Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(23)

Chapter Seven

Monday morning saw Krista with a fresh coat of paint on her face, her hair done up, a good looking outfit, and a desire to go stick her head in the sand. She had just turned on her computer when her phone rang. It was her boss.

“Hey Phil.”

“Krista, hi. Do you have a minute?” Phil asked in his southern drawl. He was originally from Texas. He hated California because he thought it housed a bunch of liberal idiots. Krista never cared enough to ask him why he moved here in the first place. And the million dollar question: Why didn’t he just go back to Texas?

“Sure.”

“Great, meet me in the conference room on the third floor.”

That was odd. Usually she would just go to his office. Must be some Tory coaching.

Every once in a while Tory would call them both in and go over how they could be even more insightful in their jobs. They were already the best team in the company, but Tory’s expectations were never sated. Phil hated all the extra work and notice, which he wouldn’t receive if not for Krista, but he never complained. At least not where Tory or she could overhear.

When Krista walked into the room, she was greeted by three sets of eyes: the dark brown eyes of her boss, the warm brown of Tory, and the green of her nemesis. She was suddenly glad she chose that day to start dressing above her station.

Sean was wearing one of his power suits. He was freshly shaven, his cologne was mouthwatering, and he was looking at Krista with the bright eyes of success. Her resolve hardened.

“Hi all. Sean, nice to see you again. Welcome,” Krista said professionally.

Sean’s brow furrowed slightly as he tilted his head in greeting.

“Krista,” Tory said, his easy and relaxed smile including her into their circle. “Please, join us.”

Krista sat down opposite Sean. She was in it to win it. No skulking around the fight. She would battle this head-on.

Sean’s eyes never left her face. Krista, noticing this, met them, ignored the stab of pain that lanced through her core, and lifted her eyebrows. Into the confrontation, Sean smiled and turned his eyes toward Tory.

He’d realized she was challenging him. That she planned to bowl him over and steal his candy like he was a naïve child to a mean uncle. Sean McAdams loved a challenge. Too bad this time it was a challenge he wouldn’t meet. Krista had to make sure of it!

“Krista,” Tory began, “We’ve seen you start with the company when you were largely inexperienced. Since then, we’ve seen you grow and mature. You’ve started to come into your own. Your team is consistently doing work well above par. You have yet to miss a bad investment, and often give invaluable advice on everything from market research to new products.” Tory’s eyes twinkled at her.

“Say what you will, but that product idea was a good one!” Krista laughed.

“It was, yes. We manufactured it, I believe.” He turned to Sean, “Krista, Marcus, and Ben, all part of your old team, came up with a sort of mat for children when they were talking over a cocktail hour. Insightful group you found.”

Sean smiled, turning his eyes back to Krista. This time they were soft as they held her. They sucked her in to that special place where time didn’t exist. Where she was safe and loved. A place that now only existed in a memory.

Krista tore her eyes away and mentally cursed his dirty tactics. She would not go down that road again. And she hated that every time she did something good, Sean would get the credit for it. She wasn’t that same girl anymore. She was more her own find than Sean’s. He could suck it!

“Anyway, Krista, as I was saying,” Tory continued, cutting through her mental seething, “you are aware that Sean will be taking over this region. Emily would like to see me more, so it is either this, or divorce.” Everyone laughed. Krista faked it. Sean noticed and looked at her a beat too long. “I think it is time to find out what your expectations are in this new regime.”

“My expectations?” Krista asked, mildly confused. Oh, she had a lot of expectations, but they had to do with getting Sean fired. She doubted that was what Tory wanted to hear.

“Yes. So far you have done very well under the guidance of Phil and myself. However, I will be stepping away somewhat. I want to know what your plans are for the future. Or if you have thought that far ahead?”

This was a test. If Sean hadn’t come and shaken up Krista’s world, she would still be floating along, following the strongest current. Now, however, she wanted to create her own rip tide. Just in time, it seemed.

“Yes, about that. I am eternally thankful for your help Tory, Phil.” Phil smiled at her, his eyes dull and bored. Tory looked at her warmly.

“But, you’re right,” she continued. “I definitely need to step it up. I am interested in advancing, and was thinking to talk with you about possibly going for my Master’s in business, economics, or mathematics to help that progression. I have a few directions I can go from where I am, so I am looking into pursuing those possibilities.”

Tory smiled knowingly and turned his eyes to Sean, who was looking at Krista with that intense business gaze she knew so well. His chess board was out and he was lining up the pieces.

“With this new system of regions,” Sean began, getting a faraway look in his eyes, “there is a lot of room for change in the day-to-day operations. But the change needs to be made now. I want to restructure how departments report to me to better manage work flow. You will fit nicely into that scheme.” Sean eyes honed in on her again.