Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(16)

It. Was. Sensational!

Jasmine had her head cocked, analyzing. She was the most artsy of the three of them. If there was anything constructive to say, she was the one it would come from.

“So,” Ben said, watching faces. “Thoughts?”

“What’s the title?” Jasmine asked as she crossed her arms, a speculative look on her face.

“Lost and Found,” Ben replied, looking at the painting.

“It’s…cool.” Kate ventured.

“I like what you’ve done with the colors. The conflict. To me it portrays a battle. A war.”

“I see that,” Kate nodded. “Kinda. But also…you know…like anger. Right? Or…fear? Hope?”

“You’re just throwing out words, now.” Krista grinned and rolled her eyes.

“Fuck off, I see that! Kinda… Feel it, maybe? Art is confusing.”

“There is so much movement,” Jasmine continued, moving her hands in the air over the colors. “It’s all over the place. My eye wants to go everywhere at once, but it always comes back to the struggle in the middle. Why Lost and Found?”

Ben was still looking at the canvas. “A soul. One lost soul, searching. Wandering in this corporeal world through a timeless scope. A—“

“Stop right there…” Jasmine held up her hand, “too heavy for a weekend painter. Well, it rocks, so good work.”

“The subject is Krista. I should mention that,” Ben said, turning to watch reactions.

“Krista?” Kate said, leaning closer to the painting.

“He had a dream that he thinks was about my life,” Krista explained.

“Not about your life, but about your current struggle,” Ben clarified.

“Whatever.”

“Lost and Found, huh? Hmm. I can see that,” Jasmine reflected.

“What, that I’m lost, or that I’m found?” Krista put her hands on her hips. This was all tomfoolery in her opinion. All she saw was a really cool blast of color.

“Your brain is lost, that’s for sure,” Kate said, tilting her head as she kept looking at the painting. “I really like it; I can’t stop looking at it, but I don’t think I see the deeper meaning here. And I certainly don’t see anything to do with Krista. But…I agree, it rocks. Good work, Ben.”

“That’s it?” Ben asked.

“What do you want from us?” Kate replied. “We’re stat brats. We’re not brush jockeys.”

“I guess I thought you were more opinionated.”

“About certain things, surely,” Kate said, leading the brigade back to the living room. “HEY!”

Everyone jumped then froze, each in a different squat about ready to sit.

“Speed dating!” Kate boomed.

“No,” Krista said immediately.

“Sure.” Jasmine shrugged.

Ben stayed silent, probably thinking he wasn’t included in Kate’s new big scheme, or maybe not as able to keep up with her quick 180’s.

“YES! Speed dating. We’re all single—or will be soon. We all need a man or woman. Speed dating.”

“Oh! Jasmine,” Ben said with a smile. “I wasn’t aware you were a lesbian. You know, I have a good friend that—“

Ben was cut off by Kate cackling. When the laughter died down, Jasmine said, “I like men, Ben. Kate will be dragging you along with us.”

“Oh, no,” Ben said, sitting back with a polite shake of his head. “Thank you, Kate. But no. That isn’t really my scene.”

“Ben, come off it,” Jasmine exclaimed. “It isn’t any of our scenes. It’s another one of Kate’s great ideas—“

“It is a great idea!” Kate threw in.

“--and she’ll keep bugging us until we give in. Don’t try to fight it.”

Ben looked at Krista, close to panic.

“Sorry, Ben.” Krista shook her head. “Jasmine’s right. We’ll all have to go.”

“You guys, this is a great idea!”

Kate was drowned out by collective groans.

Chapter Four

The dating game totally sucked! Krista hated it.

The other thing she hated was one night stands. But in an attempt to sink or swim, she’d had a bunch of tequila Saturday night and brought a friend of Jasmine’s home. She was rewarded with sloppy kisses, one brief panic attack, and a bad lay. She wasn’t even remotely satisfied.

It was necessary, though. It was the first sexual encounter since Jim, and another step away from his hold over her. She’d confronted some of her fears, and she had to be honest, doing it drunk and with a man you would never see again if you didn’t want to—which she didn’t, since she was mortified—was a bonus. But that was the weekend. Now, Monday morning, she felt a little trashy and a lot insecure. This return to powerful, blasé Krista would take some getting used to.

Krista dropped her stuff under her cube desk, grabbed her mug and trudged into the break room, not caring if she saw Sean or Satan. Preferably didn’t want to see God, though—probably couldn’t face that guy just yet. As she passed through the door, she ran straight into someone and bounced off.

Instincts said to brace herself with her hands outstretched. Memory said do no such thing. To heroically protect her mug, she let her face take the fall, slamming her cheek into wall. Before she could rebound and head toward the floor, probably continuing her heroic rampage and breaking her face this time, she was grabbed from behind.