Page 99 of Wicked Intention

“Because you’re not interested?”

“I’m interested in everything Zo wants to share.”

Her mother raised her water glass and took a sip. “So, if Zofia decided to return to school and get her doctorate, you’d support her?”

Zo moved again, this time more noticeably. It was a sure sign there was a landmine in the vicinity. “Yes, if that’s whatshedecided she wanted to do, of course, I’d support her.”

“I’m not planning to go back,” Zo said.

Her mother ignored that.

“We had a new assistant professor on site with us this year. She’s about your age, Zofia. She located the graves we excavated to learn that the Muisca had a high infant mortality rate.”

“You could make discoveries like this,” Owen Parker said, tone chiding.

“I like my job at the Paladin League.” Zo’s voice was carefully neutral, but Finn heard tightness there. He reached over and took her hand. She gripped him hard enough that he felt it.

“We’ve been told that you’ve made multiple trips to Puerto Jardin this year for the Paladin League.” Her father frowned. “The country is dangerous. It’s why the Huarona site was closed down.”

“Only a few areas of Puerto Jardin are risky. Most of the country is fine,” Zo said, squeezing his hand even harder.

“San Isidro isn’t one of those safe places, and yet you visit there routinely,” her mother said. “Señor Ramos would be appalled to learn his grandson has become an international drug kingpin.”

“Here comes the waiter with our food,” Finn said, diverting the conversation. As they shifted items on their table to make room for the entrees, he breathed a sigh of relief. Zo’s stress level had dropped a few degrees and she’d released his hand, so maybe they could have a calm dinner.

He relaxed too soon.

“The grilled cauliflower is delicious, isn’t it, Owen?”

“Very good,” he agreed.

“You should have ordered that, Zofia, instead of a burger with jalapeno cream cheese. You’re almost thirty now, and your metabolism is slowing. You need to make wiser food choices.”

“I’m twenty-seven, and I eat healthy most of the time.”

“I’m telling you this for your own good.”

“We ran five miles this morning before you and Doctor Parker arrived,” Finn said.

Her parents ignored him, but Zo put a hand on his thigh, a silent thank you before returning to her dinner.

The respite was brief.

“Robert was in Colombia with us. He’s an associate professor now.” Adelina reached for her water glass and took a sip.

“Good for him. About on schedule, since he’s almost forty.” Zo sounded stiff, polite.

“He’s thirty-five,” Owen corrected and then switched his focus to Finn. “A promotion to associate means tenure.”

Finn nodded.

“Robert asked about you,” Owen said, looking back at Zo. “He wanted to know if you were seeing anyone.”

“Who’s Robert?” Finn asked. It was a lure, but he couldn’t resist the question.

“Zofia’s fiancé,” Adelina said. “Didn’t she tell you about him?”

“He is not my fiancé!” Zo’s voice was low, but there was heat there, the first time she’d dropped the polite façade she’d donned since her parents had arrived. “We were never engaged. It never got anywhere close to that serious.” She turned to him. “I told you about the man my parents liked at the gala, remember?”