3. A Simple Request

"Oh, Barbara!"

"Hey Audrey!"

Mid-tour, Audrey and Mr. Lord ran into the passionate blonde Doctor.

"I have some notes on our artifact identification on my desk, I'll drop them by you before the end of the day," Audrey promised her colleague.

"Okay, thanks." Barbara was eyeing Mr. Lord. "Sorry, sorry, I don't mean to stare," she chuckled awkwardly, pulling her gaze away. "You just look so familiar."

He chuckled, waiting for her to recognize him. "Don't worry, I get it a lot."

"Oh, I'm sure you do," said Audrey with a roll of her eyes. "Barbara, this is Mr. Lord, from the T.V.," she introduced.

Barbara gasped - well more squeaked - and her eyes grew wide behind the lenses of her glasses.

"Oh Dr. Laurel, you spoiled my fun," he said jokingly. Clearly he had been wanting to use his catchphrase again. "And I'm not only that Mr. Lord from the T.V., but the oil company as well."

At least he called her by her title this time. "Oh, my apologies," she said half-heartedly. Were they joking back and forth? Was she joking with a famous TV personality? No way! Could this day get any stranger?

Apparently yes, as she would soon discover.

"This is my colleague, Dr. Barbara Minerva," she introduced, Barbara still shocked speechless. We're working together on the identification of the newly acquired artifacts."

"Ah that must be very exciting for you both."

"Yes, yes it is," said Barbara, finding her words, not blinking as she stared at him. "It really is."

"I'm just giving Mr. Lord a tour of the museum cause he's considering becoming a partner."

"Oh, really? Wow, that's so awesome. I hope you enjoy!"

"Oh yes, yes, very much. It really is a wonderful museum, and a wonderful tour with an even better tour guide," he said with a grin at Audrey.

Ah, more of his flirtatious flattering. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it just a little bit. Just the tiniest littlest bit. But only a little.

They said goodbye to Barbara who stood and stared after them as they continued on their tour. When it came to an end back in the lab, Maxwell began pouring over the recently-acquired artifacts.

"You'd better count yourself lucky - you're the first person outside of the museum staff to see these artifacts up close," Audrey told him.

"Ah, well lucky me indeed."

"Yes, lucky you."

"Oh, careful for that! It's very old-" Barbara was laughing hysterically. They were like a couple of children who had gotten hold of some artifacts.

He laughed too and took a mask, held it up in front of his face, and growled, making Barbara laugh.

"Hey, have you seen my friend, where'd he go?"

He peeked out from behind the mask. "I'm right here!"

"Oh there you are! Thank goodness!"

Audrey couldn't help but chuckle at their antics. "Oh, you've got some dust on you." She gestured to Max Lord's nose.

"Oh do I?"

"Morning." Diana stood there, looking less than impressed with what was taking place there.

"Morning, Diana. This is the one and only Mr. Maxwell Lord," cried Barbara, still extremely excited. "It's him!"

Diana only stared back.

This time Audrey let Maxwell do his thing. "'Life is good - but it can be better.'" He finished with a point and grin at Diana.

"He's from T.V.," Barbara said when Diana still didn't seem to clue in.

"Oh, I don't have a T.V.," the raven-haired woman admitted.

"Oh well I have a great relationship with Sears. I can get you a brand-new T.V. by the end of the day. Nineteen inches, no strings attached," Maxwell offered and swiftly slipped her a business card.

"I'll stick to the one I don't have, but thank you," Diana told him, pocketing the business card emblazoned with gold. "Now if you'll excuse us we have a lot of work to do."

"So I can see - busy busy! You must be eager to get back to your new collection." He cast another long and lingering glance at the artifacts, scanning them.

"Yes. And, well, I guess that concludes our tour," Audrey told him.

"Oh really? Already?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Well that was truly wonderful. Very interesting and informative," he praised.

"Thank you, I'm glad you thought so. Here, I'll walk you out."

"Bye Mr. Lord!" called Barbara.

"Ladies." Max Lord gave one last smile and wave to Barbara - who waved back - and Diana - who did not - before following Audrey out of the lab and through the museum to the front doors.

"Thank you very much for the interesting and informative tour," he told her as they shook hands in parting. He seemed to hold her hand for a moment longer after their shake, which left it tingling as she dropped it to her side.

"You're very welcome, my pleasure. Thank you for considering becoming a friend of the museum - and for being so patient with my rambling."

"Wonderfully passionate rambling," he reminded. "Can I take you to dinner?" he then suddenly asked. "A purely business-focused dinner, of course," he quickly added when he could sense the hesitance already in her eyes at his sudden offer. "To give me time to think the donation over, do a little more research, and absorb all the amazing things I've seen and learned today."

"Uh, very well. That makes sense. I don't see why not..." Potential business partners went to dinner together all the time, right?

"Great. I'll pick you up tonight. What time suits you best?"

"Well I finish here at five, so maybe seven?"

"Seven, sounds perfect. Call me later with the pickup details when you get the chance." He slipped her a business card. She wondered how many he kept with him at a time, and how many he handed out.

"Brilliant. Thank you. I'll see you then."

Now just wait until Angie heard about this one.

"Looking forward to it." He gave her one last of his charming smiles before turning and striding confidently out of the lobby.

She blinked at his back as he left - he paused and turned around to flash her one more of those smiles and a wave before leaving the premises.

When he disappeared, she found herself glued to her spot, frozen, unable to move, a million thoughts racing through her head all at once.

What had just happened?

Well that had been quite the unexpected morning. "I need some more coffee," she decided, turning and heading back in the direction of the lab.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)