Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(22)

“I’ll clean it up. Let me grab your mug,” Sean said softly, ruffling her hair with his breath.

She wanted to give in. Right then, she wanted to stop being on the defensive. But if one didn’t learn from the past, one was a nincompoop. It was too soon to get hurt again.

Thankfully, he was moving away, allowing her a second to regroup.

“Got it!” she said, holding up her coffee-stained arm with a mug attached to the end. “It’s okay.”

Sean was shaking his head sadly. Quietly he said, “You and that mug.”

“Yeah, well, we all have our crutch.”

“Yes we do.”

“Sorry again. I have to go.” She nearly ran out of the office.

Sean let her go.

Chapter Five

Krista woke up with a jolt. Today was the day. She was unprepared!

No she wasn’t. She was prepared. She could do this.

She got out of bed two seconds before her alarm clock blared. Lunging for it, she slapped it off and straightened up.

“I can do this today.”

She was answered with the sound of rolling waves. Good enough.

She took special care with getting dressed. She applied makeup and did her hair. It sounded like a routine, but for the past few months she had barely bothered. It wasn’t the thing to be all made-up when you went to work anymore, just like it wasn’t the thing for guys to shave every day. The trend was laziness, and Krista was onboard.

Except for today. Today was special. She had people to impress today. She would give her presentation!

“Oh God, I’m nervous!” Krista took a second away from liquid eyeliner to hold her stomach and take a breath.

“Krista, are you almost done?”

Ben was huddled outside the door in X-Men pajamas, squeezing himself for warmth with dark circles under his eyes.

“What are you doing up so early?”

“I have a meeting with my group before class. I have to get the bus all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf area.”

“Oh, that sucks. Uh, I am nearly done. Can you wait ten minutes?”

“’Kay.” Ben trudged back to his room.

Krista finished up and got on her way. The meeting wasn’t until 10 o’clock, so she wasn’t worried about Muni running late. In the office she put all her stuff down, stowed her laptop so if someone were brave enough to enter Research, they wouldn’t steal it, and got her mug. Coffee, then practice, then show time!

Butterflies had turned carnivorous. They were eating her stomach lining!

Sean was absent, which was great since she hadn’t seen him since that day in his office, so she filled up her cup and headed to the creamer station. She thought she might use extra cream and sugar for a little kick.

“Good morning.” The absence had been too good to be true. Sean sauntered in, looking confident, looking like he hadn’t a care in the world. He probably didn’t. He’d done so many presentations they were probably old news.

“Mernin,” Krista replied.

“I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Yeah, I’ve been grabbing some Peet’s on the way in. Muni has been spotty lately.”

“Ignoring your lucky mug? I’m surprised.” His statement was easygoing and friendly, but underneath, if she wasn’t mistaken, there was an edge of wariness.

“Oh no, I pour the coffee into my mug when I get in. It sees plenty of action.”

Sean nodded, not quite laughing. She could feel his eyes focused on her like a spotlight. She turned into the fixed gaze.

“Are you ready for today?” he asked.

“Yes, I am completely prepared and ready to go.” She felt formal, she sounded formal, and she hoped that when the presentation came around, she portrayed formal.

“Ready to go, huh?” Sean repeated with a hint of animalistic hunger.

One thing she didn’t need today was this old song-and-dance. She excused herself and headed out. He had nothing to offer her when he was pulling womanizer.

“Krista.”

She closed her eyes against the soft lick on the inside of her brain. No matter how much she distanced him, he still had an effect on her. It was probably the most frustrating thing about him.

He was looking at her with a focused, piercing gaze. It was like he suddenly switched off the bullshit and a machine stepped in. There was no angle now, especially not a faux-romance one. “I wasn’t kidding when I said this was a big account. A very important account. To me. So if you need anything, any help or even just a second opinion to springboard some ideas, please call me this morning without hesitation.”

He sounded normal. And helpful. And polite. His voice was velvet with a hint of deep gravel, exfoliating her nerves, but in a good way. It made her feel more confident. Less alone.

“I am pretty set, Sean, but thanks.”

“Anything at all, Krista, I’m here, okay? I know you’re inexperienced, but you have a team supporting you today, so we’ll catch you if you stutter. Don’t be nervous.”

Krista took a big breath and smiled. “Good pep talk, coach. I needed that.”

Sean smiled, too. “I could tell.”

Back at her desk, Krista looked at her materials. She went over her slides again. She reviewed and reviewed until she was ready. More than ready. She was eager.