Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(79)

Krista filled her lungs with air, then let it out in a slow release. She could do this. Sean was right, she knew this material. She knew their product was sound.

As Sean made his way back across the room, he stopped to make a joke to Mr. Hartling, who laughed good-naturally at the distraction. A part of Krista hated that it was so easy for Sean. Another part was thankful.

Then it was ”go” time.

John stepped out with a smile Krista knew was totally fake. You’d never know it unless you knew John directly, though. He used his body to sell his ideas, not needing props, boards, TVs or even a computer. He had a voice and a helluva knack for sales. All he had to do was spin his web, connect eyes, and whirl around the room with large promises fit for a king.

Krista found herself drawn in and nodding, imagining piles of money and millions of hits on websites a day. As she looked at the men sitting around the table, expecting to see nods and dollar signs, she was surprised to notice a faint scowl or two. Apparently they weren’t buying it.

John gave his smile again, and introduced someone they, of course, already knew, Sean McAdams.

Like when Sean entered that stage a week or so ago, Krista couldn’t tear her eyes away. His charm and magnetism were breathtaking. His large body was perfectly composed and balanced as he moved. Muscle mass worked in harmony, sending out subtle signals that it was all working strength, not gym and protein sculpted. But even more, as he worked the room, he lit it up with his vision and ideas. He talked to each person, and everyone together, weaving his dream for the project, and outlining how he would get there.

This time, there were no scowls. Not one. Mr. Hartling had interlaced his fingers and was watching Sean with acute focus, a hungry business look in his eyes. He was analyzing Sean as if he were a spreadsheet.

“Enough from me!” Sean said with a winning smile. “Let’s hear from our creative team!”

Marcus and Judy rose slowly, taking their time with their poster boards and various art props.

“Marcus will run through the idea for the campaign,” Sean was saying as they set up. “He will touch on our target market, the paths we hope to travel in order to reach that demographic, and the intended results. Judy will illustrate his points with print media.”

When they were both ready, and Sean was stowed back with the other salesman, taking a folder from Ray as he settled, Marcus began with the idea they’d chosen to pitch as their final.

For the last few weeks, the companies had been going back and forth with ideas and desires, Sean’s team pitching ideas, Tory’s company coming back with feedback. After rounds and rounds of hitting every avenue they could, Sean and John came up with the most successful campaign. It was now up to Tory to choose that approach, granting Dexico the account and a ton of money, or not, costing Dexico wasted manpower and too much staff. They were going all or nothing, which meant, Kate, Jasmine and Krista would probably need to look for jobs if they didn’t land this.

No pressure.

As Judy and Marcus finished, a perfect team delivering information easily and effortlessly, they opened up the floor for questions.

“Yes, I have a few,” Mr. Hartling said, looking at his notes.

The line of Ivy League boys shifted in their chairs. Apparently the big boss having questions was seriously bad news.

Sean must have known this, because he immediately put on his poker face and his body went slightly rigid.

It was more than a few. Mr. Hartling started hammering Marcus and Judy, bringing up questions they had no idea even related, let alone knew how to answer. Mr. Hartling was a numbers guy. Where Krista thought the ideas sounded great, but didn’t realize all the flaws until she started to get data for them, Mr. Hartling saw the problem spots right away. He spoke Krista’s language, not Marcus’, but he didn’t have a decoder ring named Ben.

So now, they had wicked smart Mr. Hartling, against wicked smart Ben. And Krista stood between the two. Oh joy.

Sean was getting ready to step in. His face said he knew everything was unraveling before his eyes, but he didn’t know that Krista had all the answers Mr. Hartling sought. He thought all was a hair’s breadth away from being lost.

Krista almost blew out a breath in exasperation.

In all their meetings, did he not realize that her job was to find and plug the holes Mr. Hartling was pointing out? Did no one know what Research did within the company?

Krista glanced at Ben. He was already looking at her. He’d realized the same thing she had. At the moment, everything was lost in the translation.

Here we go.

“Mr. Hartling…”

Marcus froze, his mouth open, a confused scowl on his face, just about to attempt an answer to a question there was no way he understood. Judy was trying to shrink into the wall. John was dead still, a very bad sign for him, and Sean had gone from calmly panicking to extremely protective when he saw Krista stand.

She wasn’t worried.

“I’m the one with your answers. You are asking art people about things concerning math. They are just about to make a run for it. They make the magic happen. I am the boring fact checker who makes sure the magic isn’t smoke and mirrors.”

Mr. Hartling’s face cleared for a moment, recognizing her. Then a small crease reformed between his eyebrows. He doubted.

Silly man. Does he not realize that he’s in my house now?

Confidence surging with the desire to prove all these self-indulgent suits wrong, Krista waltzed up to the front of the room, meeting Sean’s eyes as she walked. He was wary. He worried she was trying to save the day in false bravado. He didn’t know how to save her.