Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(58)

“User.”

“Pusher.”

“How am I a pusher?”

“What are you girls arguing about?” Krista said, showing up on scene.

Sean hadn’t seen her approach, what with the bickering going on with her two friends. They were a trip. Fun, down-to-earth, and brazen.

He caught Krista’s eye as she came around the bar. And held it, trapping her within it. Or being trapped, it was hard to say. “They were just telling me …”

Kate shot Sean a warning look.

“Oh, giving him cheat sheets to make me work harder?” Krista asked with a smirk, sitting down.

Sean inhaled Krista’s scent; fresh and clean and woman. He loved the way she swished her hair unconsciously when she was nervous. It was one of her biggest tells.

“I have to run,” Sean said, wanting to get away before her friends got out their pitchforks and started chasing him.

“Okay,” Krista said, smiling. “See you Monday.”

Sean nodded, gobbling down that gaze, wanting to stay, or wanting her to go with him. He risked a glance to her two friends, realized either of those options were impossible, said good-bye, and was off.

~*~*~*~

Kate and Jasmine stared after him.

“Steer f**king clear, Krista,” Kate warned. “That one is way, way too good at the game. He plays it in his sleep.”

“Yup.” It was all Krista needed to say.

“But my-oh-my,” Jasmine’s eyes had followed his progress out of the bar, “I get why you keep getting sucked in. He’s hot!” Jasmine said the last word in a sing-song voice.

“Yeah. He’s probably the devil,” Kate reflected somberly.

“Yup.”

Chapter Twelve

By the end of the next week Krista had everything researched, organized, graphed, cataloged, compartmentalized, and stuffed in every nook and cranny she could find. There was a method to her stockpile, but she was worried it would only be decipherable to her. There was nothing for it, though, she had to move on. She had a crap load more work to do and no idea when it was due.

Note to self: in future, ask for a specific deadline.

She had not seen hide nor hair of anyone from her team, which included her handsome and fearless leader. She would’ve liked to know how she was doing so far, but worried he’d tell her she hadn’t done enough, and she had most of the list still to do.

She had to move on.

Next up on the grudge-list, A.K.A. Number Two, was asking Marcus for new research ideas. She took that to mean new directions in which to get numbers. Or maybe the viability of the new ideas? Sean had been a little vague, which, in his book, meant he thought it obvious.

Hopefully after meeting Marcus she would find it equally so.

As she walked into the art department, she looked around for Tommy. Since he worked near the entrance, she spotted him immediately and went over. He was hunched over his computer, deep in concentration.

“Hey, Tommy.”

He jumped about a foot. When he saw who it was he sat back and smiled, followed by rubbing his eyes. “Hi, Krista. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Yeah, I am a floor up now.”

“I heard. New office!”

“I know!” She giggled happily. “I’m so excited! Been working my ass off, though.”

“You’re not being mistreated are you?” Tommy asked seriously.

She knew he was talking about Sean, and therefore didn’t mean much of anything besides being hit on or similar, but she didn’t like the way he asked. She didn’t like what those words had meant a couple short years ago.

“Well,” she said, trying to brush it off, “if you count that I have so much work it is nearly giving me hives, then yes, definitely mistreatment!”

Tommy laughed. “Yeah, I hear McAdams is a grueling boss.”

“You got that right. Speaking of, do you know where Marcus sits? I am now supposed to pick his brain. I think. I’m not really sure.”

She got directions deep into the art department, where not many Research people went. For a reason. As she walked, clutching her pen and paper, she entered into a chaos against which her brain tried to rebel.

People were everywhere, talking and laughing and yelling. Paper was strewn all over desks of all different colors and sizes. Some desks had paper over their keyboards, crawling up their screens. One person was singing at the top of her lungs. When she finished, three other people clapped. It might as well have been a theater production of “Cats”. Krista wanted to turn around and run.

Keeping composure, barely, she noticed people looking her way. A couple people made eye contact and smiled a welcome, which she returned nervously as she continued to make her way to the back where Marcus sat.

This better not be a joke Tommy thinks is hilarious. Marcus had better be sitting way back here!

As she rounded a makeshift green wall of fake plants, she heard his voice chatting on the phone about the kind of dog food his Lab ate. Krista let the wave of irritation flow past her at his lack of diligence—just because she was an over-achieving work horse didn’t mean everyone else had to be.

She smoothed over her scowl and replaced it with a half-smile as she neared. The last thing she needed was people to have proof she was a typical Research a-hole.

She got to his desk and noticed the similar state of chaos as the rest of the department. There were pictures strewn about of rings, necklaces and various other pieces of jewelry. The pictures ranged from the early ’60s to present day. There were sapphires mixed in, and she knew this must be the same type of thing she was working on. That at least made her feel better. She knew now that she didn’t get any more work than anyone else on the team. She just worked harder at finishing it.