Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(31)

“Sean, obviously I’m going to do the best I can.”

“I know that. I know that you will. It’s just…Okay, I don’t have any right to ask, but I was hoping for your support.”

“Sean—seriously, have you lost your mind? You’re my boss. Of course you have my support. You know my track record—I’ll help you in any way I can to achieve the common goal. I’m in it for the long haul. No matter what it is. So, yeah, no worries.”

Sean stood up slowly, looked out through the windows, and then closed the office door. He sat, gathered himself while looking at his hands in his lap, took a deep breath, and said, “Did you notice that when you heard our presentation with Dexico that Ray wasn’t in the meeting?”

Krista continued looking at him like he’d lost his sanity. “Uh…yeah. So?”

“Well, I didn’t need him in the meeting.”

Sean looked at Krista expectantly. She looked back, seriously concerned that she’d done irreparable damage when she’d slapped him.

When he continued to stare, Krista lost her patience. “Sean, I really haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

He sighed for probably the hundredth time. “I know. Okay, look, you remember I told you he was my crutch?” Krista nodded. “Well, I still need a crutch. I still need a supportive member of the audience to perform to. One that knows me. I didn’t need him in that meeting…because I had you.”

Krista tensed her muscles to keep from doing jazz-hands with a shocked face and saying, “Whaaaa?” She hadn’t realized she’d rated so high, not even when she was with him a million years ago. She didn’t realize he’d come to depend on her. The information didn’t help, but it was good to know purely for the sake of her ego.

“He couldn’t move to L.A.,” Sean continued, looking at his hands as he fidgeted in his lap. It was obvious Sean was not enjoying admitting any of this. “His life is in the North Bay. He’s got a family. Roots. But…well, whatever the reason—actually you know the reason—I needed to move down here. But I figured it would work out because you were here. And I realize you’ve lost trust in me…” Sean paused as he looked at her, lost his nerve, and looked at her desk instead. He looked lost and vulnerable. “I get why, and, like I’ve said, I don’t really have any right to ask, but I was wondering if you would help me in that respect?”

Sean looked like a puppy that just got hit with a newspaper. Krista chuckled, which had his eyes coming up in disbelief.

“Sorry…” she covered her mouth with her hands and laughed harder. “Sorry, God, sorry! Sorry.” She slowed herself down and stopped laughing. “Sorry, I’m just really hung over, it’s been a long couple of weeks, and now this. It is all a lot to handle in one sitting. I feel like a schizoid or something. Laughing is better than throwing things, so…”

Sean looked back down at his lap.

“Okay…well, you know, I’m not going to sleep with you or anything, but of course I’ll give you my support. We’ve had problems before, but we’ve always had a strong working bond. I hadn’t intended to undermine that. Unless you were sleeping with Ray?”

Sean smiled but left his eyes downcast. “No. I wasn’t sleeping with Ray, no.” His eyes came back up, half relief, and half sadness. “Thanks, Krista. I’m sorry. For everything. It isn’t enough, I know, and you were right. I see that now. But I never claimed to be normal. Or even functional.” His smile dissolved into a puddle of hurt.

“Well, me either Sean. Functional, I mean. Normal, also, I guess. Hell, you got in a fist fight with my demon. But I wouldn’t leave you stranded. And…you know me—I’m going to win regardless of the opposition. So, there.”

Sean let out a breath. “Okay.”

And just like that, unbelievably perhaps, they got back to the place they knew best. They might be crap in personal life, and Krista still planned to take his job away from him, but they were stars in the work world when they were together. Krista was still incredibly hurt by him, and angry beyond belief, but she had to push all that down to reach her goal. First step, best region. Next step, promotion. Eye on the prize.

“What’s the next issue?” Krista asked, noticing people looking into the office as they passed by. “Because I have a really demanding boss and I have a lot of work to do.”

Sean’s face lit into a boyish grin. “Next order of business is a professional favor.”

“Jesus, Sean. Don’t ask for much, do you?”

“No, not much. I want to bring Marcus to the conference. He is the best person I have ever met at making friends and learning gossip. He has no parallel. I want to take him and get him to make friends with the other regions. Get some gossip channels open.”

“He’s gonna be pissed that he has to work directly for you again.”

“Really? Why? I thought he liked working on our team?”

“You make him work too hard.”

“Oh. Yes, I do. Anyway, he will have to go as an administrative assistant. We are allowed two. That means we’ll be down one.”

“I am not going as an assistant, Sean! No way! I am insulted that you—“

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Sean said with a smile. “I was just going to ask if you could type up the notes I know you will be taking anyway and send them to me. That’s all. Just if you would share your work?”