Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(8)

Sean nodded, looking at the canvas. “I understand completely, of course. An artist always has a special connection with a piece he puts his heart and soul into. But, and correct me if I am wrong, an artist usually wants to share that heart and soul with the world. To share that subject with others—to affect others. As the focal point in my house, many will be able to view it. Here, hidden, it will fade and waste away until you fall in love with another piece. Then, I fear—and again, correct me if I’m in error—but then it might get left by the wayside. I’d hate for that to happen to this particular piece.”

Ben was no match for a salesman of Sean’s caliber. He nodded with each point, hating to think of his art nearly hidden, and turned to Krista. “Would you mind, Krista?”

Sean turned to her in confusion.

Krista shrugged, still looking at her wine. “It’s not mine to sell, Ben. But you could use the money. Your art school is expensive.”

“It is part yours, Krista. It is a snapshot of your life, after all.” Sean jumped and his gaze intensified as Ben continued, “I wouldn’t have done it if not for your turmoil. And if it belongs with anyone, it’s you. And if not you, him.”

“I’m sorry,” Sean said, looking slightly uncomfortable, “I think I’m missing something.”

Ben looked back at the art, “Well, you’re the ocean.”

Sean looked at Ben, waiting for more explanation. When he didn’t get one, he looked at Krista, who was avoiding his gaze. Finally he turned back to the piece.

“I’m the…you mean the waves? But half the piece is--me? I don’t understand.”

“I need to go for a smoke,” Jasmine stated.

Kate and Krista looked at Jasmine in confusion. She didn’t smoke. Never had, as a matter of fact.

“You two coming?”

“Absolutely,” Krista said, jumping up.

“I’m good. I want to see them haggle,” Kate responded.

Outside, Jasmine asked, “How long do people usually smoke for?”

“As long as that conversation will last, I think.”

“Hmm.”

“Good thinking, by the way,” Krista said as she sat on the curb.

“Yeah, I figured Ben wouldn’t realize some stories didn’t need to be told. I also figured you didn’t want to hear it a second time.”

“What about the part where I didn’t want to see Sean as he realizes how big of an effect he had on me?”

“Had?”

“Which is the same conclusion he’ll come to.”

“Ah. No fun.”

“No. My life is trying to buck me off, it seems like.”

“Hang in there. You, if anyone, need a happy ending.”

“Need doesn’t mean get.”

“Yeah, that’s the bitch o’ life, alright.”

They sat on the curb for a while, waited for another while, then finally decided if they waited any longer it would be obvious they were avoiding the situation in the living room.

When they walked back in, Sean’s gaze found Krista…and stuck.

“Sean wouldn’t give any less than $700,” Kate said.

Ben turned red. “You shouldn’t discuss money, Kate. It’s rude.”

“So is telling the subject matter of that piece of art, Ben, but that didn’t stop you.”

“Why would that be rude? It was just a dream.”

Kate shook her head. “Ben talked him down from $1000.”

“It’s worth more,” Sean said quietly, looking at Krista like he was stripping away all the barriers. Like Ben’s art answered a question he’d been asking for a long time.

“It’s time to go,” Krista said, hating that look in Sean’s eye. Hating that it tugged harder at her middle and scrambled her insides.

Oh, yeah, now he knew how intensely he’d affected her since day one. Fat lot of good it did now to pretend she didn’t care about him. Thanks a lot, Ben.

With a split-second decision, she decided she wouldn’t hold back anymore. She’d act however she acted, say whatever she would say, flirt if she felt like it, but-she-would-not-get-intimate-with-him. So he knew, so what? It wouldn’t change the outcome.

“Is there something wrong?” Ben asked, suddenly apprehensive.

“Yeah, we’re late. Let’s go,” Kate snapped.

Jasmine scowled at Ben, Krista ignored him, and Sean stared at Krista. It was a big mess.

Finally on the way to Ray’s, in a car tense with Ben’s faux-pas, Sean a big, full-hearted sigh. Sure enough, the next sound in the car, other than the latest Top 40 hit, was “ttthhhhhuuuuu, tttthhhhhuuuuu, ttttthhhhuuuu…”

Sean got his first Thump Bird.

“Ouch—that hurts worse than it looks,” Sean said, flinching away.

Krista started laughing, as did Kate.

“Jasmine,” Ben said, looking around the seat at Sean. “Sean is your potential boss.”

“Only if he stops sighing like that. I swear, that job has made Krista do nothing but sigh. It is contagious! I’m just pulling out the problem at the root.”

“You’re beating the root, not pulling it out,” Krista said, still giggling.

Ray’s house was nestled into other moderately sized houses with front yards all looking similar with mowed lawns and shaped bushes. Trees dotted the sidewalk and people were walking dogs with their kids in strollers. They were family-sized places, probably three bedrooms, two baths, and room for a car or two. Nothing giant like the Midwest houses, because space was still short in the East Bay, but it was big enough to raise a family, which was why everyone probably moved here. It was the ‘burbs, basically.