Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(78)

They fell in line behind Sean in silence. Not even Bob had anything to say. He probably would have sneered at Krista, though, if she hadn’t revealed his crazy-big secret. He would have been better off if he did. He was acting all kinds of guilty, which meant that what Marcus said was true. Even Krista didn’t fully believe it. Until now.

The ref explained what they were supposed to do, which was basically act like a monkey and play around in the biggest group of trees in the woods. He showed them how to work the harnesses in case they fell out of the tree, and set them adrift to find a harness that fit and get ready to go a-climbin’.

Everyone broke up and herded to fit themselves in a crotch-grabbing device.

When the others had moved away to look, Georgie said, “Sir? Since when do you call people sir?”

Krista’s face got hot.

“I can show respect,” she said indignantly.

She stepped into her harness, which was basically nothing more than a bunch of straps that connected together in a belt looking thing. It was supposed to hook under each leg and around the waist and meet back up in the crotch area. The only things keeping her from death, should she fall out of the tree one-hundred feet up in the air, were a few straps connected to a rope with a metal loop and plenty of alone time dangling. It wasn’t confidence inspiring.

When Georgie shimmied into his straps made of a delightful shade of dirty, pale green, and tried to fasten it, he said, “Christ, this one is cutting my nuts off.”

“Does it gross you out a little how many crotches these things have hugged?” Krista asked as she fastened her harness.

Georgie stopped mid-adjust with a look of disgust on his face. “It hadn’t, no.”

Krista shrugged with a smile. “I hope the guy that had yours last didn’t pee himself.”

“I liked you better when you had your head buried in a spreadsheet,” Georgie said in disgust. He was now trying to touch the harness as little as possible with his bare hands.

Krista laughed harder.

“You were correct, though,” Donald said, having ignored the harness conversation.

“Which time, Donald?” Krista asked, making sure she was secure.

“Is she ever wrong?” Georgie laughed at her.

“Bob is bringing us all down,” Donald continued. “He hasn’t been effective for a great many years. Sean should have called him down before now.”

“Sean goes about things a little differently,” Krista explained. “He learns everything about a person and then tries to find the best way to manipulate them to get what he wants. Probably learned it from his years of womanizing.”

Georgie grunted. Then he said, “But still, he should have done something to get Bob moving.”

“I think he tried. Sean is really great at recognizing talent, and then working with it. It seems like he isn’t as good at brow beating people into doing what he wants. The only way to deal with Bob is to grab him by the balls, though. Which I just did.”

“Okay then, why didn’t he finesse you into a position where you would do it for him before now?”

“Sean and me…we have issues. I only stepped in this weekend because I want to win. I think he was waiting for me to take control, though. You heard what he just said—since I noticed you all hanging on his every word—he knows how far I’ll go until I push back. He’s seen it a few times. But I was good for a long time. I think I’m growing up.”

“Then why did he reprimand you?” Donald asked with a hint of anger.

“Because only a dumb-ass throwing a tantrum would do it in front of the boss and all his subordinates. I should have done it when he was elsewhere. Then it would have had the same result but been hearsay.”

“Basically, you wouldn’t have gotten in trouble in front of everyone,” Georgie said with a smile.

“Well, yeah, there’s that.”

“Let’s go!” Sean called.

“I don’t understand,” Donald said with that brow furrow. “He was plenty capable of pushing his weight around with you, so why not use that same tactic with Bob?”

“Good question, Donald,” Krista said, “I have no idea. He can be a bit of a jackass at times.”

“I don’t think he can push people’s buttons the same way Krista can,” Georgie said thoughtfully. “I think Sean, in a work capacity, can’t very well go calling someone impotent.”

“You heard that?” Krista asked. She’d thought she had lowered her voice for that bit.

“You said it loud enough!” Georgie laughed.

Oops.

“That’s true. Not much can get through to Bob. Sean would have to fire him, I think,” Donald said as they neared the others.

“Bob’s not going to come around,” Krista whispered. “That guy is stuck in mud.”

“No, but I bet he quits,” Georgie replied.

“Why?” Donald asked, also whispering. They were in hearing range now.

“Hell, Donald, wouldn’t you quit if the boss didn’t like you, his girlfriend was out to get you, and everyone knew you were impotent?” Georgie said.

The others turned to glance at them coming. Krista punched Georgie. He was too loud by half. Sean was standing a step apart from Dean and Bob, looking up at the tree. Dean and Bob weren’t talking, and if Krista wasn’t mistaken, Dean was choosing a side, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be Bob’s. No one would blame him.