Page 159 of The Love Position

‘Holy shit! Is that gold? What is it?’

‘It’s a torc, an ancient necklace or bracelet made by twisting strands of metal together. This is the largest and most valuable ever found.’

‘That’s incredible! Do you know why it’s there?’

Sophia nodded and squealed with excitement. The importance of the find was finally sinking in. ‘I uncovered vertebrae, so it was around someone’s neck when they were buried.’

She flicked through more photos on her phone, showing them to him. ‘We stopped right there and rang the landowner and the council’s Finds Liaison Officer. We’ll be starting a formal excavation as soon as possible.’

‘Love, this is fantastic! But what will it mean for the exhibition of the other grave?’

‘It’s on hold. And…’

‘Ye-es?’

‘Marcus has lost his position in the department and won’t be going back. The Vice Chancellor offered me a promotion and the job of leading the dig.’

‘That’s amazing!’

‘But I said no.’

Isaac’s ecstatic expression crumpled. ‘What?’

‘If I took the promotion, then I’d hardly ever see you.’

‘But this is your career! Your life’s work! I can’t take that from you.’

Taking Isaac’s head in her hands, Sophia smoothed away the furrows in his brow and kissed the end of his nose.

‘You’re not. I negotiated a better deal.’

‘You did?’

She nodded. ‘I’ve enjoyed teaching undergrads, but it’s time to move on. I want to try something different. Maybe do consultancy? Write a book? I’m not totally sure yet. But I’m staying on at the Uni in a freelance capacity to lead the dig and work with Salisbury Museum on a new exhibition. I’ll stay over with Maggie during the excavation, but after that I can commute from here whenever I need to.’

Isaac blinked a couple of times as he stared at her, as if processing the information, then lifted her into his arms and spun her around.

Laughing with pure, unrestrained delight, Sophia clung to him, holding on tightly as he slowed to a stop, the room still spinning around them.

‘This calls for a celebration,’ he said with a grin.

‘What do you have in mind?’

‘Dinner, make love, hot tub, make love, champagne, make love. You choose the order.’

She giggled. ‘Sounds pretty perfect to me.’

‘And you are completely perfect to me,’ he replied, bringing his lips to hers.

Sophia sank into the kiss, tingling warmth spreading to the tips of her toes. Isaac was her happy ending and her even happier beginning, and she couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life by his side.

EPILOGUE

NINE MONTHS LATER

‘Ayear and a half ago, Maggie Howard, a renowned local detectorist, rang me to say she’d found an Iceni coin hoard…’

Poised and relaxed, Sophia’s voice was clear as she addressed the journalists and local dignitaries.

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