Chapter 13: The Conversation

Brandon Cornwall's POV

"So, in a pool, eh?" I started as I saw Alex was looking at his fiancée.

"Yeah, I know. How ironic,"

"Yeah, with you being the Water Elemental and all. I think it was fate," I said as I was taking a sip of my whiskey. The liquor burned inside my throat. Then he laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked as I was scowling at him.

"Oh, my god. Did you slept with someone?" He asked before I was taken back. I did not have that chance since Barbara was out of the state before anything happened between us.

If any.

I felt blood rushing to my ear before I was stammering in my answer.

"You know the deal, right? No sex until we found the ONE," he reminded me. I opened my mouth before I closed it again. I just let him think that then.

"What if the gods bring doom upon us, Brad? And Cam and Dylan. And me! I just found my bride," he hissed at me. I turned to look at him before I wanted to say something.

"Look, it's not what you think, I—"

"Then, what do I think? hmm? Care to explain?" He asked as he was looking at me. I felt my lips were in thin line now.

"I met someone and our kind of accidentally married if you know what I mean," I said as I was rubbing my neck.

"What?" He asked as if he did not hear what I just said.

"Yeah, I'm married. I know it's weird," I said before Alex looked at me and his eyes narrowed on me.

"Okay, what's her name?" He asked as I was sipping on my whiskey. I coughed as I was shocked to hear that question.

"Sorry?" I asked before Alex smirked at me with that all-knowing look.

"Come on, you said that you were married and all, but you don't know her name?" He taunted me before I put my glass down. I cleared my throat as I was looking at him.

"Barbara," I mumbled.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" He teased me before I sighed.

"Barbara. I met at one of my excavation sites," I said as I just lied a little bit. I met her before the excavation even begins but we will be there together anyway so…

"Well, I would like to meet her someday. She seems—"

"Nice?" I cut him.

"Cool. She could tame you into a marriage," Alex added before I sighed.

"Well, you should have known the rest of the story as well," I said before I went out of my way to the dance floor. Only I don't dance. It was hot so sudden. I think I might go home after all.

I went out of my way to the living room before I asked for my coat and I went to leave the premise. It was nothing personal but I think I have something in mind that I wanted to do for tomorrow.

Only I don't know if I have an open spot or not in my schedule for this spontaneous plan of mine.

So I called my trusted secretary in the middle of the night.

"Hello?" She asked as I was trying to make sure that she did not just get out of bed to answer my call. I can be a jerk something.

"Are you sleeping?"

"I was about to. But then I heard your call and answer it. I wonder why do you call me in the middle of the night?" She teased me as I rolled my eyes at her.

"It was not 10 PM yet,"

"Exactly my point," she taunted before I sighed at her snide remarks.

"Look, I want to know if I have an open schedule for tomorrow or do I have my day full?" I asked as I was weaving through traffic. I don't know what to do but I was going home. And I think I just did something right.

Before I changed my mind and went to Barbara's

Call me selfish or stalker if you liked but I got her address from her CV and I think that was illegal for me, as her husband, to know his wife's residency.

If anything.

"So?" I asked Sabrina as she was taking so long to answer my question.

"Hmm, it seems that you don't have anything important to do before the excavation in the Bay Area. Why do you ask?" She asked. I smirked as I was parking my car in front of my house. I got out of the car as I was unbuttoning the top two buttons of my shirt. I need to get out and I think a cold shower would do good for me.

"Brandon?" She asked again as I was stalling to answer her question.

"What would you say if I was to take a tour of the university that my friend is currently teaching at?" I asked her as I heard she was sighed. I think I have another sample that I can give to Alex for my present.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Who, me? Nothing at all. I just wanted to say hi to my friend. It has been a nice dinner with my friend. I think this was a nice reply for his kindness to invite me to his house, right?" I said as I was unlocking the door of my house. I went inside before I flipped the switches. The lamps were on and I was removing my coat as I made my way to the master bedroom.

"Hmm, mmm. And do I know where it was?"

"Oh come on. You got to be kidding me. You went to that university as well," I said before Sabrina swore under her breaths.

"Language," I said as I was tossing my coat onto my bed. My very cold bed. Even though I was married, I don't have a wife that will be waiting for me in my room.

Well, not yet.

What we have between us was purely business. I made sure that I think Sabrina was agreeing with me for once in something.

"I hope you don't think to visit a certain someone," she said as I was unbuttoning my shirt and was trying to hold my phone while I peeled off my clothes.

"Fine, I will make it clear for you, if you wish. You're the boss but head my warning. You will not get entangled with this woman more than you should. You said it yourself, it was purely business," Sabrina said as she was typing something on her computer. Maybe changing my schedule around.

"I'll try," I said.

"Brandon," Sabrina warned me before I laughed as I peeled my belt and shirt.

"Remember your duty. You need to make sure that this discovery will be known to the world and maybe, you will get that position you have been wanting before," she said as I sucked in my breaths. I never told anyone about that plan but Sabrina. It was the reason that I wanted this discovery to be my achievement.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied as I was about to salute but she was not here to see it. She grunted.

"Good, now get some sleep. You looked like a mess," she said as I was arching my eyebrows.

"How do you know?"

"Alex sent a picture of you when you were not looking at the camera. You look like shit," Sabrina taunted me.

"Sabrina, language," I warned her but she just laughed at me.

"Okay, I got to go. I have so much thing to be done tomorrow and you need to get a good sleep before your big tour day," she teased me as I grunted in response.

"Night," she said as I replied to her as well before I hung up the phone. I threw it onto the bed before I went to the bathroom. I was half-naked with my pants intact. I looked at the mirror and I did look like a mess. I rubbed my hands onto my face.

I think I need to clean myself well before meeting Barbara again when she less expected.