The Exhibit

Chapter 8 - A Date with the EHA President

Hannah wanted to cry as she watched a truck drive away with Amenhotep. Edward was standing with her, along with the rest of the team. When the truck was out of sight, the team left back inside, since they were on the west loading dock. She and Edward remained there.

"Next up, the rest of the artifacts," she said in disdain. "The museum's going to crumble."

"We still have the other exhibits. They'll keep us alive."

"I really hope so."

They walked back into the building. Edward eyed her as they walked down the hallway. "What's going on?"

"A lot of things, as you know."

"But there's something else. I may have known you for only two months, but I can pick up when you're bothered by something, other than the situation at hand."

"I'm not surprised since you have been practically glued to my side since Henry put us in our place." Edward chuckled as they walked on. She huffed. "Okay. Dr. Asir asked me out."

They stopped and Edward started at her, eyes wide. "Dr. Asir asked you out? When?"

"Earlier today. But I said no."

"No? Why did you do that?"

"Because I'm busy."

They continued walking on into the hallway where the office was, and they passed some statues of Egyptian gods on the way. "That's the oldest excuse in the book, you know."

"Well, I really am busy."

"Too busy to spare one evening? Don't you owe it to yourself since you're a work-a-holic and haven't been on a date in six years?"

She gave him a sharp look. "Not when a forty-year-old man asks me out. Look, he's handsome and all, but he's just too old for me."

"When's the cut-off for you then, year-wise?"

"Five years both ways."

Edward nodded slowly, pursing his lips. Why? "I see."

"What about you?"

"No limit."

"No limit? So, you would date a woman ten or fifteen years older than you?"

"If I loved her, then yes."

He was such a romantic. Admittedly, that was attractive. "C'mon, what's your real cut-off line?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I guess... seven years."

"Seven years? Then it's either thirty-two or eighteen." Her eyes widened. "You'd date an eighteen-year-old?"

"I'd rather go for the older half of the line."

"Then thirty-two." She started when she realized that was her own age. She stared at him as he continued looking forward, that blush in his cheeks. She knew he knew what he was getting at, and it shocked her.

"I think you should say yes to him—Dr. Asir. I think it would be good for you to get out."

She smirked, amused. "You sound like my mother. Fine. I'll say yes. But I'll blame you if it goes badly."

"Fair enough."

~ ~ ~

That Friday evening, Hannah stood in front of the wall mirror she had in her office. Her blonde hair was down, passing her shoulders, and she was wearing a spaghetti-strap plum-purple dress that went exactly to the knee and hugged her womanly form. Her black heels elevated her a few inches.