Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(76)

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Cassie asked quietly.

“Because I don’t like sharing embarrassing stories of my inadequacies with my sister, okay? Because I don’t need you realizing how f**ked up your older brother is.”

“Sean…you aren’t that way. You’re having a rough patch. Maybe just let her ride it with you?”

“Why, so I can abuse her like her ex-boyfriend? So I can add my scares to the ones she already has?”

“I don’t think whatever you did was solely the reason for this, Sean. I think you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.”

“The bigger picture, Cassie? What bigger picture? I freaked out on her. I nearly forced her. She doesn’t need that in her life. She’s dealt with that enough, already.”

“I think you’re being a little overdramatic,” Cassie replied in the same soothing voice.

Sean gripped his phone, then let a slow breath out of his mouth. There was no reason to get angry at Cassie.

“I’ve talked to her a few times,” she went on, stopping Sean’s heart. “She called, asking what to do. You did scare her, but not because it was you. Because she recognized something was going on with you, and had a panic attack. She said that she’s partially to blame for how it went down. You could’ve just as easily brought her out of it if you hadn’t been…doing your thing.”

“I’m sure she’s just making light of it,” Sean said in a hopeful whisper.

“Sean, from what I understand, you’ve heard her issues firsthand. And you’ve been chasing her forever. She knows what she’s getting. She wants what you’re giving. You’re the only one who isn’t realizing that.”

“I don’t want to hurt her. I can’t think of any other outcome.”

“Damn it!” Cassie had just lost her temper. “Get your head out of your ass and realize that she is the best thing that you’ve ever found. She won’t put up with your ego. She makes you better. Keep her!”

“Are we done here?” Sean said in a dry voice. He was pushing Cassie’s buttons and he knew it, but he wanted this conversation over.

“You are being such an egotistical bitch!”

Air.

She’d hung up on him. Sean threw his phone on the couch and took another swig. Krista was tough, she was a trooper, and bottom line, she deserved better than him. Bottom line.

~*~*~*~

When Friday morning rolled around, crisp and fall-like, Krista was tightly wound. Ben called it jumpy, but she didn’t ask. Which she told him. Right before he threw some weird Styrofoam sculpture at her.

Despite his beliefs, Krista really was trying for calm. She went to bed early the night before and hadn’t had so much as a sip of an alcoholic beverage. She didn’t hustle getting ready, since she’d gotten up a half hour early, and had a chamomile tea to further attempt a Zen trance.

Needless to say, none of it worked—hence the thrown sculpture. When it was time to leave, she had to clench her legs together to keep from peeing herself she was so nervous!

As she stepped out the door, laptop in hand, her phone rang. It was Sean.

A swarm of butterflies overtook her stomach and started fighting the already established bunch of nerves. The turf war had her body trying to shoot liquid out of both ends.

“Hello?”

“Hi Krista, it’s Sean.”

“Hey. What’s up?”

“I was thinking I would give you a lift this morning, since you’re in the suit and everything.”

“Uh,” she tried to better balance her laptop, which was trying to slide out of her grasp, with just one hand.

“Krista, shut the door, its cold!” Ben shouted from somewhere inside. He was a ball of nerves, too. He would be in the meeting, per John, which made Judy extremely unhappy and confrontational. Ben wasn’t worried about presenting, but he abhorred confrontation.

“I can’t right now, Ben, hold your horses!”

“I AM TRYING TO SLEEP!” Abbey roared down the hall.

Krista put everything down and slammed the door.

It was a stressful morning.

When she picked up the phone, Sean was saying her name.

“Yeah, I’m here. The stupid roommates are annoying me.”

“Right. I thought—“

“Yeah, I heard you. I’m not in the suit, actually. Marco had to make some last minute alterations because it wasn’t perfect, or something, so I’ll pick it up in about an hour.”

“Oh?” Sean did not sound happy. “Are you wearing a backup just in case?”

“Uh, no. Should I?”

“Yes. Just in case. I’ll be over in 2 minutes.”

“But--” The line went dead.

The last thing she needed that morning was him messing with her head. She was really looking forward to the weekend and two days sans Sean. Her emotions couldn’t take much more.

She was in her room grabbing the only two suits she owned when he knocked. He was in the most impressive suit to date. It must have been hand-tailored as well, and fit him to perfection. A hint of pec, the idea of bicep, the perfect and broad “v” of his upper body, and even the perfectly sculpted butt. Krista was hot and cold and miserable and turned on all at the same time.