Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(74)

Sean shook his head in frustration. He wanted to hash out this account, not talk about his failed attempts at dating. Finally, seeing that Ray was digging in his heels, he said simply, “Lots.”

“Yes. A lot. I’ve seen you with a lot of women. I’ve seen you with women you thought you really liked, with those you were using, much like Monica. Through every one of them, you had a false bravado. None of them so much as got you to stay interested for more than a night. None of them, not one, ever had you flustered.”

Sean put his hands on his h*ps much like Ray’s wife Mary when she was tired of waiting for him to make a point. Sean must have learned it from her. “Yes, I’m not great in a lasting thing. Mary’s berated me enough for the both of you. What’s your point?”

“I’ve never seen you blush. Not once. Not even when you’re teased. Your ego won’t allow embarrassment.”

“I am embarrassed plenty, I can assure you.”

“Maybe, but not enough to show it. Until now.”

“Despite your weird attempt at seduction, Ray, I am not embarrassed at present.”

“Not at present, no. But I saw you blush twice today. From just a look. From just a meeting of eyes.”

Suddenly Sean knew exactly where this was going, and he was more uncomfortable now than when they were talking about Monica.

“See? You’re blushing again. You must know who I’m talking about.”

“I think I’ve lost the plot,” Sean muttered, turning back to the window. He heard Ray turn around, also.

“I’m just saying that what you are doing with Monica will come back to bite you in more ways than one.”

“Well, I’m sunk on that score, then, because if I back out now she’ll take it personally.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ray nod, then reach for a different book.

“I do like her, though,” Sean acceded quietly.

“Mary is dying to meet her. Unlike me, she did think you brought Krista onto the team for exactly the reasons you said.”

Sean shook his head. Then, since he was laying it all out there, he said, “I haven’t asked her out. I’m afraid she’ll say no.”

“Yes, you’ve alluded to that.” Ray paused for a minute. Pages flicked, drawing out the pause; the judgment. “I think you’re right. She’s smart, but most importantly, she’s wary. She doesn’t trust you, and I don’t blame her—especially with how you act around Monica. Which is interesting, because you’re more genuine with Krista than I’ve even seen you with Mary.”

Sean felt like punching the glass. That was the bitch of it, wasn’t it? It was the thing that was unraveling him. He could utterly and completely relax around Krista, which was as rare as it was disconcerting. For that reason, he couldn’t relax any other time, worried about what he might say when she came around. What might escape his usually composed and constructed persona.

“She makes me,” Sean admitted grudgingly, clenching his jaw. “She has exacting standards where that comes in, and she holds me to it. It was one of her conditions to working on the team. She almost ducked out a couple times—she turns away or runs whenever I try to throw her a line. Always has. It’s maddening.”

Ray laughed, “It’s good for you. It’s what you’ve always needed. But you’re right; she doesn’t trust that side of you.”

Sean sighed, “I know. She’s had a hard past, too, I think. She doesn’t need me dicking her around. Excuse the language.”

“You’ve had a hard past as well. But I agree, she doesn’t need you dicking her around. You tend to jump in with both feet, get tangled, and run. We can’t have that on this campaign. Any other time and I would say go for it. But not on this one. Get to know her, be friends, have fun—when we land this bad boy, go whole hog. Who knows; by then she might be on board.”

“Yeah, right. Thanks for the pep-talk, coach. Except, you needn’t have dissected my life because all that knowledge changes nothing. I have to stay away from Krista and stay close to Monica. Your fountain of knowledge doesn’t help.”

“No, but I like to show I’m paying attention.”

Sean huffed out a laugh as he turned back to the table. “John’s going to be tracking me down soon. We need to make shapes.”

“Look at what she did here …” Ray pointed to the table of contents. “You asked her for sales of sapphires in California. She lists that as item twelve. She then breaks it down to southern California and northern California, which makes sense. You should have had that. That was twelve-A.”

Sean looked over Ray’s shoulder.

“Then, twelve-B,” Ray slid his finger to the next bullet, “She breaks it down again by largely populated areas and poorly populated areas. Then, twelve-C, by household income. How does she even think of that information, let alone find it?”

“She’s smart.”

“Obviously, she’s smart, yes. But at the stage she is over extending your list, she is basically calling you a fool.”

“Is that what she’s doing? Calling me a fool?”

Ray and Sean both laughed as Sean grabbed a few of the books to lug downstairs. The conference room phone rang, making Sean pause, “That’ll be John.”