by K. F. Breene
“Oh, wait, you live here?” Krista asked, turning around to check out the view.
He squinted into the sun as he considered her, his expression guarded. “Yeah.”
“I thought you lived closer to work?”
“I live at work, actually. But I sleep here. I surf, so this is ideal for my lifestyle. Plus, I’m not such a city boy. I like being out here where there’s limitless ocean.”
“Well, not limitless. If you had better eyesight you could see Japan.”
“Maybe I’ll get a telescope,” Sean laughed.
“Why didn’t you ever mention you lived so close to me?”
He shrugged, not properly hiding his vulnerability. Personal lives versus work lives. Krista got it. She changed the subject.
“Well, you are welcome to come over to my house for a pre-barbecue drink if you want. You can meet the girls and go over their portfolios. God only knows what they made up to put in portfolios, but that way they won’t have to truck their stuff to Ray’s.”
Sean was hosing himself off so Krista pulled up some cement to have a seat. Then she decided, why sit when you can lay?
“Shouldn’t you stretch?” Sean asked after he turned off the hose. He had taken off his wetsuit and put a towel around himself. Krista was sad she missed it.
“Actually, what I should do is some sit-ups, then some squats, then stretch.”
“All that?”
“For now. Tomorrow is jumping rope and other muscle toning stuff. I have yet to get into yoga, but I will. Someday.”
“Let me get some shorts and I’ll do it with you.”
She wanted to ask if he was serious, but she didn’t really want to look up to get his expression. Instead she just closed her eyes and willed some strength into her body. Sean came back a moment later with a glass of water.
“C’mon. Up,” he said, bending over to help her.
“Are you one of those irritating fitness guys?”
“Yes. Here, drink.”
She did as instructed, finishing the glass of water with thirsty gulps. Next she peeled off her sweaty shirt and wiped her face. She was thankful her sports bra was somewhat new. She had more holey ones than good ones these days.
“Jesus, Marshall, where did you get that body?” he asked with a laugh.
Her mushy four-pack wasn’t as exciting as his six-er. Her arms and legs were toned, not over-muscled, and she was healthy. She felt great and looked okay. It was exactly what she was after. It had to be, she didn’t have time to work out any more than she already did!
“Steroids,” she said dryly. “Wait until you see my stomach workout, McAdams. I’ll wipe that smile off your face.”
“Ready when you are.” He sounded so dang chipper about it. It was irritating.
“Alright, I grudgingly do this, you know,” she tempered. “This isn’t the highlight of my life. Yeah, I feel good after, but it is forever a chore, so please drop the upbeat attitude. It makes my ass clench.”
Sean laughed and gave her a light push. Then they got down to business.
They spent the next twenty minutes doing various stomach exercises, then another ten on squats. Krista’s legs were so tired from the run that they didn’t appreciate the squats, and gave out a few times.
Once done, and to Krista’s intense bitterness Sean kept up easily, she laid down on the garage floor again. He could have gotten completely naked and she wouldn’t have noticed.
“Do you want to come in?” Sean asked with slight apprehension.
It seemed like meeting outside of work was doing a number on his comfort level, which didn’t make much sense, since he’d met quite a few work women after hours for non-work-related activities of the naked persuasion. However, Krista was in no mood to point fingers. Or even raise fingers.
“Nah, I need to get home. It’s going to take some work to get this pile of doggie poopie to look presentable.”
“Do you want me to walk you?”
“It‘s the middle of the day, Sean. I don’t think boogeymen are on duty.”
“Fair enough. When should I stop by?”
“Give me an hour. I should have some semblance of structure by then. Wait, what time is it?”
“Uh…” Sean stepped into his garage, then back out again. “About eleven.”
“I gotta get going. An hour.”
Krista shakily got to her feet while Sean laughed at her. She gave a behind–the-back wave as she lumbered off toward home, beyond tired.
Once home, Krista showered, shaved, and checked the weather in the East Bay. It was amazing how large the weather differed from San Francisco to the surrounding areas. It might be sixty degrees in the city, but you crossed either bridge, and suddenly it was ninety.
It was supposed to be eighty-five where they were going, so she picked out a cute summer dress that she wished she could wear more often, and her new wedges that made her legs look stellar. She nearly grabbed her underused summer hat, but thought it might be a bit much. Instead, she grabbed some bracelets.
The doorbell rang before she could get to hair and makeup. She answered to Kate and Jasmine arguing about the best way to get to her house, even though it was already too late since they were, in fact, at her house.
“Hey, Kris.” Jasmine said, walking in the door, followed by a still-arguing Kate.
Jasmine was tall, lanky and a doomsday parade in her thoughts. She was a glass half-empty type of girl who tried extra hard to make things fun and entertaining to combat the boredom.
“I have to get ready,” Krista said, checking her watch. “Go play with Ben. He’s going, apparently. Sean asked him before he asked me.”
“Are you bitter about that?” Kate asked with her hand frozen halfway to her bag.
In opposition, Kate was short and dainty, until she opened her mouth and threw out the first f-bomb. Swear words were her forte. She also knew the most about Krista’s troubled past with Jim, her abusive ex-boyfriend. She took it upon herself to police Krista’s interest in the charming, and womanizing, salesman.
“…no,” Krista hedged.
Kate looked at her in warning, but didn’t say anything. Jasmine ignored the whole issue.
“Guys, I need to get ready. Go away.”
“I know,” Jasmine said, “You look like a monster.”
When Krista was mostly done with her makeup, hair already blown out, Kate came clattering in.
“He’s here!”
“Who, Sean?”
“Yes! He wants to see our work!”
Krista turned to Kate, “That’s what you’re here for, Kate. Aren’t you ready?”
“Krista Marshall, of course I’m ready!” Kate said, putting her hand on her hip. “I was only a few points behind you through the whole of our senior year. But man—he looked at me like I had better deliver or else!”
“Oh. That.” Krista turned back to the mirror. “That was probably just his business look. Don’t worry about it. He’s analyzing things. Not judging. Not yet.”
“You’re…” Kate hesitated. “You know him pretty well for such a short period of time.”
“Kate, get over this, will you? I’ve worked with him in my grill for about a year. Just…do your thing, okay?”
Kate looked at her askew. “You’re bitchy.”
“Want to see worse?”
She smiled, “Kind of.”
“Oh shut up and leave me alone!”
“Thought Jaz was rubbing off. Damn.” Kate laughed and turned away.
Chapter Two
When Krista was done getting ready, she wandered out to the living room where everyone else was gathered, except for Abbey, the master-tenant and third roommate, who was blessedly at work. It was a godsend that she worked on the weekends.
Sean was sitting at the table looking at Jasmine with intense focus. Jasmine, for the first time ever, looked nervous as she opened her portfolio. Apparently the job interview had begun.
“Anyone want a beer or wine?” Krista
asked over the din.
Jasmine raised her hand while looking for a page, Kate gave a grunt which generally meant “yes,” and Sean looked over in greeting. His eyes scanned her and the corners of his mouth quirked.
“Please,” he said as he met her eyes.
She ignored the following shiver. And the sexual desire. And the need to strip and lay her naked body on his naked body.
“Oh, Krista, I had a question,” Ben said, getting up and crossing to the kitchen.
“Yup?” Krista asked as she dug in the fridge.
“Okay, well, I didn’t understand what Sean was saying about Marcus’s latest idea.”
“You think I’ll know better?”
“Well, you are slightly more perceptive. He…”
“What was that, Ben?” Sean asked, interrupting Jasmine.
Kate and Jasmine looked up from their portfolios in confusion.
Ben turned toward Sean with a red face. “Sorry Sean, it’s just that you’re better with the bigger picture, Krista is better with the actual…” Ben paused, looking for the right word.
“Work?” Kate asked with a smirk.
“No,” Ben said, scratching his chin. “…the route to the goal.”
Sean cocked his head, looking between Krista and Ben. “Which idea?”
Ben looked uncomfortable. Krista stepped in. “Sean, Ben doesn’t like conflict, and he knows I don’t like micro-managers…”
Sean looked at Krista for a beat before he smiled. “Understood.” He turned back to Jasmine. “Sorry about that, what were you saying?”
Krista regarded Sean for a brief minute while his attention was elsewhere. He was wearing shorts and a polo shirt that always did great things for her eyes. Having seen his pecs earlier, and the marvel that was his shoulders and stomach, Krista turned away before he could notice she was staring.
She opened a bottle of white wine and poured everyone a glass while Ben laid out his problem with Marcus’s new idea. Halfway through, and while the other three were talking about Kate’s accomplishments, Krista stopped him. “He was talking about gifts for lovers, not husbands and wives, Ben.”
“—what?”
Krista leaned up against the countertop. “Marcus wasn’t talking about seducing your husband, he was talking about seducing your lover. Maybe boyfriend or girlfriend, but most likely someone without a face. A high-profile someone seducing a stranger, maybe. Something like that. He’s probably daydreaming with that idea—he probably wants to be the seducer.
“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.
“Yup,” Krista said as Ben said, “Exactly.”
Sean turned back to the girls, who had looks of determination on their faces now. “I’ll talk to Ray, see what he says. If he agrees,
I will want to try you out for a week. I will pay you, of course. Can you get a vacation from where you currently work?”
Both nodded, wanting to prove themselves.
“Okay, I’ll talk to Ray.”
“Whoa, wait a minute,” Kate said, holding up her hands and leaning back. She looked at Jasmine. “My bullshit meter is going off. He’s playing us. Before we even go to this fucking Ray guy, we need to know if this is even viable. I don’t want to waste my vacation if I’ll hate the job, or if the money and benefits are less than I am making now.”
This was that personality Ben was talking about. Krista sipped her wine. She refused to feel anxiety over this. Sean needed to know what he would be working with, and Kate needed to learn to control herself if she ever wanted to get anywhere.
“Good point,” Sean said. It sounded like he expected this. He had his chess pieces lined up. Krista wondered if she’d ever see the game before he was playing it out.
“I’ll say this,” Sean leaned back and surveyed the two girls, ”If you work out and I don’t think you’ll let me down, I will exceed your current salary by 10%. Our company has excellent benefits so I’m not worried there. Is that good enough?”
Kate and Jasmine looked at each other. Jasmine said, “I will need a 12% increase over my current salary, because I’ll be damned if I get paid less than Kate for doing the same job.”
Sean looked a little surprised and laughed, “Fair enough. Let’s see how far you get.”
“Oh, we’ll get there,” Jasmine retorted. She never looked at the bright side, always thinking that if left to chance, the world would let her down. But when it was in her hands, she knew what she could do, and she did it. She might have to shank someone, but she got what she wanted.
Meeting adjourned, everyone relaxed. Jasmine learned that Sean surfed, and the next half-hour was spent talking about it. Krista, knowing how long it took to get to the East Bay from her house, kept her eye on the clock, and when it was time to go, sounded the alarm.
“It’s still early,” Sean said as everyone was getting up and getting their stuff together.
“The L is unpredictable, and the BART doesn’t run as much on the weekends. Besides, Kate is a slow walker,” Krista said as she checked her handbag, making sure everything was accounted for.
