Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(6)

“And I can tell you right now, numbers won’t pan out on that one. That market would be tiny, and those types of people don’t want their habit of mistresses exposed by media. Tell him to stop wasting your time and move on.”

Ben looked at his notes, “Oh.”

“But I thought you gave two weeks? Are you already working in our company?”

Ben, still looking at his notes, answered, “I did give two weeks, but Marcus is so interesting. I find myself working on his ideas without meaning to.”

Ben was talked into working for Krista’s company after helping with a few presentations. As soon as Sean got an introduction, he started working on the move immediately. It only took a week for the top salesman at Krista’s company to convince her friend and roommate.

Krista looked at Sean in accusation, and he, unexpectedly, was looking back. “You have Ben talking to Marcus when he isn’t even on the clock?”

Sean didn’t even blink in guilt. “He is paid contractor’s fees, which you agreed to, for all communication.”

Krista shook her head. “Well, Ben, you don’t speak all of Marcus’s language. You might be art, but you aren’t a pretty boy slut. You might be able to spin the idea of wooing somebody. I’ll look over the notes with you tomorrow or Monday, okay?”

Ben nodded his head and wandered away.

“I was wrong,” Sean said.

“Bullshit!” Kate answered, not looking up from her portfolio. “If you can find someone who did better—besides Krista—I want to meet her! Or him!”

Sean’s smile grew. “I thought Ben was solely responsible for Marcus’s success. At least where communicating his ideas were concerned, I was wrong.”

Kate looked around, trying to figure out what Sean was talking about, then shrugged. “Never think Krista doesn’t have her hand in most things to some degree or other. She mothers.”

“Helping communicate is not mothering,” Krista said with a sulk as she poured glasses of wine.

“So you say,” Kate retorted.

“What do you think?” Sean asked Ben.

“Oh, Krista doesn’t mother so much as check in.”

“Check-in is another way of saying nag,” Kate said, sitting back from her portfolio.

“I meant about Kate and Jasmine’s ability to work on our team,” Sean clarified. The smile wouldn’t leave his face.

When did Sean become so attached to Ben? Krista thought as she delivered wine glasses. The two talked like they’d known each other forever. Like they were the best of friends.

Krista returned to her wine glass in the kitchen and leaned against the counter, happy with the distance between her and Sean. Everything was starting to get too close to the effervescent salesman. There he sat in her dining room, perfectly at ease. He was the master of his universe. And now he was trying to take over hers. He was even enchanting her friends, which was exactly what Jim had done in the beginning…before everything went pear-shaped.

Yet even knowing that, even sitting there thinking it, she wanted to cross to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Or sit next to him. Or just give him a wink. She wanted to be near him, and the result would detonate the bomb that blew her life to bits. Again.

“Kris?”

Krista blinked and switched her gaze to a worried Kate. “What’s up?”

“Jaz asked for a glass of water.”

Krista looked at Jasmine, who was also looking at her worriedly.

“Water is for lightweights, Jaz,” Krista said, crossing to the table and sitting down next to Ben, who was still analyzing all the materials.

Ben cut through a tense silence with, “Well, they aren’t your classic workforce. What I mean is, they are prickly people who don’t ‘yes sir’ and will tell you when they think your idea is stupid. They don’t play the game, and they can’t schmooze people the way Krista can, but they work hard and do what they do well. If you can live with their personalities, you’ll probably have a good thing in them.”

“When did you become a work philosopher?” Jasmine said in a huff.

Ben raised his eyebrows at Sean with a “See?” expression.

Sean was looking at Krista quizzically. “Krista?”

Krista sighed. It was her reputation, too. She shifted from her ghosts to work mode before she heard the “ttthhhhuuuu, tttthhhhuuuu, tttthhhhuuuu—“

“Jasmine, do not thump me in front of my—“ Krista was cut off by Jasmine flicking her in the head.

“No more sighing!” Jasmine said to everyone.

Sean started to chuckle helplessly.

“Anyway,” Krista gave Jasmine a look of death. “I wouldn’t have recommended the girls if I didn’t think they could do a good job. I also work well with both of them, even though they irritate the ever-loving crap outta me. We’ve had a lot of experience on projects together. But Ben is right, they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. For me, good. For Mr. Montgomery, who’s to say?”

“Can they take direction from you?” Sean asked, purposely not looking at the girls.

“Who do you think was their leader even when it was supposed to be their project?”

Jasmine snorted and nodded. Kate shrugged, unembarrassed.

“So, not leaders of the company, but great worker bees,” Sean summed up.