by K. F. Breene
“You are a speed walker, and Jasmine has those giant spider legs. It is so not me!” Kate yelled from the bathroom.
Sean stood and wandered toward the living room with everyone else.
He looked at his watch in confusion. “Yeah, but I drive.”
Everyone stopped and looked at him. They all had been so long without a car that they forgot the lack of planning that went with it.
“But, don’t you want to drink?” Jasmine asked.
“I don’t need to drink. And I am certainly not going to take public transportation that far. It would take forever,” Sean said, looking around the living room in interest.
Everyone looked at each other and shrugged. They all headed back to the table except for Ben, who went to get another bottle of wine.
“Where did you get this piece?” Sean asked from the living room.
Thinking he was talking about one of Abbey’s weird artistic choices, of which always had Ben scoffing politely, everyone glanced over in interest. If Sean liked something Abbey bought, they would all make fun of him mercilessly.
“Oh, so good of you to notice,” Ben said, walking over. It was the painting he’d done based on the dream of Krista’s emotions. At the time she had been struggling with her job, her life, and with her constant desire of Sean. Abbey had let Ben hang it in the far corner of the living room where it was mostly hidden by an ugly Japanese screen and some giant, fake green plants. One could only see it if they hit exactly the right angle. Apparently Sean had.
“That is one of my creations. I did that over the space of a few months.”
“You did this?” Sean said in awe, his eyes traveling all over the canvas.
“Yes. I did, yes. Got an A on it, actually.”
“What did you call it?”
“Lost and Found.” Ben had his hands behind his back, surveying the piece with Sean.
“Hmmm. It’s…fascinating. That name gives it a certain...tone.”
All three girls rolled their eyes and turned back to their wine.
“Thank you, yes, I put a lot of time and focus into getting it just right. I had to guess in a few spots, and a few other things were tricky, based on the subject matter, but I think it came out okay.”
Sean took a step closer, riveted. “Is it for sale?”
The girls turned back to gawk.
“Oh,” Ben was taken aback. “I hadn’t thought about it.”
Sean turned to study him. “If you will part with it, I’d like to buy it from you. It…I can’t explain why, as one never can with art, but it speaks to me. I’d really love to hang it in a place where it will be the focal point of my living room.”
Jasmine and Kate looked at Krista. Krista looked at her wine.
“Well…” Ben looked back at the piece. “It did take me a while to complete. I put a lot into it. I would hate to part with it.”
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.
Sean led the party through a side gate, down a cement walkway and into the back yard. It was apparent he knew his way around. Also apparent that he felt comfortable enough with Ray to wander around his house unattended.
As the group cleared the house, entering the back yard, they all groaned at the moderate-sized swimming pool.
“Could you have mentioned bathing suits?” Jasmine said with a scowl.
Before Sean could answer, Ray came bustling up with a big smile. “Hi Krista, Ben, Sean!” He then looked at the two girls expectantly.
“Oh…” Krista said, remembering her manners. “This is Kate and Jasmine. They might be joining our team.”
Ray smiled kindly, shook each hand, then turned to Sean. “There are beers and dogs in the usual places. I’ll let you show them around. Mable is here and has already started on the brandy.” Ray rolled his eyes, his smile still in place, before he nodded at Krista, gave Sean a warning look, then bustled away.
“Mable is the neighbor across the street,” Sean said, leading the way to a barbecue station near the house. It was a stationary, elaborate grill with two overflowing coolers next to it. The smell of hot dogs wafted their way as Sean grabbed beers. “She dips into the sauce then tells racist jokes.”
“Yikes,” Kate said as she opened her Corona.
“Yeah. I’ve never met someone with as many racist jokes as this woman possesses. I think she collects them where normal people collect bells.” Sean led everyone to a small picnic table near the pool.
“Bells?” Jasmine said with a glint in her eye. “How old are you?”
Sean laughed as they all sat down. More than a couple eyes glanced his way. “Okay, shot glasses. Whatever. Not the point.”
“So the point,” Kate said with a smirk. “Who the fuck do you know that collects bells?”
Sean laughed in the carefree way that said he was relaxed and himself, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the weathered wood. As he did so his body brushed against Krista’s, hatching butterflies in her stomach as he said, “Well, if not bells, what do people collect?”
“Knives. Swords. Lighters,” Jasmine supplied.
“Or art, Jaz,” Ben said, looking at Jasmine askew. “Stamps. Coins.”
“Well, if you want to be boring, then, yeah, I guess art,” Jasmine said with a shrug.
Sean was looking at Jasmine with shock and a smile, “Should I be worried?”
Kate and Krista both laughed as Ben nodded.
Sean turned his glittering green eyes to Krista. They were intense and focused. They caught Krista and held her.
“—don’t you think, Krista?” She heard through the fog a second later.
Krista tore her eyes away from Sean, who had stopped smiling. Whose eyes had softened to the point of mushy. “What?”
“This back yard is way bigger than I thought it would be from the front.” Kate was looking at her with a poignant look.
“Yes, definitely,” Krista responded, not missing the scrutiny.
“That was a big selling point to Ray,” Sean said, surveying the scenery. There were a collection of people near the rear of the yard where tables and chairs were set up on the lawn.
They fell into easy conversation, which was broken sporadically by Sean brushing against Krista, or bumping her with his big shoulder, or turning that beautiful smile her way. Her heart skipped and thundered and pounded in her chest so often she could barely concentrate.
As the day wore on, and they ate, drank and talked, Sean was up and down, coming and going, saying hello to someone, or getting in a quick chat with someone else. He knew most, if not all, of the people at the party. It was obviously not a work party, and Ray and Sean were obviously great friends. There was no gray area here, this was all personal for Sean.
Chapter Three
Sean was standing with a group of guys, laughing but trying to make an exit all the same, when he glanced over at the table to see how Krista was faring. He wanted to give her some space to see how she acted without his presence to distract her, or to get her defenses up. And the effect was spellbinding. She had him enthralled. He wanted to sit, mute, and watch her easy smiles and subtle grace. His eyes trailed along her sun-sparkled skin and soaked in the feminine timbre of her voice. When she turned those blue-gray eyes on him, he was caught, his tongue slow and sluggish, his thoughts filtered through honey.
She got along with everyone easily, often leaving a trail of laughter as she and her friends wandered around, striking up conversations and inspiring jealous looks from other women.
She chose that moment to look up and sweep the area. Her eyes landed on his, dipping in deep as a thrill went up his spine. She winked, scanned the faces he was standing with, then went back to her friends.
“Gonna keep her all to yourself, McAdams?”
Sean looked at Jeff. The guy was more of a friendly acquaintance than anything, but he was Mary’s work friend and was set up with many of the same women Sean was. For that reason Sean ran into him often. Jeff never minded picking up Sean’s throw-aways.
“Have to get her first,” Sean said, looking away from Krista. He didn’t want to inspire rivalry. He didn’t want competition. It was hard enough talking to her with nothing but her defenses and mistrust getting in the way.
Not that be blamed her, exactly. Today he was hunted by a few women who didn’t take, “We can still be friends” all that well.
Krista spared him a glance as she ducked around a tree and crossed the grass.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Sean said, hating that he sounded like he was going to make a play. Realistically, he was going to try and talk to her and hope she didn’t give him a straight arm and take off running. That woman could embarrass the most confident of men.
As Sean was closing in, Krista noticed, having her hesitating for a brief minute, causing his chest to constrict in worry that she really would straight-arm him. Instead, miraculously, she slowed to let him catch up.
“This was the California I was longing for,” she said, falling in step with him toward the house.
“Then why are you heading indoors?” Sean asked, slowing the pace.
“Because I am under the impression Ray wouldn’t look too favorably on me peeing in his bushes.”
Sean laughed and slowed to a stop, facing her. She gave a quick glance to the sliding glass door that led inside, and stopped with him. She was barely staying relaxed, Sean could see the tension worming its way into her shoulders. But she was holding. She was giving him an in.
“So… you tricked me,” she said into his dumbstruck, focused gaze.
“Did I? How’s that?” Sean couldn’t stop looking at her mouth. He wanted to kiss her so bad he was having trouble thinking straight.
Krista must have noticed it, but for a wonder, she didn’t back away. “You said this was a work function.”
“Not true. I said I wanted Ray to meet your friends.”
“You tricked me into a date.”
Sean took a step toward her, watched her chin tilt upwards to meet his eyes, then stepped around her to lean against the wall. He very nearly pulled her back to rest against him, but knew that would be too far.
“Is that what this is? A date?”
She studied him for a moment. Analyzed. Checked out his posture, looked at his mouth, then shifted her weight. He was trying to stay neutral. Trying not to scare her away. But he wanted to pounce. He couldn’t help it.
She lost her fluidity of movement
but stopped herself from taking a step back. “Trickery is the devil’s playground, and the Water Closet awaits.”
Sean backed off immediately. “The water closet, huh? Do you need a treasure map to get there?”
Krista grinned. Her eyes flashed, “I’m not sure I’d want to find the type of treasure that hangs out in a bathroom!”
He laughed with her. “Good point. Listen, I wanted to tell you—if you aren’t going to pee your pants that is—that Ben wasn’t trying to expose you earlier.”
Krista lost her smile as she looked away.
“He wasn’t thinking about psychiatry when he was painting,” Sean continued. “He was just going with the flow of his own brain. He didn’t realize it might embarrass you.”
Krista stepped closer and leaned back against the wall next to him. “You are talking like I haven’t known Ben for nearly a year and a half.”
“I just didn’t want you to think we were plotting against you. I know it wasn’t really me depicted.”
“It was.”
Sean looked at her in surprise.
She smiled at the scrutiny, “It was you. You have this smell about you—“
“Oh yes, the stink.”
“—that reminds me of the ocean.” Krista paused. “Truth?” Sean waited. “Yes, you did make me nervous when I first met you, okay?” She laughed and pushed away from the wall, “I know you’ve figured that out, don’t try to look all shocked.”
Sean chuckled, “I wasn’t sure until Ben told me about that painting.”
“I know. I realized that. It’s just…” Krista looked out towards the pool. “I don’t know. I gotta pee.”
Sean watched her walk away. It was a quick exit, followed by Ray’s quick entrance.
“Don’t look now, but there are two over-protective friends plotting an accident you won’t walk away from.”
Sean smiled and refrained from looking. “Told you.”
“She’s loosened up around you.”
“Ben painted this…truly remarkable painting. I offered to buy it before I was told, in so many words, that it was Krista’s internal struggle against falling for me.”
