***
“Good afternoon, sheikh,” Amina greeted Bassem as he walked past her desk. Bassem grunted in response and just kept heading to his office. There was nothing good about the afternoon.
Bassem walked into his office and slammed the door behind him. He sat in his chair at his desk. Lenny was so annoying, Bassem thought to himself. He didn’t like seeing Lenny around Blake. He seemed to flirt with her a little too much. And the problem was that Blake didn’t ward him off. She just smiled at him.
Blake looked so beautiful. She was wearing a high-waisted skirt that showed off her beautiful curves. Why was she still on his mind? Bassem couldn’t understand why he was still thinking about her. It was unlike like him to be so fixated on a woman. What was happening to him? He was getting married in a couple of months. He needed to forget about Blake.
A knock sounded on the door. “I’m busy!” Bassem called out. He couldn’t be bothered to deal with anyone or anything. The door swung open anyway and Basil walked in.
“Good afternoon, sir,” he said as he walked in. Bassem raised an eyebrow.
“What are you up to now?”
“Nothing mischievous.” Basil pulled out the chair from Bassem’s desk and sat down opposite him. “I’ve been working here since yesterday,” he said.
“What?” Bassem had no idea what his brother was talking about.
“I have to work as a geologist, remember?” Basil frowned.
“Oh.” Bassem laughed a little. “It’s a good job. What is the problem?”
“I have to live on that salary. That isn’t fair.”
“I’m actually surprised that it took father this long to make you work in the company. He has always been displeased with your partying and lack of responsibility.”
Basil frowned. “I don’t want to work in the family company though,” he said.
“You have to work somewhere. You can’t just party for the rest of your life. Be grateful, there are people that have a lot less in life,” he replied. Basil curled his upper lip.
“You and Blake think alike.”
“Why are you bringing up Blake here?” Bassem snapped.
“She also thinks that father wasn’t extreme with his punishment and that being a geologist is a good job.”
Bassem raised his eyebrows. “You’ve met with Blake?” he asked.
“Yes.” Basil smiled.
“When?” Bassem didn’t return his smile. What business did Basil have with Blake? There was no reason for them to be meeting up.
“Over the weekend,” Basil replied.
“Why?”
“Easy with the questions.”
“There is no reason for you to be meeting up with her. What did you talk about?”
“We are friends. We can meet up whenever we feel like it. Besides, why does it matter to you whether we do so or not?” Basil looked at his brother suspiciously.
“I told you that I didn’t want you have romantic attachments with any of my workers.”
“You’re particularly sensitive when it comes to Miss Gordon,” Basil replied. Bassem crossed his eyebrows.
“No, I’m not,” he spat out. “Why are you here anyway? I am kind of busy.”
“Why are you so stubborn? Clearly you have feeling for Blake.”
“I don’t.” The words didn’t sound convincing to Bassem. He said that he didn’t have feelings for her but he didn’t believe himself whenever he said it. “I’m getting married in two months,” he added.
“As if you want to,” said Basil.
“I have no choice.”
“At least, Keira is a beautiful woman.”
“You’ve seen her before?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Where?”
“Relax, I’ve not been romantically involved with her or anyone close to her,” said Basil. Bassem was glad to hear it. He didn’t want rumors that involved his brother and his future wife to start floating about.
“She’s very eager to marry me,” said Bassem. When he had met her, she was so smiley and mentioned how he was the right man for her. She had called his phone that very night and the day after.
“I’m sure a lot of women are very eager to be your wife,” said Basil. “I know many women want me. We look the same, so you must be having the same problem.”
Bassem shook his head at his brother’s vanity. “It’s not about looks. It’s mostly about money and power,” he said.
“That too.”
“She called my phone.”
“How does she have your number?”
“Mother gave it to her of course.”
Basil shook his head. “She’s so eager for us to settle down,” he said.
“Keira isn’t a bad-looking woman. She just needs to be less eager, and she talks too much. I don’t want a wife that talks too much,” said Bassem.
“She’s not Blake.”
“Of course she’s not Blake. They’re two different women.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“I don’t care what you mean.”
“You’re not attracted to Keira but you’re going to marry her anyway.” Basil rose to his feet. “If you’re not going to make a move on Blake, then leave her to me,” he added. Bassem sprang up to his feet.
“Stay away from her,” he warned. Basil raised his eyebrows and looked at his brother from head to toe. He looked amused. He turned and headed out of Bassem’s office without saying a word.