Barbara Brown's POV
"That would be all, thank you," Mr. Cornwall said as I was looking at him. He was smiling before he waved at the crowd after the Question and Answer session about the new excavation.
"I think I wanted to be on this one," I said as Adam and I were clapping for him.
"What? Are you mad? He stated that he will only ask for male employees for the excavation, you will not stand a chance," Adam said as I was glaring at him before he was leaving the stage.
"Then, maybe I should change that requirement myself," I said as I took off with my laptop in my beg and I was running toward the door and got out of the conference hall.
"Damn it," I said as I was running in the high heels. I don't even know why I bothered to doll up tonight. I just stuck my head on something hard to do this stupid decision. I was running before I was catching a glimpse of his figure and his secretary.
"Mr. Cornwall," I called after him. I know that he might be ignoring me calling after him. But I have to try my best to make sure that I will secure a spot in his excavation.
I must.
"Yes?" He said as I was stopping in front of him. I was breathing heavily before I was bending for a minute as I was straightening my back and took a deep breath.
"I want a spot,"
"Excuse me?" He asked me as he was staring at me into my eyes. I know he will not allow this but I will do anything to get in.
"I want a spot in your excavation and I do anything to make sure of it,"
Silence filled the air as we were staring at each other. He blinked a few times before he laughed at me. I felt my face was burning before he took a deep breath for his explanation.
"Miss…"
"Brown. Barbara Brown," I said as I was extending my hand to shake his. He looked at it before he took it. I felt something when he touched my skin and it electrified through my entire body as I was looking at him.
"Nice to meet you. Miss Brown. I think you forgot what I said in the conference just now but I strictly said that—"
"You only choose male geologists. I think that would be extremely sexist and if you wish to keep your job, I suggest you think it twice to say that to my face right now. I can have you dragged to the prison because you were choosing an employee based on their genders," I said as I was staring at him. He blinked a few times before s smile was forming on his lips.
Well, that was not something that I expected.
"Sir, we need to go," his secretary said before he held out his hand.
"Give us a minute," he said before the secretary was going out of our conversation. I stood my ground before he was staring up and down of my body. I felt like I was being examined in his eyes.
"Okay. I will let you in for a spot—" he said as my heart was blooming for his defeat.
"But I want something in return," he said as he was staring at my eyes. I blinked a few times at him as I was waiting for his condition. Then he looked at his watch.
"Oops, look at that. I was supposed to be somewhere right now so why don't we continue our conversation tomorrow? Here's my card and where I will be staying. You will come to that address if you want a spot," he said as he was giving a card. He called for his secretary before he looked at me with a gleam in his eyes.
"See you later, Miss Brown," he said before he went inside the car and they were leaving the foyer. I was staring at the car when Adam was coming to my side.
"So, how did it go?" He asked as I was staring at him before I smiled.
"You know I always get what I want," I said as we were smiling at each other before Carol came and we greeted her.
"So, let's have lunch," she said.
"Let's,"
"I'm famished," Adam said as I was shaking my head before we were walking out of the building as my mind was slipping to the moment that will come tomorrow.
I cannot help but wonder, what will he want from me?
Brandon Cornwall's POV
I was looking at the city when my secretary was babbling about my schedule but I was preoccupied with something.
Or rather, someone.
"Hmm, mmm," she cleared her throat before I was looking at her. She arched her eyebrow at me before I shrugged.
"Anything that you want to tell me, Brad?" She asked. If you must know, she was the little sister of my other friend, Cameron Hayes. He was now in Seattle, being editor-in-chief for WWF magazine.
"What do you mean?" I asked her innocently before she scoffed at me. She rolled her eyes at me before I sighed.
"I don't know. It was something about that woman…"
"But you don't know how to control it?"
"Exactly. I don't think it was something gooey like Alex felt for his bride, it was something…like lust," I said as she arched her eyebrow. I sighed as I was rubbing my face.
"I don't know. It was infatuation, I suppose," I said as I was leaning against the chair of the car.
"So, do you want me to cancel all your meetings tomorrow and move it to another date?" She asked and I nodded.
"That would be most helpful. Thank you," I said as I looked at her. She was typing on her laptop as I smiled at her.
"What will I do without you?"
"You will be a hot mess," she said as I laughed before my phone started to ring. I went to look at the number before I groaned.
"Let me guess, Mr. Cornwall call?"
"Haha, very funny," I said before I answer the phone.
"My sense is tingling. So tell me, son, what are you planning behind my back?" My father said as I was rolling my eyes before my secretary chuckled. I sighed.
"Nothing. I don't anything," I said as I was rubbing my mouth.
"Hmm, I know when you're lying," my father replied before I was sighing loudly right now. I can tell that my father was still waiting for my answer as he was arching his eyebrow as well.
"Okay, maybe I am planning something but not right now. I was planning to meet with someone—"
"Is it a woman?"
"Do I have to tell you what gender it is?"
"Well, if it's a woman, I think my answer has been prayed," my father retorted before I was facepalming my forehead with my hand. My father was something else. Not to mention my mother. God, if she ever—
"So, tell me all the details, son. How do you meet her? Will she come over for Thanksgiving. Oh, how about the 4th of July? That would be great," my mother chipped in as I was holding my phone away from my ear right now. I was looking at my secretary when she snickered at me.
"You see what I mean when I don't want to answer my parents' call?" I said to her as she was shrugging. Urgh! Hayes, no passion at all.
"Okay, I have to go now. I have another meeting. I call you later. Bye," I said as I was hanging up the phone before the valet was opening the door as I slid out of the car. My secretary got out as well.
"Welcome, Mr. Cornwall. It's so good to finally meet you," the director of American Geologists Association was greeting me.
"Please, call me Brad,"
"And you will call me Nick," Nick said as I was smiling at him and shaking his hand. He directed us to the conference hall that I will be giving more of the presentation of my discovery.
I think I liked being in the spotlight but right now, I wanted to be somewhere else and that has nothing to do with presenting my discovery.
Later that day, I was exhausted. I cannot imagine that having a discovery to be exposed to the world was something else. I have to salute all the scientists that done this presentation all the time.
"Well, it looks like everything was according to plan," Sabrina said as she was handing me a cold beer. I popped it opened and took a sip of the cold brew.
"To a new beginning," she said as I clinked my beer with her. I cannot agree more with her.
And tomorrow will be my new beginning.