Nerds Are From Mars (3 page)

However, he’d turned out to be kind of hot with his broad shoulders and his impressive Ph.D. in astrophysics. His clothes fit him perfectly, and he’d even worked a little gel into his hair, indicating that he wasn’t oblivious to how he looked anymore. He smelled good, too. A nerdy guy who’d become conscious of his appearance most likely had spent time with one or more girlfriends who’d coached him on those things.

In other words, Nolan Bradbury had become a sexual being. She hadn’t thought of him that way when they’d been eighteen, but now that he was thirty-two, he had an air about him that indicated he knew stuff, specifically about the female of the species. Darcie found that quite stimulating.

Neither of them had ventured more questions after the double-reveal of their single status. She thought that was telling. He might be considering the ramifications of that information the same way she was.

He could have a steady girlfriend, of course, but she doubted it. If that had been the case, he would have said
no wife and kids, but I am seeing someone
. Nolan Bradbury wasn’t the type to hide significant facts. If he’d had a serious girlfriend, he would have let her know so there would be no misunderstanding.

Although she’d kept her distance in high school, she’d observed him from afar. She was very good at reading people, and he’d always struck her as a very honest guy. That had been another trait she’d admired about him. Had she been a braver teenager, she would have befriended him. But that would have meant suffering the mockery of her cool friends and she hadn’t been strong enough then.

She was now, and the irony didn’t escape her. Nobody would mock her for hanging out with Dr. Nolan Bradbury, head of the Mars Research Project. Most people would give her kudos for that.

But he might not want to hang out with
her
. She had no idea whether he carried a grudge from their high school days. If he did, she could hardly blame him. Maybe, over a cup of cappuccino, she could find out how he felt about becoming friends.

When they ordered, he insisted on paying even though she’d invited him. In the end, she decided it wasn’t worth arguing about and thanked him for his chivalry.

He smiled at her use of the word. “I think knights are supposed to be dashing figures. That’s not me.”

“Isn’t it?” She stood at the end of the counter with him as they waited for their coffee. “Your Mars project might end up saving the human race from extinction. If you ask me, that’s quite dashing.”

He laughed, which showed off his dimples.

She’d forgotten about the dimples, probably because he hadn’t laughed much in high school, at least not when she’d been around. She pursued her point. “The group in your session was totally buying the argument that we need Mars, and that your team is going to deliver it to us before the apocalypse.”

His smile continued to display those cute dimples. “That’s a dramatic touch that Harcourt insists we add to every presentation. I’m not sure I believe it.”

“Stephen Hawking thinks we need to have a spare planet to use in an emergency. Why not you?”

He blinked, as if her comment had surprised him. “I don’t always agree with Stephen Hawking.”

“And you’re also amazed that I’ve read him, aren’t you?”

He flushed. “Well, no, I –”

“Oh, come on, Nolan. I wasn’t a scholar in high school, so you couldn’t expect me to turn into one as an adult. But I have.” And she wanted him to know that. He might not be into showing off, but maybe she was, at least a little bit.

“That’s great. What’s your field?”

“Astrology.” She’d hoped for a positive response, but she hadn’t truly expected one. If he was a typical scientist, he wouldn’t have an ounce of faith in her chosen field of study.

Clearly, he didn’t. His expression transformed from animated to extremely cautious. “Oh.”

“You think it’s hokum, don’t you?”

His internal struggle was reflected in his beautiful gray eyes. “Well, I know astrology has its followers, but . . .” He trailed off, seemingly at a loss.

“That’s okay, Nolan. I didn’t think you’d greet that information with a brass band and confetti. But I’d love to believe that you can listen with an open mind.”

He sighed. “That’s asking a lot of someone in my position.”

“So you
don’t
think you could listen with an open mind?”

“I . . . I don’t know.”

“People used to think the world was flat.”

“Exactly! Because they were hampered by limited knowledge and surrounded by superstition. We’ve moved beyond that kind of thinking. Nobody in the scientific community, at least no one I know, believes that our lives are ruled by the constellations.”

“Not the constellations.” She had expected this attitude, but still, she was irritated by it. “The zodiac. There’s a huge difference. And
ruled
is not a good word to use.
Influenced
would be a better one.”

He frowned. “Constellations and the zodiac mean pretty much the same thing to me.”

“That’s because you haven’t studied this. I have.”

“Okay, but –” Their coffee arrived on the counter, interrupting him. “Let’s find a place to sit.”

Darcie glanced around. “Over there.” She picked up her coffee and headed toward a couple of easy chairs in a cozy corner away from the steady influx of caffeine seekers. She chose a chair and settled herself in it. She tucked her messenger bag at her feet before popping the top off her cappuccino and taking a sip.

Nolan claimed the other chair and deposited his laptop case beside his chair. Instead of drinking his coffee, he put it on the small table between them. “Listen, would you excuse me for a minute?”

She glanced over at him. “Need to bring in your fellow scientists to do an intervention?”

“No.” He grinned at her. “I need to find a bathroom.”

“Oh.” His honesty and cute smile dispelled some of her irritation. And maybe, after the way she’d treated him in high school, she deserved some payback. “There’s one down the steps to your right.”

“Thanks.” He levered himself out of the chair and walked away.

She watched him go. His sport coat partially hid his ass, but she could extrapolate from her view of the rest of him. No doubt about it, Dr. Nolan Bradbury had turned into one gorgeous specimen.

After he left, she reluctantly pulled her mind away from thoughts about his body and considered his reaction to her astrology announcement. Although she was disappointed that he’d behaved like every other science-minded geek she’d met, he’d spent his entire career in a field that mocked hers. She couldn’t have logically expected him to be anything other than skeptical.

But fourteen years ago he would have been too intimidated by her to argue for his beliefs. He was far more self-confident now, and that intrigued her. Of course he would be confident. He was renowned in his field and he’d spent time with Fagan Harcourt, who was famous for his sophisticated lifestyle. As Chewbacca had said earlier, Harcourt was intrepid. Some of that must have rubbed off on Nolan.

However, if he totally rejected the field of study she held dear, then maybe friendship wasn’t possible. He’d been intellectually curious as a teenager, and he must still have that quality. Yet if he only investigated subjects approved by his colleagues, the two of them would have little to talk about.

Intuition had led her here, and intuition had been her trusted guide for years, ever since she’d stopped pretending that her spiritual gifts were all in her imagination. The conference flyer had appeared like a messenger, and she’d always suspected that she and Nolan had unfinished business. She’d give him a few more chances to prove her intuition wrong.

Even if she didn’t pursue a friendship with Nolan, she intended to enjoy Space Expo as long as she was here. The science of space exploration fit beautifully with the study of astrology if only the scientists would give up their long-standing prejudices. She’d attend lectures, soak up knowledge, and keep her vocation to herself. Nolan had been a test case. She’d been naïve to think he’d escaped the narrow-mindedness of his fellow scientists.

He came back down the hallway and she watched him walk toward her. He not only looked like a different man, he moved like a different man. His loose-hipped stride turned her on, and she wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Too bad he didn’t respect her area of study.

He sat down and glanced over at her. “Sorry about my remarks regarding astrology. Whether I’m into it or not, you are, and I’m afraid I was rude.”

She let out a breath. “Apology accepted.”

He picked up his coffee and took the top off. “You asked if I could listen with an open mind, and I said that would be difficult for someone in my position. Talk about stuffy. Ugh.”

His apology put her in a generous mood. “You do have a position to consider. How would Fagan Harcourt react if he thought you were factoring astrological predictions into your Mars project?”

Nolan choked on his coffee and set the cup on the table.

She handed him a napkin so he could cough into it. Then she waited patiently as he cleared his throat and settled back in his chair. At last she spoke. “Scary thought, isn’t it?”

He glanced at her. “At the risk of being an ass about this, after all, I never even remotely considered factoring astrological predictions into my project.”

“Maybe you should.”

He grimaced, which also caused his dimples to appear. “I’m not going to respond to that, because it’ll only get me in more trouble. Could we not talk about using astrology in my work, at least not yet? Could we maybe ease into the subject from another angle?”

She took pity on him. “We can if you want to. Or if you’d rather forget the whole thing, that’s okay, too.”

“And then what?”

“What do you mean?”

“You came to Space Expo because of me, right?”

“Mostly. I’m also drawn to the study of space, so I wouldn’t mind attending some of the other lectures now that I’m here.”

He hesitated. “Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but you might want to keep your interest in astrology to yourself when you talk with any of the scientists. The people in costumes could be a different story, but I can’t guarantee you’ll get a good reaction from the eggheads.”

“I discovered that a long time ago. But I was curious about how you’d react, since we have a history.”

“We do.” He sighed. “I didn’t react very well, did I?”

“I’ve dealt with worse.”

“But if I tell you right now that I’d rather not discuss astrology, are we done?”

She met his gaze. He really did have beautiful eyes. “Probably. I’m devoted to studying it, even though I realize it’s not a mainstream kind of thing. I tend to surround myself with people who support my work.” She shrugged. “It’s a matter of survival.”

“So you’re an outsider, now.” His tone was gentle.

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

“I understand that feeling.”

“I know you do, and if we’re not destined to become friends, I can’t leave until I apologize for treating you like shit in high school. My behavior was unforgiveable.”

He smiled. “But you see, I forgave you everything.”

“You shouldn’t have. And for what it’s worth, I admired you for being yourself. I didn’t have the guts to do that. I pretended I was just like the other kids in my crowd. Underneath I was more of a thinker, but I couldn’t let that show. You were okay with being different.”

“Not really okay, but I couldn’t help it. I am what I am.”

“There’s strength in that, I’ve discovered. I am what I am, too, Nolan. People have to take me or leave me, but I’m okay with whichever they choose.”

He left his coffee untouched as he studied her. “I don’t want to give up on us potentially becoming friends.”

“That’s good to hear.” Awareness stirred between them. Gut instinct told her something more than friendship might be on the table. After all, he’d had a crush on her in high school, and those feelings often lingered into adulthood. As for her, she was in the midst of developing a crush on Nolan Bradbury, Ph.D., a man who could apologize for discounting a subject she cherished. Friendship was a good place to start.

He picked up his coffee and took a drink. “I want to keep an open mind about astrology, but I have some deep-seated prejudices. I don’t know if I can overcome them or not.”

“I relish the challenge of trying to help you do that.”

He nodded. “I believe you do.”

“Where should we start?”

“Well, the idea of applying astrological calculations to my Mars research makes me hyperventilate. What else have you got?”

“Lots of things. Do you know your exact time of birth?”

“Absolutely. I’m a Virgo. I live for specifics.”

She blew out a breath. “Don’t make fun. That’s not a good way to begin.”

“I’m not making fun. I’m a Virgo and I’m all about detail. Although I don’t give any credence to what’s written about my sign, it seems I fit the profile perfectly.”

She was stunned. “You studied your astrological sign?”

“Yeah, back in junior high, during that painful period of trying to figure out who the hell I was. Someone read me a description of Virgo and I latched onto it as validation for my love of detail.”

“That’s amazing.” She’d pegged him for a Virgo, and was thrilled to be on target, but she struggled to imagine him buying into it at any age.

“Don’t get too excited. I don’t believe in it anymore. Logically sun signs can’t be accurate, because people born under the same sign are not clones of each other.”

“Of course not. Reading about your sun sign is fun, but usually the descriptions have to be very general.”

“I’m glad we agree on that. Anyway, when I was in seventh grade, it gave me something to hold onto, an identity of sorts.”

“And it’s not completely off-base, just lacking in a lot of personal detail.”

“No offense, but I think you hear what you want to hear. I read the description of the other signs and found some of my traits in those, too.”

She nodded. “Not surprising. Your chart is influenced by other signs. Look, let’s do this. Give me your exact time and place of birth and I’ll create your birth chart. We’ll start with that.”