Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2) (34 page)

It took her a moment to register what he
said. Lord knew that Marcus had kissed his fair share of people,
women and men included. When it came to sex, Marcus never lost the
opportunity to say he was the black Casanova.

So it didn’t take long to realize that in
this situation, he meant Sean kissing her, in particular.

She looked at Sean in alarm, and was
flabbergasted when he just looked back, unworried. He might as well
have had a beer on a beach somewhere he was so calm.

Thankfully, John came back in before things
got awkward. “Sean, you and your team go for drinks. After this
you’ve earned it!”

“But wait--” Krista said into the applause
and laughter. “What about our help? I didn’t do this all alone.
Four research people helped me.”

John zeroed in on Krista. “Already with the
negotiations, huh? Okay, get them, too, but try to keep it
quiet.”

She nodded. Then she was caught up in a hug
fest. She was ushered out with everyone else and realized she had
forgotten her laptop and lucky mug. She cried out in alarm and ran
back to get them.

As she was coming out of the conference
room, hardware in hand, she met Sean. He was waiting for her
patiently.

“Great job, Sean. You might be an actor at
heart, but you would never know it to see you selling.”

“Thanks. You did a fantastic job, yourself.
I wanted to tell you...I told Marcus and Judy about...us. Not
everything, but I was worried they would find out and spread
rumors. I asked them to keep anything they noticed quiet.”

“And they complied?”

“I blackmailed them.”

Krista laughed, “Clever.
The only thing is, there is no
us
.”

Pain lanced his face.
“True. But there was. And now there is an absence of
us
that is just as
easily recognizable.”

“Good point. Anyway, let’s go to that bar we
had lunch at that one time. I could do with eating and a Guinness.
Also, don’t get me get too drunk for tonight.”

He scrutinized her for changing the subject
so soon. He wouldn’t admit it, but he wanted her to be more upset
so he felt more guilty. He wanted her to punish him so he wouldn’t
have to bear the punishment he gave himself, which was infinitely
worse. Krista wasn’t going to bite.

“Sounds good,” he said as he led her to the
elevator. “Krista--”

“Leave it, Sean. Let’s just leave it and
move on. Maybe it won’t hurt as bad down the road, huh?” She was in
good spirits and wasn’t about to let their drama spoil that.

“Maybe,” he said quietly.

With all researchers in tow, Larry and
Camille as happy as a pig in poop, they hit the bar, which was
called Harrington’s. They got a big booth in the back and spent the
next couple of hours eating, drinking and celebrating on the
company dollar. There was no final word, but chances were good that
they would get the account.

At one point in the merrymaking, Krista
found herself sitting next to Marcus. Since the seating
arrangements were constantly in flux as bathroom and beers were
needed, the booth was mostly empty. She thought now was a good time
to satisfy her curiosity.

“Marcus, why haven’t you gossiped about what
Sean told you? And do you think me totally ridiculous?”

Uncharacteristically, Marcus got serious. He
looked for Sean, saw him at the bar then turned back to Krista. “If
I didn’t hear what Sean said from his own mouth, I would think you
ridiculous, yes. But he said he loved you, didn’t sleep with you,
and was no good for you, so in the interest of keeping your
reputation intact, could we please keep quiet for your sake.”

“Oh.”
Holy crap!
He told Judy and Marcus
he loved her? That was something. Not something that would help
their current predicament, but it helped the pill go
down.

“Did he?”

“What? Sleep with me?”

“Obviously! I thought that was hogwash, but
Judy believed him.”

“You just said the word ‘hogwash’ first of
all. Secondly, no. His ban, not mine. I would have jumped on that
from the word ‘go!’”

“I hear that! I’ve wanted
to get him alone in the Dark Hub for
years!
I wouldn’t have thought it of
him, though. The way he looks at you--boy wants to gobble you up. I
thought he would’ve done the deed by now. What’s going on with
that? You not as charming as you look?”

“Wish I knew. He has shit to work out, or
whatever.”

“Don’t we all.”

“Right?
I know. He needs Dr. Phil, I think.”

“Drink to that! I knew all along,
though.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know…” Seeing that she didn’t, he went
on: “Well, I heard he was always dropping everyone mid-sentence
when he so much as smelled you coming. But then he practically had
no time for you. He’d follow your every move, but then he would
shrug you off. At first I thought he was just a diva, but then
whatever happened in the stairwell…”

“I bit him.”

Marcus stopped and gave her
an ogling eye. “Did you just say you
bit
him?”

Krista sighed and leaned back. “Yup. I bit
him. I don’t know what came over me.”

Marcus doubled over laughing.

“What’s up?” Jasmine said as she slid into
the booth.

“I told Marcus how I bit Sean.”

“Oh,” Jasmine was unimpressed. It was old
news.

“I can bite,” Marcus said with a leer.

“Doesn’t matter. You have the wrong
equipment,” Krista reflected.

“Eww!
He is so
square!”

“Oh really?” Jasmine asked with a dry voice.
“Square? Are you saying you’d do me if I was head-over-heels for
you?”

Marcus looked at her, eyes skimming up, then
down. He shrugged, “If I was drunk enough.”

Krista and Jasmine started laughing and
threw napkins at him, “Liar!”

Marcus just laughed.

Sooner rather than later they all had to go
home and get ready for dinner, except Krista, of course. She had
her stuff at work, having gone shopping in the middle of the week,
and knowing it would take too long to get home and back. Since Ben
was a last minute add-in, and Judy still hated that he showed her
up, no one pushed to have him go to the dinner.

Everyone was starting to leave when Sean sat
next to her. “Do you need a ride?”

“No. I’m going to have one more then get
ready in the office.”

“In the office?”

“It’s a cab ride away from the swanky hotel.
A short, quick cab ride.”

“I can drive you home and back if you want
to get ready at home.”

“Oh nah, that’s fine. I’m going to have
another drink with Jasmine, Kate and Ben then go get ready. I’ll
see you at dinner.”

“Are you still going solo?”

“I didn’t think we had a choice.”

“We do. Have a choice, that is.”

“Oh. Are you going with someone? Because I
can ask Ben to come with me. We’d have to find him something to
wear real quick, but he is basically one-size-fits-all so it
shouldn’t be too big of a problem. Although, he might poison my
drink. Or Judy might.”

“I am not going with anyone,” Sean said
quietly, looking at the table.

“Oh. Well good, we can hang out together.
Are Judy and Marcus bringing anyone?”

“Judy and Ray are bringing their spouses.
Marcus is bringing one of his boyfriends.”

“Then we can be dates. It saves poor Ben
from having to dress up, and saves you from finding someone last
minute.”

“Great. I’ll see you there then,” he said,
obviously relieved. As was Krista. She could play blasé, but inside
she was all knots.

Krista stayed for another one, went to the
office and got glammed up, then hailed a cab to the hotel. She
walked in by herself, which she hated doing but was unhappily
getting used to, and headed straight to the bar. When in doubt,
head to a place where standing around doesn’t look weird.

The hotel was one of the most prestigious in
San Francisco. It wasn’t as swanky as the Ritz, but within San
Francisco it was royalty of its own class. The room was decorated
as a fine-dining restaurant might be, with white linens, low
lights, soft music, and waitstaff standing by. Flowers adorned
tables and corners, twinkling lights outlined the bar, and the
colors were mute, but vintage posh. She hoped the food was as good
as the décor.

At the bar with a splatter of other waylaid
individuals, mostly with dates, Krista got an awesomely free
champagne. She turned away from an overly chatty bartender to
survey the scene, and see if she knew anyone.

She didn’t.

She figured she might hang tight and wait
for Sean to show up, or Marcus, or anyone she knew, when Mr.
Hartling walked up, drink in hand.

“Miss Marshall, glad you could join us. I
truly enjoyed your presentation today.”

“Oh hi, Mr. Hartling. You can call me
Krista. And thanks. Truth be told, I was nervous at first. You lot
are an intimidating bunch.”

“Yes, I saw Mr. McAdams talking to you. You
looked fearful, certainly. I thought it might be that you were
underprepared.”

“Oh no, that is usually the least of my
problems.” Krista laughed and raised her hand as she said, “Over
achiever.”

“Yes, it would seem. And good under
pressure. Come meet my Emily.”

It was so cute how proud Tory was of his
wife; a suave, high-powered man gaga over his wife of however many
years. It was almost a fairytale.

But then, Krista was constantly almost
crying over her breakup, so anyone staying together longer than a
weekend caught her eye.

Emily was a gracious woman in her late
fifties who was elegantly dressed and styled. Her dress was
expensive and tasteful. Her hair expensive and immaculate. Her
glittering diamonds and jewels expensive and sparkling fabulously.
She was congenial and sweet, and probably the perfect host. She
received Krista like she might a long-lost friend.

Krista barely got a salutation out before
Tory was accosted by a young business type. He excused himself
politely, even though normal people would have been put out at the
brash interruption, leaving Krista alone with uncertainty and a
stranger. She fidgeted nervously for a second, wondering if she
should wander away, when Emily leaned into her with a smile and
said, “I’ve heard a lot about you, of course. I hear you collect
swords?”

Emily had such an easy way about her. She
might have been on top of the world in her life as she stood there,
the boss’ wife, probably with a handful of her own pursuits, but
she was down-to-earth and friendly. She didn’t begrudge Krista her
less-than-designer dress or her considerably lower status in
life.

Which was good, because Krista rarely
thought of those things herself. The person put out would have been
Emily.

“
I have
a
sword, but definitely strive for
more.”

“Yes, Tory was tickled with his chat with
you. He was expecting a dull evening, and instead he was
entertained by an enthralling young lady.”

“Enthralling
?” Krista said with a
laugh, “Wow. I don’t know about that. He was probably flabbergasted
that someone like me was allowed to go.”

Emily leaned in, “I think he was
flabbergasted, as you say, that someone like you was left to the
corners of the event.”

“He was probably the only one,” Krista
laughed.

“Apparently you are quite ahead of things
for being so young.”

“Oh, I don’t know about ahead of things
exactly. I think I just present a younger point of view.”

“Yes, I figured it was something like that.
If you were a young man, you would be called ambitious. Because you
are a woman, you are an anomaly.”

“Better an anomaly then ignored
completely.”

Emily laughed and nodded in a knowing
way.

It was at that moment that Sean walked in,
looking as dapper and gorgeous as ever. And while he was stunning
in his tailored suits, you just couldn’t beat him in a pair of
threadbare, faded blue jeans, and a snug-fitting shirt. Krista
missed that.

“That must be the illustrious Sean McAdams I
hear all the women talking about,” Emily said, following Krista’s
gaze.

Sean saw Krista and smiled. He started in
her direction immediately, but didn’t make it far before John
nearly barreled into him with limitless energy. It was either
drugs, or mass quantities of Red Bull.

“Yeah, that’s Sean.”

“And how is working with him?”

“You mean, does he hit on me constantly?”
Emily smiled guiltily. “He isn’t the womanizer I once thought. Or
maybe, he isn’t if you get to know him, which probably very few
women actually do.”

“But you did.” It wasn’t a question.

Krista smiled into her probing gaze. “Get to
know him, yes. He’s great to work for and a good friend of mine. It
took me a second to figure that out, but life is in the journey,
right?”

“I think you may be old beyond your
years.”

“Oh no. Only in the ways of men. I’ve lived
a long life in that arena. With all other things, I am definitely
still a twenty-something.”

“Well, your dress is fabulous!”

When in doubt, talk fashion. Emily was
exactly Krista’s speed of woman!

“Thank you! It’s new. Great find, too. Sale
rack!”

It was then that Sean finally joined them.
Both women turned, and even though his eyes were delving into
Krista with an intensity hard to ignore, she still made the
introduction like a champ. “Sean, this is Emily Hartling. Emily,
this is our Team Lead, or Captain as we call him, Sean
McAdams.”

Sean pleasantly shook her hand in greeting
with a dazzling smile. “I know you by reputation, of course, Mrs.
Hartling. It is a pleasure to meet the prettier half.”