At least that’s the plan.”

“Sounds like a good one.”

“I’ve wanted this for a long time.” Chloe frowned. She had wanted this for as long as she could remember. Growing up, she’d dreamed about leaving Bradley and making it in the big city. But right now, the idea of being away from everything she’d ever known only sounded lonely.

“Have you ever thought about doing something else?” he asked.

She stared at him. He hadn’t shaved that morning and stubble darkened his cheeks. His hair was slightly mussed, his clothes as wrinkled as hers. Yet he was the most handsome man she’d ever met. What was he asking? Was he hinting that he might like her to come along? Would she be willing to do that? What about her career? What about not getting involved?

“I can be flexible,” she told him.

“That helps,” he said, and though she waited, he didn’t add anything.

Chloe fought against the disappointment. She was being a fool, she thought. Wanting something didn’t necessarily make it happen. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t usually this scattered. Maybe it was because Arizona had become so important to her in a relatively short period of time. It made everything so confusing.