Untouched love

Chapter eight: Strange

And so Samantha began re-narrating the exact story she told Bella to her friends. Even Bella who she had told before was listening intently. While Samantha was happy about the whole meeting with Director Bolaji Oladele, she was still unsure about her feelings, especially with everything going on in her life at the moment. A part of her knew he must have felt the same thing she had felt, but she wasn’t sure if he was going to act on it. Her friends were the experts. in this sort of things, and  they might be able to provide her insight.
Bola was the first to respond, not surprising. Her sharp eyes were shining with excitement and her face was lit up with a bright smile. ‘’ This is so good. What do you intend to do about it?’’
‘’ Yes, what do you want to do about it?’’ Kemi’s soft voice soothed the air as she also asked.
‘’ I honestly don’t know. I could feel the connection between us, but I don’t know. Things are quite hectic in the company right now. I don’t know if I have the time for romance now.’’ Samantha sighed.
‘’ That might be true, but I still feel you should pursue this. Really… I mean, this seems very serious.’’ Bola said. ‘’ Moreover, didn’t you say he is the Director of the company you are trying to make a deal with. If you look at it one way, wouldn’t you be killing two birds with a stone?’’
Bella looked at Bola as if she said something very good. With a devious smile, she said. ‘’ If you looking at it like that, it is indeed true. This might just make things easier. I am very good in the art of seduction, we should start coming up with a plan.’’
‘’ Come on now, girls. That is a bad train of thought. Aren’t you just asking her to use the man?’’ Kemi cautioned them.
‘’ It was just an opinion.’’ Bola defended. ‘’ It ain’t using if he is also getting something out of it. From the look of things, he might half seduce anyways.’’
‘’ I won’t be dating anyone just to make things easier for me.’’ Samantha said. ‘’ I have not even thought of it that way. Now, this just seem more like a reason why I shouldn’t pursue this. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m using them.’’
‘’ Now, now… come on. Don’t be over dramatic. Like I said, it was just an opinion. Besides, people do that quite often. Just because you are benefitting something from someone doesn’t mean you are using them.’’ She said almost defensively.
‘’ Oh, you mean like all those scoops you are benefitting from our favourite captain. Not everyone is going to be like you, Bola.’’ Kemi said to Bola. The nicest opportunity couldn’t have presented itself more than now to take a jab at her.
‘’ That is not particularly true. I call it helping each other out. You know, like a symbiotic relationship, since I also help with his investigations. This symbiotic relationship, of course, also includes love. You can do both.’’ Bola argued. Her eyes looked dreamy as she talked about her relationship with a proud glint. Of course they knew she wasn’t using him… maybe not totally, but she was definitely marrying Deji partly because of his job. What she said wasn’t doing her any favours either.
They all took the opportunity to laugh.
‘’ And Samantha, we all know you, we know you wouldn’t do that. Besides, you had all the opportunities to do that with Olajide.’’  Bella said.
Olajide is the son of her father’s friend, who happens to be the owner of a large business empire. She has known him since they were kids. Their respective parents had tried to push both together to no avail. They had always been something of a friend though. Both of them being more than that was something that has never crossed her mind. Samantha does not feel anything beyond friendship for Olajide. Her father used to relentlessly try to get her to date him, which used to be one of the many reasons they butted heads. He seemed to have relented with the incessant pressure recently.
‘’True that. By the way, is your father still trying to get you together with him?’’ Kemi asked crossing arms.
‘’ No, he seems to have relented after I threatened to move out.’’ Samantha responded.
They were not surprised. This was a normal occurrence between Samantha and her Father.
Kemi nodded in proud acknowledgment. ‘’ As you should.’’
‘’ Let’s set that aside for now. So, do you think you have a chance of meeting the hot Director again?’’ Bola asked.
Samantha took in a heavy breath let it out through her mouth. ‘’ From the read I got from him, we should be expecting a response from him.’’ she really hoped they got one.
‘’ Good, you still have a chance.’’ Bola said. ‘’ From what you have said about him, he must have felt something too. And I do know a little about him, from what I heard, he is supposedly single.’’
‘’ You know him?’’ Samantha asked. ‘’ And how do you even know he is single?’’
‘’ Come on now, girl. I’m a reporter, tis in my job description to know things.’’ She pointed her thumb with long nail fixed on it to herself with a smug look. She was bragging now. ‘’ Especially when the person is the Director of such prestigious empire.’’                                
‘’What else do you know about him?’’ Samantha inquired.
‘’ Nothing much. Just a little bit of this and that, apparently, he is a very private person.’’ Bola answered.
Samantha was a little disappointed, but she is going to ask the ‘’this and that’’ that Bola knows later. She needed to know as much information about him, especially if they going to do business.
Samantha looked at Bella who was sitting with her legs crossed. ‘’ Bella…’’
‘’ Don’t worry, I’ll try to find as much about him as possible.’’ Bella said.  She was already thinking about it. That’s typical of her, one of the many things she liked about her Bella. She is so capable and reliable.
‘’ Don’t worry, we’ll help too, won’t we, Bola? Won’t be that difficult especially with the endless gossips at the salon.’’ Kemi said.
‘’ That, we’ll certainly do.’’ Bola replied grinning like mad.
‘’ Now that is settled. Let’s have some fun.’’ said Bella.
And with that they closed the chapter on the talk for the time being. ‘’ Yeah. We’ve been talking about me since. Let’s have something about the rest of you too’’
It was Bola who spearheaded the conversation.’’ Oh, you will not believe what happened…’’

Bolaji exited the conference room after just concluding a meeting with the executives. Their expansion plans were coming up well, what’s left was just to conclude who to give the bulk of the building materials contract to.
The Browne's enterprise was brought up as a serious contender but Bolaji made no comment on it. It’s been a day since he's had the business date with Samantha. He has reviewed the business deal she proposed, it seemed good, even though he added some changes to it. So far so good, there was no reason not to take up her company’s offer. The Browne’s Company were a respectable company, the decision shouldn’t be so hard. The only thing that could cause a problem was the fact that they already had a company they were seriously considering. The board members who were recommending them will be opposed to it.
Bolaji wasn’t going to deny the fact that there were other factors that are in play with his decision making. He was going to get back to her after discussing with Mr Segun, to hear his thought on the matter as he was a top executive in the company and a mentor.
As Bolaji started walking towards his office, he heard the door to conference room open and close behind him and a familiar voice called out to him.
‘’ Mr Bolaji,’’ A baritone voice called out to him from behind. A voice he recognized belong to Mr Anunobi.  ‘’ Can I talk to you for a moment?’’
‘’Yes, of course.’’ He replied.
A dark figure walked up to him, he was about 5’7 tall and had balding head. Mr Anunobi is a top executive in the company. He has been in the company much longer than he was, and as far as he knows, he has been in the company for as long as Mr Segun and they are about the same age, too. He was also one of the few people that did not object to him being the Executive Director of the company.
‘’Let’s talk in my office.’’ Bolaji said leading the way to his office. They took the elevator to his office which was the floor just above the conference room. They passed by Lydia’s office who had her door wide open like it is most of the time.
She was typing away when he greeted her. ‘’ Lydia, well-done.’’ Bolaji called to her. She looked up from the computer and smiled at him.
‘’ Welcome back, sir. Was the meeting a productive one?’’ Lydia asked.
‘’ Hunn, a little progress was made but it was still more or less the same thing we’ve been saying.’’
It is not every meeting that leads to anything productive and she knew that. They were just a normal routine meeting. Lydia chuckled, adjusting her glasses in her unique way, an action that made him want to chuckle too.
‘’ Mr Anunobi,’’ She acknowledged the executive behind Bolaji bobbing her head down a little. ‘’ Hope your day is going well?’’
‘’ Lydia,’’ Mr Anunobi acknowledged her back with an expressionless face. ‘’ Yes, my day is going well… thank you.’’
Bolaji left her to continue her work as he entered his office with Mr Anunobi right behind him. After they both sat down at his desk, he asked Mr Anunobi what he wanted to talk to him about.
‘’ I heard you met with Browne’s company yesterday…’’ He paused as if to let Bolaji catch to what he was saying. ‘’… or more specifically, the acting CEO of their company.’’
Bolaji raised his brow in surprise, he was a little surprised he knew that, not because his meetup was a secret, but because he hadn’t told anyone except his secretary. He had yet to even tell his friends about his discovery of the identity of the lady he met at the company. He, however, knew immediately what he wanted to talk about, since he was one the people who were advocating giving the primary supply of the materials to another prestigious company.
‘’ Yes, I did.’’ Bolaji wasn’t going to ask how he knew. He had a business date with head of another company, the news was going to reach them sooner or later. ‘’ I guess that’s what you wanted to talk to me about. Don’t worry, I haven’t made any decisions yet. Besides, I still have to run it past you guys first.’’
‘’ Nothing like that, Mr Bolaji.’’ Mr Anunobi waved his thought away. His eyes glinted a little as he continued. ‘’ it’s just… I have been hearing certain things about the Browne’s company…’’