EIGHT

 

 

August 3rd, 2018

Boise, Idaho

 

SOPHIE KNEW THAT the paperwork Wade had to do was pretty minor. The institute wanted nothing in return for their financial support but nondisclosure. So all the paperwork was basically making sure all of Wade’s rights and work remained completely with him.

All the paperwork was done at the front desk in the large room and Director Parks was the only one there to do it. He had been the only one with her as well, so it seemed the director took clear personal interest in each new researcher.

When Wade had said something about the fact that the agreements protected only him and not the institute, Director Parks had laughed and said that was the only reason for the paperwork. The institute needed and wanted nothing in return but the knowledge they were helping in the research.

The nondisclosure to the institute was the only important document.

Wade had had the courage to ask about where all the money came from and again Director Parks had laughed. “We have a board of obscenely rich people who believe in the institute. All this may look like a lot of money from the outside, but to our board, it is just pocket change.”

Sophie had nodded to that. She had heard of people that rich. Never met one, but they were not uncommon back east.

Wade had asked one more question that Sophie had not thought to ask. “So I am free to come and go as I want?”

Parks nodded. “Once accepted you are in. If you feel like you need to teach for a semester or a year, your place here will be waiting for you when you come back. And if you need to travel for your research, the institute hopes you will ask for funds to help with the travel. Again, money is no object when it comes to helping you with your work.”

Sophie just shook her head at that one. So far she had had no desire to go anywhere but here, but it was great to know that was an option.

So when all the paperwork was done, Sophie and Wade wandered down the river path once again to the institute library to get Wade an office there. Then to a nearby grocery store to order supplies for Wade and have them delivered.

The manager of the grocery store had told Wade they would be waiting on his counter and in his fridge when he got back to his condo.

Sophie had had to explain to him how the grocery delivery was part of the service and Goldie only let authorized delivery people into the condo and tracked them.

By the time that was all done, it had been four hours since lunch.

“I’m betting you are getting tired,” Sophie said to Wade as they left the grocery store and stood in the shade on a large tree. The river was a few blocks away and beside them traffic moved past in an orderly fashion. It wasn’t yet five o’clock. “I sort of remember my first day here and how crazy it all seemed.”

“I think I’m more numb than tired,” Wade said. “This is a lot to take in.”

“An understatement,” she said. “How about an early dinner and then you can head back to your condo to get settled in.”

He nodded to that.

“If you don’t mind a little walk,” she said, “I know a wonderful place.”

“A walk would feel good,” he said. “Might clear my mind.”

“You like Italian food,” she asked, hoping he said yes, because what she had in mind was her favorite restaurant.

“Love everything about it,” he said, smiling at her.

Damn, she could look at that smile for a very, very long time.

She pointed down the sidewalk and together they turned and started off.

Twenty minutes later he sat across a wooden table from her in the moderately crowded Brooks Garden Restaurant. Most of the crowd was in the bar for happy hour, which gave them a lot of open seating in the restaurant.

Around them plants and wooden barriers gave each table a sense of privacy even when the place was full of people. At lunch this place was full of people taking breaks from all the tall office buildings in this downtown area.

The restaurant’s high ceilings and the wooden planter barriers and enough plants and small trees to start a greenhouse kept the noise down. Without a lot of people, it felt to Sophie as if just she and Wade were the only two people in the world.

She had instantly loved the place the first time she wandered in here. The smell of garlic and fresh baking bread seemed to just drift between the trees and plants and always made her mouth water.

“I really am hungry,” Wade said, “More than I had thought.”

“It’s the smell of garlic bread that can do that to you,” Sophie said, smiling.

“This place seems great,” Wade said, looking around. “I like all the old western pictures on the walls and the private booths.”

“One of my favorites,” Sophie said. “Glad you like it. The food is as good as the smell, I promise.”

“Then I’m in heaven,” he said, smiling at her.

Once again she just let herself stare into those wonderful green eyes and his handsome face.

And he didn’t drop his gaze either.

Finally a waiter with a red apron and a deep voice broke their moment by dropping a basket of hot-buttered breadsticks on the table. They both ordered iced teas and also placed their food order, since they were both suddenly hungry. He went with a deep-dish pasta with thick red sauce and she went with lasagna, her favorite.

Finally, as both of them were chewing on the soft and warm garlic bread stick, he asked, “So ever heard of a mining town by the name of Grapevine Springs?”

She actually laughed. “North-central Idaho,” she said. “Above the River of No Return.”

“Now a major ski resort,” he said nodding.

“Why?” she asked. “I’ve been gathering some data on it at times.”

He shrugged. “I was thinking that town was isolated enough that the medical records, whatever I could find of them, would be a good study for part of my research.”

She nodded, thinking back to what she knew about that old mining town. “It really would be, actually. One of the most isolated mining towns in the west with its location.”

“Interested in sharing information we find about the place, Professor Silverman?” he asked, smiling at her.

“I would be honored, Dr. Wade,” she said, returning his smile.

And once again their connection was broken with the waiter appearing between the plants with their drinks.

She liked Wade’s offer more than she wanted to admit, actually. Anything that would give her a reason to be near Wade was a good thing in her mind.

Two hours later she said goodnight to a very tired Dr. Olsen Wade on the path where it split to her condo and his.

“Mind showing me around for another day or so?” he asked.

“I would love to,” she said. “Can you find your way back to the same restaurant we just left?”

“That wonderful smell will lead me there I’m sure,” he said.

“We’ll meet for late breakfast there at 10:30. How does that sound? They do fantastic omelets and coffee.”

“That sounds perfect,” he said.

She wanted to just move forward and pull his head down to her height and kiss him, but instead just said, “It’s wonderful having you at the institute.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy it,” he said, smiling a very tired smile at her.

“Get some sleep and see you in the morning,” she said.

With that, she turned and started away.

“Professor,” Wade said behind her.

She stopped and looked back.

“Thank you.”

“Trust me,” she said. “It was my pleasure.”

He chuckled at that and they both turned away, even though she didn’t want to.

And she had a hunch he didn’t want to either.