Chapter 8

BRIANNA

After swimming to my satisfaction, I get out of the pool and lie on one of the beds so as to dry up. Tiffy is no longer talking to me as she seems deep in thoughts. She's still in the same position, kicking at the water with her legs.

So far, no one has bothered to come and look for us and I assume that we're not that important.

I'm still lying on the bed when I hear footsteps approaching and since Tiffany is too busy in the water to hear the intruder, I sit up immediately on time to see a guy, one of the guests at Brenda's party approaching us. He's wearing a killer smile and I suddenly recognise him. He's the company's general manager and I suddenly remember that he came to the party all alone! Doesn't he have a wife or girlfriend? I can't stop asking myself several questions.

“Hello girls?” he says, jolting Tiffy to her senses. She looks up from the pool and smiles at the guy then grins at me.

“Hello.” we both reply as I look for a towel to cover my half naked body.

He walks over to me and lowers himself onto the bed I'm seated on. When I see that, I draw farther, paving some space for him.

“I've been looking for you for over twenty minutes now until Brenda told me to find you at the pool.”

“You were?” I'm surprised that someone would look for me to an extend of asking my sister for my whereabouts!

“Yes Brianna. I wanted to have a word with you before I leave.”

Wow! Okay!

It's like Tiffy reads between the lines since she gets out of the pool, picks her shoes and walks away towards the furthest end of the pool where she sits on one of the beds and she starts scrolling through her phone.

“My name is Stephen Richard.” he adds when I stay silent.

“Alright Steve, what do you want to talk to me about?” I ask curiously, this time checking him out from head to toe. He's not bad looking at all! I can do him, you know? He's cute with a long face, a pointed chin and a sharp nose. He has a great smile and his teeth are milk white, just how I love them. He's wearing a short sleeved white polo t-shirt which outlines his abs so well and I can tell that he spends most of his time in the gym.

My eyes travel further down to his bossom and I notice he's wearing navy blue khaki pants and white air Max shoes. He doesn't look bad at all!

“Can I take you out for dinner?” he asks and I smile, wondering what he's upto. Why can't he tell me whatever he wants from me right here?

“I'm not available!” I say, trying to make him say whatever he wanted here!

“Sadly, I can't tell you anything here because I'm rushing back home. My nanny is leaving to her house and my son and daughter need me. Let's meet tomorrow for dinner please!”

Oh my God!

The guts this guy has and yet he is married with kids! His poor wife must be unlucky to have him for a husband! He's still young, probably in his early thirties but here he is, looking for who to deceive while his wife is worried sick about him.

Wait a minute! Why didn't he come to the party with her? Why did he say that he's heading home to be with his kids after their nanny leaves? Where is his wife? Or maybe she traveled or maybe she left him due to his cheating nature! Oh yeah, that is it!

“Can I have your number please?” he asks as he stands up.

“Won't your wife be mad at you for asking other ladies out for dinner? Why didn't you come with her anyway? Oh, I kmow...probably to look for a new girl to ask out!”

“Stop it, will you?” he says calmly but I can see anger building up in him. “I can't do that to Veronica. At least not when she was alive!”

“What?” I gasp in shock then look up at him. Sadness has already filled his eyes and he's about to let go of some tears but since he's a man, I can tell he's trying hard not to. My careless words must have hurt him so much.

“I always get this from any girl I try to ask out.” he tries to explain as calmly as possible. “Veronica is no more....anyway, I'll tell you more about that if you agree to go to dinner with me.” he concludes.

I nod without thinking twice. I'll definitely go to dinner with him.

“Can I have your number please?” he asks, removing his phone from his pocket and hands it over to me.

Without hesitation, I dial my number on his phone and ensure I beep mine so as to have his number as well.

“I'll call you before noon to plan the dinner date with you.” he says as he slips his phone into his pocket after saving my number.

“Alright, I'll be waiting.” I reply as I put on a smile.

“Okay then Brianna, I need to rush for now but just expect my call tomorrow.” he says and I just nod. “It was a pleasure meeting you.” he says as he shakes my hand as a sign of friendship and goodbye.

“The pleasure was mine Steve! Have a safe journey back home and say hi to the kids.”

He releases my hand smiling and then turns to walk away and I can't stop admiring him from behind. He's not only handsome by also well built... I can do him anytime despite him being widowed!

I dress up immediately Steve leaves and as Tiffany approaches me, I stand up and inform her that I'm going back inside. I need to find my phone in my clutch bag and save Steve's number.

“What did he say?” she asks curiously, holding my arm so as not to leave before I tell her everything.

“He is widowed with two kids and he wants to discuss something with me over dinner tomorrow!” I summarise so as to get done with her.

“Wow!” she exclaims. “This might be your chance to win yourself a husband!”

“What? I'm not even thinking about his wife Tiffy, besides, I don't know what he wants to discuss with me!”

“What else would a single man want from a single lady if not to have her in bed or marry her?”

“You're overthinking girlfriend! Let's wait till I meet him then I'll make conclusions after I hear him out!”

“If you say so.” she concludes. “Come, let's get back in there and party like there's no tomorrow.” she suggests.

“You will have to go in there first and bring me my clutch bag. I need to apply some lotion on my body, comb my hair and also do my make up since everything have been washed away by the water!” I tell her after realising that I might be looking like an alien without make up!

Tiffy nods as she walks away towards the house while I sit back on the bed waiting for her.

All this while, I can't stop thinking about Steve and wondering what he has in store for me tomorrow. I don't want to make conclusions yet but I know a smitten man when I see one. I'm sure he wants me to be his girlfriend but I just have to wait till tomorrow!

A few minutes later, she comes back holding my clutch and we both get into business as she helps me comb my hair as I apply make up.

After we're done, we head back to the house and we're surprised to find out that the party is already over and people are leaving at their own pleasure.

Only a few guests are left, dancing and drinking but the hosts are nowhere to be found. I ask one lady where my sister is and she informs me that Brenda and Ethan dropped one guy whose car had some issues home. Well, I forgot to mention that they bought their two cars yesterday so as to enable them two move around easily.

Sighing, I resume my previous sitting position and I pour some drink into a glass and start sipping onto it. Tiffy does the same and we engage into small talks here and there as we wait for Brenda to come back. All I want is to bid her goodbye and head back home. I have a lot of thinking to do!

A few minutes later, Brenda and Ethan are back and I don't hesitate as I walk up to them to bid them goodbye. I lie to them that I'm exhausted and I just want to rest. Brenda insists that I should spend the night at their mansion but I blatantly refuse, citing that I have some stuff to do back home.

The fact is that I can't spend any other minute here since my jealous will just explode and I don't want to expose myself before I come up with a plan!

“It's okay dear, let me drop you two home.” Brenda suggests.

“No need for that sis, Tiffy and I will just call a cab, right Tiffy?”

Tiffany nods, coming to my rescue. I won't ride in Brenda's car for anything. If Ethan is the one who has offered to drop us, I'd have accepted without a second thought. But I'm sure he wouldn't dare since it's like he smelt a rat the moment I over hugged him, almost suffocating him!

“Okay dear, let me walk you out.” Brenda says and after bidding Ethan goodbye, the three of us exit through the back door and walk towards the gate as I call my cab guy to meet us outside the gate.