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The longer Olivia waited, the harder it would be. “As soon as possible. I’ll call and see if he’s available. We can walk down to the field house to talk to him.”
As she picked up her phone, her hands trembled. Grant had instructed them never to use Dr. Roth’s personal number, except in case of an emergency. What if she told the professor the situation and he didn’t believe her? What if he thought she lacked the proper respect for authority? He’d never want to serve on her dissertation committee.
But as she glanced at Marisol, who sat hunched over, her hands wrapped around herself, she summoned up her courage. Hadn’t she been hired to look out for the students? No matter how nervous she felt, she needed to put them first.
That was why she’d wanted to go into teaching. Not for the networking or the connections, but to share her passion for ancient history with students and encourage them. If she let someone like Grant tyrannize them, then she wasn’t doing her job.
To her immense relief, Dr. Roth answered her call. After a quick conversation, she and Marisol were on their way to the field house. Once they got there, Marisol hung back, forcing Olivia to step up and ring the bell. As she waited for someone to answer the door, she tried to control the ragged beat of her heart. Up until this minute, she hadn’t considered the possibility that Grant might be there.
When he opened the door, his scowl was so menacing she wanted to turn tail and run. She forced herself to speak clearly. “I’m here to see Dr. Roth.”
Grant made no attempt to move aside. “I don’t think so. It’s after nine.”
“I called ahead. Marisol needs to talk to him.”
“If there’s a problem at camp, she should be coming to me.” He crossed his arms. “I told you not to bother Dr. Roth with your petty concerns.”
“It’s not petty.” She whipped out her phone. “Are you going to let us in, or do I need to call him again?”
To her relief, Dr. Roth appeared in the doorway. “Good evening, ladies. Thanks for coming.”
“I apologize for the intrusion,” Grant said to him. “Whatever the issue, we could have dealt with it tomorrow during regular work hours.”
“I don’t think so.” Olivia gave Dr. Roth a generous smile. “May we talk alone, sir?”
“Certainly.” He gestured for them to come in. “Would either of you like a drink? Perhaps a beer or a gin and tonic?”
Olivia followed him into the house, with Marisol trailing behind her. “Thanks, but Marisol’s underage. Maybe something else?”
Dr. Roth chuckled. “Of course. I always forget. Ridiculous thing, this American drinking age. No other country is so draconian.” He led them to the kitchen and opened the fridge. “I’m sure you’re sick of lemon squash by now. How about a soda?”
After getting a beer for himself and a couple of Sprites for them, he led them out to the back patio. It was even more blissful in the evening, the pergola decked out with twinkling fairy lights, the fountain glimmering with illumination.
Olivia sat on one of the wicker chairs, letting the patio’s calming ambience wash over her. “Marisol has something to tell you. Before she does, I assured her you wouldn’t erupt in anger. Do you think you can agree to that?”
“Well, I suppose.” He cast Marisol an inquisitive glance. “You didn’t break any laws, did you? Stash valuable artifacts in your pack or smuggle drugs into the country?”
“Really, Dr. Roth?” Olivia said.
“Trust me, I’ve seen it all.” He turned to Marisol with an avuncular smile. “Tell me what happened. Even if I’m disappointed or angry, I promise not to yell. It’s much too late in the day.”
“Okay…thanks.” Marisol’s voice trembled at first, but the longer she spoke, the stronger it grew. She told the professor how she’d screwed up, how Rick had covered for her, and why she’d waited to come forward with her confession. A few times, her eyes misted with tears, but she kept going.
When she was done, Dr. Roth handed her a cloth handkerchief. “Here. Take a few deep breaths, all right?”
She wiped her eyes. “I’m so sorry. Please don’t send me home early.”
His voice was gentle. “I’m not pleased you let someone else take the blame, but I admire your bravery. You risked a lot by coming to talk to me. I’m also glad to learn Rick wasn’t at fault. I was torn over whether to recommend him for a job in California, but—”
“Please recommend him,” Marisol said. “He’s been a wonderful teacher. He’s patient and understanding, and he never gets upset with us.”
“That’s good to hear,” Dr. Roth said. “Knowing all this, I’ll have no problem telling my colleague about him.”
Olivia’s heart flooded with relief. No matter how much she’d hurt Rick by ending things, at least she’d helped him repair his reputation.
“I’m not the only one who feels this way about Rick,” Marisol added. “Alisha likes working with him. Logan, too. The only reason Brynn complained during the survey was because our team came in last those first few days. She was terrified of getting a bad grade.”
“I told her our pace wouldn’t affect her grade,” Olivia said. “So did Rick.”
