Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(68)

She just wished her body would be in line with her brain on that one!

Sean sat across from Ray. Monica sat next to Sean, angled toward Marcus and Judy, trying to put her back to Krista. Krista was, again, the furthest away from everyone else at the table.

“Thanks for joining us,” Sean started, looking to Ray. “We have some great things in the works.” Ray slid him a leather portfolio, which Sean opened and scanned. It must have had the notes for the meeting.

“First, does everyone remember the team members?” Sean looked around the table, avoiding Krista’s eyes.

“Who is the…ah, Research girl again?” Monica asked in a loud, clear voice. She looked at Krista with a composed face. This call out was girl code for, “I know you, but you aren’t important enough to care about.”

Krista glanced at Marcus, who rolled his eyes and smiled while leaning back and crossing one leg over the other.

“For those who don’t remember our first meeting, when she was a participant,” Sean said, apparently having missed the obvious scorn she’d used, “Krista is handling our research for this project. We haven’t had a chance to see what she’s been able to uncover for us, but I have all the faith she has found some great things. We’ll check into that a little later.”

Fear spread its ugly claws through Krista’s body and started raking across her midsection. She hated this suspense—especially when it really mattered. It was like the time when she had to get a B average in a course just to advance to the next course. There were huge stakes, not to mention money, invested, and she struggled the whole time.

Granted, she’d gotten the highest grade in the class, but that was school. This was work. Work didn’t have an outline and sample tests.

“First let’s talk to Monica,” Sean was saying. “We don’t want to take up too much of her valuable time.” Sean turned his eyes to her, the shade of green so vibrant and pure Krista was sure she’d never seen a pair as stunning. He had a flirty smile playing around those full, luscious lips.

Monica laughed a flirty laugh and looked around the room, avoiding Krista and Ray. “The time spent is worth it.” She gave a quick glance to Sean. Wasn’t hard to catch that double meaning. “We are getting our first chance to mingle with our hopeful client. It will be a fundraiser. I am organizing a dinner party held at a prominent winery in Napa. It will be fancy, though not black tie, and feature food and wine. There will be ample time to mingle so our star salesman has a chance to meet and impress some of the representatives of our target company.”

Krista rolled her eyes at the obvious flattery.

“I’ve been working with Monica on the details, and this party is shaping up to be a stately affair,” Sean said as he looked intently at Monica. Her eyes twinkled and she tried a pretty giggle that didn’t work to her benefit. “Remember, it is a fundraiser, so our executives will be there to represent our company. My team, however, will be there, also. Getting in with the client is goal number one.”

Everyone nodded mutely.

“Ray,” Sean went on, “you are in charge of transportation. We won’t be inviting dates in order to leave ourselves completely open. If someone asks why you didn’t bring someone, make up something reasonable. I don’t care what.

“You’ll be sporadically placed in tables. The seating is assigned at the event, so I’ll go over with each of you who your target is. You are to engage them, but stay friendly and distant. You’ll make an impression, but you will leave it at that. We don’t want to push our luck. We want to stay completely under the radar here.”

Krista couldn’t help but thinking it all sounded like some top-secret mission. Well, it sounded ridiculous was how it sounded. But whatever, Krista was research, they wouldn’t put her with anyone of note, so she could just enjoy the free food and wine. She’d never been to Napa, any reason was a good one as far as she was concerned.

Sean talked longer about things they might bring up, things to shy away from, and on and on. Krista looked at him because he was speaking and he was gorgeous, but she didn’t hear much of the sermon.

I wonder if Ben plans to eat that cream puff? I’m hungry.

Krista belatedly noticed Sean had stopped talking. She realized this because he spared her a glance that begged to know why she was staring at him.

She jumped like a hot poker stabbed her and looked around. Monica was up and talking about decorations or something with Marcus. Ray was talking to a distracted Sean about a limo. Judy was going over some note, probably thinking about her end of the needed material.

Krista nearly stood up, wondering if this was the end of the meeting. It would be prolonging the torture if it was, but avoiding the judgment, too. It was hard to say which was worse.

Monica gave Sean a scorching look across the office, before she said good-bye to everyone but Krista and Ray, and made her way out of the office.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one ignored anymore,” Krista muttered to herself.

She heard Ray, who had regained his seat, snort.

“Alright everyone, let’s move on,” Sean said in a voice that carried across the room. It wasn’t hard, the room was small, but Krista had a feeling that was his theater voice.

She smirked.

He’d unfortunately chosen that moment to glance at her, and seeing her expression, did a double-take. It took him two seconds to place what she thought was funny, then he turned crimson for the second time that afternoon.