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CHAPTER

38

The next morning, Robyn was working alongside Alex cataloging the ushabti. The plan was to clear the way for the sarcophagus to be removed and taken to the Egyptian Museum sooner rather than later. Cal was hovering and taking photographs as they cleaned the artifacts. And while Robyn should have been solely focused on what she was doing and the significance of this find, her mind kept wandering to Matthew, to Alex, to her own pathetic love life.

The blind date she’d canceled would have been her first date in six months. She tried to justify her avoidance of the dating world by saying she was too busy. And her job most certainly kept her that. But if finding Mr. Right had been a priority, she would have made the time. Still, from the dating sampler she’d partaken of—or her friends had—it was hard to get excited about what was on the market these days. Her last date had been more interested in his car and his hair than in her, and her friends had told her stories that would make any intelligent women either avoid dating altogether or in the least rule out men. There was one guy who had turned out to be a gigolo who pleasured married women. And another who had taken out a kitchen knife when her friend had decided to end things, and he had said, “Take it. Stab me in the heart. You have already anyway.”

No one had time for that kind of drama.

Not that Robyn had always been so skeptical. She used to believe that knights in shining armor did exist, but life had popped that bubble. Happily-ever-afters were restricted to fairytales.

She brushed off the ushabti she held in her hand and lifted it up to the light. It wasn’t because she was inspecting her work. She’d done that numerous times already. But the more she immersed herself in the present moment, she could forget about her romantic feelings for Matthew. Especially when it was obvious he was feeling that way about Alex.

The way Matthew and Alex had been eyeing each other in the main tent the night before, and how quickly they had left together, had made Robyn suspicious. But it was the stricken look on Matthew’s face this morning and the awkward exchange she’d had with him that cinched it. He had slept with Alex.

She considered warning Matthew that Alex was using him for his reputation. But what good could come of that? Would he even believe her?

“How are you making out over there?” Alex asked, cutting through Robyn’s thoughts.

Robyn lowered the ushabti. “Fine.”

“Hmm.” Alex sounded skeptical.

Robyn looked at Alex, not sure whether to comment or ignore it altogether. She opted to go with the latter, even if it gave her heartburn. “What about you?”

“Going good.” Alex smiled. “Great, actually. I keep thinking, Wow, I’m really doing this.” Alex held up her cleaned ushabti, and Cal took a picture. Then she wrapped it and carefully placed it in a crate.

“It does feel like a dream.” Or a nightmare, depending on one’s focus and perspective. Robyn held her piece up so Cal could photograph it, too, and then she packed it away. As she grabbed another ushabti, she noticed Alex watching her. Her mouth was opening and closing as if she was considering saying something.

Alex looked at Cal. “Could you give us a few minutes?”

“Sure.” Cal stepped out of the room.

“I hope you’re all right with…” Alex rolled her hand, surely using the gesture to allude to what had happened the night before.

“You and Matthew?” Robyn asked to confirm.

“Yeah.”

Robyn gritted her teeth. Heat surged through her.

“Robyn?” Alex prompted.

She should just be the bigger person, let things between the two of them run its course, but her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. “I’m not,” she blurted.

Alex squinted, and her brow pinched. “You’re—”

“Not fine with it,” Robyn finished. It was too late to turn back now.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to get in the middle of anything.” Alex’s words may have technically been an apology, but her energy was anything but apologetic.

“You’re not. Trust me.” Robyn wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Alex or herself. She was also debating whether or not she should confront Alex about using Matthew.

“Why do I not believe you?”

“Well, that’s your prerogative.” Robyn worked the brush over the ushabti in her hands.

“You love him,” Alex said softly.

Robyn huffed out a derisive laugh. “No.” She’d deny her feelings for Matthew with a gun to her head.

“What is it, then? You’re obviously pissed off.”

Robyn looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. She looked Alex in the eye. “I know you’re using Matt.”

Alex’s face fell, and she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. Unless an itch happened to strike right then, it was a nervous reaction to busy her hands. The accusation had come as a surprise. But Alex composed herself quickly and regarded Robyn with heat. “Who told you that?”

“What does that matter?” Robyn was fuming, her hands shaking.

Cal came up behind them. “You guys ready for me now?”

Robyn clenched her jaw as she and Alex stared each other down.

“Okay.” Cal dragged out the word. “I’m leaving again.” He was barely gone when Alex spoke.

“I’m not—” Alex swallowed roughly “—using him.”

“You’re really denying it?”

Alex’s shoulders sagged. “I just wanted this find to make history.”

“The pharaoh’s tomb or the Tablets?” Robyn jutted out her chin. “Because the Tablets are not exactly something you can advertise.”

Alex looked away. “Matthew’s had a passion for them since—”

“So you’re trying to spin this as doing him a favor?” Rage and adrenaline were crashing together and making her jittery.

“It’s not like that,” Alex began. “It’s just—”

“He would bring your expedition a lot of media coverage.” Robyn put down the ushabti she’d been working on and got to her feet. “I’m going to take a break.”

When she reached the surface, Matthew was walking toward her.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she parroted. “Just taking a break. My neck is killing me.” Not entirely a lie.

“Robyn?” Her name dangled out there, as if he wanted to say something else but was hesitant.

“Yeah?”

“Is everything all right with you?” His voice was tender and caring.

“Yeah. Of course. Everything’s fine.”

“I thought…I don’t know, that you’d be happier.” He attempted a smile and failed miserably. “Coming to Egypt and working on a dig has been a dream of yours for a long time.”

She didn’t need him to tell her what her dreams were. She took a deep breath, ready to lay into him. But the way he was regarding her with such rawness in his eyes, she didn’t have the heart to do it. Besides, it wasn’t really him she was mad at. It was Alex. But if Robyn told him about Alex using him, Matthew would likely write it off as her being jealous. Maybe there was no point in bringing it up to Matthew. Not right now. Possibly never. They’d be heading home within the month, and Alex would probably wind up being nothing more than a blip in Matthew’s past.

His gaze was latched on to her, and Robyn felt compelled to fill the silence, to say something. “You and Alex seem to have hit it off.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty great,” he admitted.

“She makes you happy?”

“She does.” He smiled, stamping home what she had suspected. But to hear his confession made her feel like a horrible person. She should be happy for him, not jealous.

“There you are.”

Robyn turned to see Alex approaching Matthew.

Robyn shook her head and resumed walking toward the tent, wishing that she were getting a bottle of Jack instead of a bottle of water.

She took a few deep breaths. It was going to be a long few weeks.