www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For Aunt Alyce,

       who’s the inspiration for Olivia’s aunt, and for the other Kimpton sisters—Aunt Mary and Aunt Jane.

      CONTENTS

      PROLOGUE

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ELEVEN

      EPILOGUE

      PROLOGUE

      OLIVIA and Jack were the perfect couple. Same profession, same goals, same love of ancient ruins. Sure, there were a few tiny differences. He was a night owl, she was always up early. But nothing major. It was clear from the start they were meant for each other. Anyone in the same room with them could feel the electricity in the air.

      They met in June and had the perfect wedding in September. Although the bouquets of lilies didn’t arrive at the church until after the ceremony, the photographer, Enzo, didn’t speak English, the groom’s brother overslept and the whole party got lost on the walk through the village from the church to the reception, Olivia remembered it as the happiest day of her life.

      She forgot the little glitches, but she remembered how ruggedly handsome Jack had looked in his tux, the white shirt contrasting with his sun-bronzed skin. She forgot about the ring bearer tripping over his feet, but she’d never forget floating down the aisle in her grandmother’s white silk dress to the music from the string quartet.

      When Jack put the ring on her finger that was inscribed with the date and their initials, he whispered, “Forever.”

      Then the priest said, “You may kiss the bride,” in Italian and Jack kissed her so passionately there was a collective “Ahhh” in the church. Olivia’s eyes overflowed with happy tears when they left the church under a shower of rose petals.

      They finally arrived at the reception on the beach at Positano, just steps from the water. No overdone rococo decor at the hotel, it was all Italian minimalism. By then the hem of Olivia’s silk crepe gown was dusty, and tendrils had escaped from her chignon.

      “You’re beautiful, Mrs. Oakley,” Jack said when they sat down at the table, and the waiters started pouring champagne for everyone. He tucked a curl behind her ear. “I can’t believe today you’re mine, all mine.”

      “Believe it, Mr. Oakley,” she said, smiling and bubbling over with happiness. “Not just today, but yours until we’re old and gray.”

      “Until we’re too old to dig anymore.”

      “Until our grandchildren have to take over and write our memoirs for us,” she said.

      “About how you uncovered the House of the Vestals in Pompeii,” he said proudly.

      “And you discovered the Royal Burials at Nimrud,” she said.

      “Speaking of grandchildren,” he said, “how many kids should we have?”

      “Oh, I don’t know. Enough to help carry our trowels and picks and shovels at least.”

      “Enough to take notes for us and dig, dig, dig,” he added.

      “What if they hate old stuff?” she said, suddenly worried. “What if they refuse to travel with us? They only want to stay home and play video games with their friends?”

      He shook his head. “Not possible. They’ll be just like you. Adventurous, gorgeous, smart and tough. What are we waiting for? I could use some help. Let’s get started making some of these little wonders.”

      “Now?” She looked around the room filled with friends and relatives who’d flown in from around the world to share this day with them.

      “Tonight in our room up there above the town, with the lemon trees outside the window and the sound of the sea below.” He brushed her lips with his. “Is it a date?”

      She nodded. If he’d said “now,” she would have gone with him. Anywhere. Anytime. She wanted what he wanted. Love, marriage, kids, a career, success, recognition. But most of all she wanted him. It didn’t matter that they had no time for a honeymoon now. They had a whole lifetime together. Tomorrow they had to fly straight home to start teaching classes for the fall semester.

      She was almost thirty. Jack a few years older. Why postpone having children? They wouldn’t let kids interfere with their careers. Kids who looked like Jack, who had his good nature, his patience, his tenacity and sense of humor would only add to their happiness and enrich their lives. Jack would make a great dad.

      But life is what happens when you’re making other plans, and Olivia didn’t get pregnant. They tried but it just didn’t happen. She even quit teaching one semester. Not only did she not get pregnant, she got depressed. She felt like a failure. Jack didn’t blame her; she blamed herself. He did everything he could to help her cope. Took part of her course load, ordered takeout so she didn’t have to cook and hired a cleaning service. But there was only so much he could do.

      She took the same path he did. Work, work, work. It hurt him to watch her try and fail to conceive. After all, the doctors said there was nothing wrong with her, nothing wrong with him. He couldn’t help her. So he turned to the only part of his life he could control—his classes and his research at the university. He finally shut himself off from her and her pain. After a while they both carefully avoided mentioning the kids they wanted so badly.

      It was a relief for Olivia to be back at work. To face the challenges of teaching new courses and writing papers. She was tired of “taking it easy.” She was tired of trying to get pregnant. She was even more tired of failing. She was used to success. She worked harder than ever. She worked late and long. She got promoted to full professor at the university. Totally consumed with her career, she kept Jack at arm’s length. Seeing him reminded her of what she couldn’t do. He might act as if he didn’t care about having a baby, but she knew he did.

      Jack was proud of Olivia’s accomplishments, but he thought she was driving herself too far and too fast. He thought she should take a break.

      A break? That’s what she didn’t dare do. Now she was in charge of her own digs, which didn’t coincide with Jack’s. Some summers they didn’t see much of each other. Even when they were both at home their paths didn’t cross very often. It was easier that way.

      When Jack got an offer from California University to head the Archaeology Department there, she didn’t go with him. The reason she gave anyone who asked was that the job they offered her wasn’t as good as the one she had. The truth was he never really asked her to go. She thought he didn’t care if she went or not. They’d been separated emotionally for a long time. What did it matter if the separation became geographical as well?

      He thought she cared more about her career than him. He thought she’d given up trying to have a baby. He was right about that. He thought she didn’t love him anymore. He was wrong about that.

      CHAPTER ONE

      Two Years Later

      OLIVIA was seasick. The small ferry from Piraeus rolled and pitched in the Aegean Sea. No stabilizers on this old tub. Not many passengers except for the members of their expedition who’d