Last Flight from Flagstaff (Choices: Story Two)

  Chapter 4

  “So what exactly are you having Donna check your books for?” Matt asked Kristen on the ride home.

  “The accountants say some of the payments have been late or missing on one of the accounts. I just wanted her to take a second look and see what is going on.”

  “What does the payer say about why the payments are late?”

  “I don’t know. I leave that stuff to the bean counters.”

  “You know, Kristen, you should probably be more hands-on when it comes to your money.”

  “You’re probably right. Did you have lunch with your old classmate yesterday like you planned?”

  “Yeah.” Matt’s eyes lit up. “You won’t believe what they found on that dig. Some of the artifacts turned out to be more than two hundred and fifty years older then they originally thought. They found a really nice shard showing influence from a more eastern tribe, so there must have been some trade going on. Here, he sent me a picture.” Matt tossed his phone into Kristen’s lap. “It’s the last one.”

  Kristen smiled at him. She had only a mild interest in Native American art and pottery, but she loved to hear Matt talk about it. He was like a kid in a candy store. Kristen flicked through his photos, mostly of her, until she located the shard photo. “This one of a piece of a pot with some small parallel lines on one part and a bigger shape on the left?”

  “That’s the one. See the polychrome? The colors are outstanding for something this old. Now the lighter tan color in the center must have come…”

  Kristen stopped listening. She just watched Matt and nodded occasionally. He ran his fingers through his blond hair, encouraging the cowlick to escape and spring to the left. Time spent outside hiking in the sunshine had tanned his face to a golden color. His brown eyes glowed with intelligence as he spoke.

  They reached Kristen’s house. Matt leaned across to kiss her before she got out of the car. “So is everything under control for the wedding?” he asked.

  “I think so, but there is so much to keep track of. Sometimes I wish we had just eloped.”

  Matt smiled at her. “I wouldn’t have minded.”

  “I know, but your mother is super excited about the wedding.”

  “She sure is. She calls me almost every day to talk about it. Hopefully her plane will still be able to take off after she checks in all her luggage.”

  “Just a few more days and it will all be over and we will be husband and wife.”

  “I can hardly wait.”