Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)

by K. F. Breene

  Krista knew Sean as well as he knew her, so screw it—pain or no pain, past or no past, it didn’t change her new goals of Sean destruction! She sounded like Rocky Balboa. She needed to do some meditation or something. Maybe she needed to join a drum circle.

  “Yes,” he said slowly, looking at Krista with new eyes. “Tory and Phil think you are ready for the next level.” Sean glanced at Phil. “We need Phil in another region to get things in order. He has agreed to move.”

  “I’m goin’ home!” Phil exalted the decision with a big, shit-eating grin. All he needed was a ten gallon hat and a belt buckle to make the picture complete.

  “Yes,” Sean said. “So that leaves us with a vacancy. Tory thinks you are ready to step into Phil’s large shoes. Based on what I know of you, I am confident you will do well in that position. What are your thoughts?”

  “You mean, am I okay with a promotion?” Krista asked Tory, laughing despite herself. It would mean she would have to work with Sean, but it was on the road to her goal. So be it.

  Tory smiled, as did Phil. Sean didn’t.

  “Do you think you can handle the workload and extra responsibility?” Sean asked seriously.

  “Yes, I do,” she returned, just as seriously with a splash of ominous. It was a warning—if he planned to start underestimating her, she would give Jasmine the green light to booby-trap his office. “I already have some ideas on improvement, if you don’t mind me saying, Phil. Your system is awesome, but there are a couple places I would like to try and tighten up.”

  “You mean, a couple of managers you would like to whip into shape?” Phil asked with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m too nice is what I think you’re saying.”

  “Yeah, well, I have a reputation to uphold,” Krista countered. To Tory she asked, “Does this mean I’m not going to be traveling as much?”

  Tory looked at Sean. Sean said, “Exactly. You leave the traveling behind with your old duties. The person you get to take your place will assume that responsibility.”

  “And you are leaving the hiring to me?” she asked Sean. Apparently Tory stepping out of the picture started now.

  “Yes. Although, I hear Kate is on your team?” Sean knew very well that was the case.

  “Yes.”

  “She might be a good candidate,” he said lightly.

  “She would, of course. I work well with her and she responds to my management style perfectly. However,” Krista leaned in slightly, “she is the newest employee in that department, and my old college friend. I don’t think it’s fair to promote her just yet.”

  “Excuse me for saying, but she is the best for the position.”

  “Sometimes it isn’t always about doing the duties well. Sometimes it is about loyalty. It is about trust. If I were to promote her without further ado, I would most likely break my people’s trust. I don’t work that way.

  “I’ll talk to the department. I’ll see who is interested, and who would be the best for the job in the situation. It’ll probably be her, and I’ll probably need to manipulate to make that happen without upsetting everyone, but regardless, I’ll let you know my findings before I make a decision.”

  Tory and Phil nodded together; that explanation sounded fine. Sean, however, looked at her without comment. His face was blank. It looked like he caught her double meaning on the trust and loyalty issue. She met his gaze with a cool demeanor. It was the only dig she would make. From now on it was professional all the way.

  Tory talked about other strategies within the region, and Phil talked about which aspects Krista would need to go over with him in the following weeks to get up to speed. Throughout the meeting, Sean’s eyes strayed to her often. Sometimes he looked sad, and sometimes he nearly smiled. Krista had no idea what the hell was going on in that head of his, but he was obviously losing his mind. Based on the fact that Jim did, too, Krista was starting to take it personally…

  When the meeting was over, Tory and Phil headed for the door, talking about the Dodgers versus the Giants. Krista followed behind, not caring at all about baseball.

  “Krista?” Sean was standing in front of his seat, gathering his notes and papers. “A word?”

  Tory and Phil hadn’t stopped. Trying not to be petulant, she ambled back and took her old seat.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  Sean looked at her and sat down. “I wanted to explain some things.”

  Krista sincerely hoped it would be work things.

  “I was loosely talking to Tory about this company change around the time he was making you and Marcus offers.”

  Krista couldn’t help but show the surprise on her face. She had no idea it went back that far. He planned this move before she left the first time, to the same destination, and he never mentioned it. Two and a half years he worked at this. Two and a half years he kept this from her. He let her go, cut all ties, but planned to meet up again in the end. And he did it without telling her to wait, or even giving her that choice. He told her to be happy, with finality.

  It became apparent that while he was planning the change, he hadn’t been planning it with her. He’d said he couldn’t leave San Francisco—he’d said his job was there; he had to let her go because he couldn’t go with her.

  It had all been a lie.

  How could that knowledge possibly hurt this much? She didn’t think she could feel any more pain from the loss. The man just kept surprising her. Surprise after horrible, heart-wrenching surprise.

  And guess what? She had never been really into being a scorned woman, but she’d just changed her tune. Everyone thought Monica was crazy? Monica didn’t know what crazy really was! And she didn’t have Kate and Jasmine on her side to fling the crazy in Sean’s handsome, asshole face. He would be sorry he moved into her town. San Francisco might have belonged to him, but L.A. was hers, and before she was done, he would be sprinting back with his damn tail between his legs. That’s how mad she was!

  As all of that was flashing through her brain, she said, “Hm.”

  “It might seem like I deserted you because I stayed in San Francisco, but—“

  “Whoa! Stop right there, Sean,” Krista interrupted, holding up her hands. If he thought she was going to let him talk his way out of the torture he put her through, he had another think coming. He’d had a chance to explain himself six months ago. The expiration date was up. He’d missed it. His loss.

  “If this doesn’t pertain to work, I would just as soon call it water under the bridge. You made your choices, and I made mine. I’m sure we both had good reasons for it. But now we work together, so let’s make the best of it.”

  Sean froze. He looked at her hard, his face frowning in consternation, for a long moment. It seemed like he was going to push the issue, but studying her face must have revealed the hostile roadblock he would receive if he did. In a stroke of brilliance, he said, “Fair enough.”

  She sat patiently, the blood from her heart burning under her sternum, until he finally went on. “I’m going to email you the goals for your new role by the end of today. You won’t officially have the position until next month, but I would like you to start working on achieving those goals ASAP. And I look forward to hearing who your new hire is by the end of the week.”

  “You’re hitting the ground running, huh?” Krista asked lightly, trying to distance herself. She’d do his stupid list. She’d blow him away again, and then she’d make him eat it. She would come out on top if she had to scoop out her heart with a dull spoon to do it!

  His face let in a crack of a smile before it went back to serious. “Always been my style.”

  Krista looked at him for a minute. At his chiseled jaw. At his large shoulders. She admired his confidence. “That it?” she asked, her professionalism slipping a bit. She didn’t like being laughed at.

  “Thank you, yes,” he said, organizing his papers.

  She turned to leave.

  “Oh, and Krista?” He looked at her with his clear, focused gaze. “I
intend to make this region the best performer in the nation. I need you to do that. Whatever our choices, as you said, let’s work together to a common end.”

  “Always been my style,” she mimicked.

  As she walked out, she wondered if Kate would watch the door while she defaced his desk somehow. She knew for a fact Jasmine could get her in to do it…

  The week passed in a haze. In order for Krista to cover her hurt, anger, desperation, and overall feeling of inadequacy, she poured herself into her work. She got Sean’s list and, as expected, it was ridiculous. Luckily, she was so used to his dang lists, the amount of work didn’t faze her. It was par for the course working for him. Phil didn’t know how easy he had it.

  Speaking of Phil, he started showing her the ropes. He was organized and a good leader, but he was settled into his role and not all that interested in pushing the envelope. As such, Krista picked up on her new duties pretty fast. Judging by Sean’s expectations, though, her role would be changing dramatically.

  The problem with the new job was the men on her level that she now had to work with. The other managers seemed nice enough when she’d previously seen them around the company, but the second she’d stepped up, suddenly the work world was no place for her kind; her kind being a woman. It was startling and unexpected—she hadn’t heard the mentality was so hostile. She had faith, though. She hoped they’d take in her work performance and warm up. As the first female manager, she felt she should give the male monopoly a little time to adjust.

  She settled on Kate taking her place. No one in her department really wanted it, and she was pretty sure they were happy to have a buffer between Krista and their work load. Truth be told, Kate didn’t want the job, either. She liked where she was. She got to coast while still making a decent income. Krista needed her, though, as usual, so she bullied Kate into it.

  It was Friday and Krista was on her way up to Sean’s office. He planned to have weekly meetings for the managers that reported directly to him for progress reports. She could only hope he got so busy, the idea went down the tubes. Something told her that wasn’t likely. He wasn’t a man to give up easily, even to dumb ideas.

  Usually Krista would be sipping a beverage from her lucky mug, which still went with her to all meetings, except that now she had to hide it from Sean. He knew what it looked like and what it meant to her. He also knew he was the one that basically bought it for her. Granted, it was a gift card, but still, he was tied to it. She didn’t need him knowing she still used it. It would muddy the waters, thereby firmly giving him the upper hand.

  Krista arrived to his office area and checked in with his matronly assistant.

  “Go right in, Krista. He’s expecting you,” she said with a motherly smile.

  Krista smiled back and prepared for war. She walked into the giant office filled with ornate cherry wood furniture and nearly stopped dead. It looked like royalty belonged there. It was a corner office, which was expected, with a door off to the right half open, through which she could see a sink and the edge of a shower, which was not as expected. There was a table and six chairs in the corner, two massive, comfortable-looking chairs in front of a giant desk, a few plants, a great view, and a freaking oriental rug.

  Krista’s new office wasn’t even close to this nice. Not even in the same galaxy. She dismally realized she had a long way to go if she wanted to be on par with Sean McAdams. It was humbling. And terrible.

  Sean was at his desk, head bowed over something or other, when he noticed Krista walk in. “Krista.”

  “Hi Sean.” Krista sat down in front of him.

  He looked like he hadn’t slept all week. His eyes were puffy and his face was pale. The spark had gone out of him somewhat. “Tell me what you’ve done all week.”

  “Wow. Cut to the chase, huh?” she mumbled, looking into her Sean folder, thankful she’d checked it before she’d come up so she could remove the voodoo doll Kate made.

  “I figured you wanted to get in and get out. If you would rather start with pleasantries…”

  “No, no, that’s fine. Just surprised is all. Okay. First, Kate is going to take my place when I take Phil’s. She’ll be in charge of hiring a new person if they need it. Right now, they have slack in work, so I’m not sure they need to hire in.”

  “Already making cut backs, huh?”

  “Unintentionally, yeah. Though if Tory asks, then yes, already making cuts.” She chuckled, looking into her notes.

  Sean didn’t crack a smile. “Understood. But Krista, I would like to keep honesty between us—in our working relationship. You need neither sell yourself short nor try to overcompensate. It’s always been our way. With my other managers I’m struggling with that. I would like to keep that pure between us.”

  “Saying it how it is has never been a problem for me, Sean,” Krista said into her lap. This conversation was hitting a little too close to her Sean Hurt box. And thus, a little too close to her tear ducts.

  “I know,” he said quietly. He changed gears with, “Okay, what else ya got?”

  “Right, well I got through step one on your list. It is a pretty extravagant list.” Krista pulled out the finished report along with a flash drive. “Here’s a hard and soft copy. Let me know what you want me to change. I’ll keep working on the rest of it, obviously. I’m just trying to balance my work load, learn Phil’s, get Kate up to speed—“ She sighed with fatigue.

  “All work and no play makes Krista a very dull girl.”

  “Yeah, well. I’ve had enough excitement for one life-time.” And now I work with the anti-Christ.

  ~*~*~*~

  Sean looked at Krista with a pained expression. Until that second, he hadn’t realized how sad she was. How devastated. He’d done to her what Jim had, but with emotional sabotage instead of physical. It was what he’d always feared he would do, and then he did it. Now he saw it first-hand and it pierced him. He shouldn’t have come back, and definitely shouldn’t have been expecting quick forgiveness.

  But he couldn’t give up hope that she would forgive him one day. He had no other options; nothing else to do; nowhere else to be. She was it. Cassie thought of her as family, and it took her visit to San Francisco to drive that feeling home to him as well. He couldn’t give up on her. He would wait. She had waited without knowing it, and now he would. It was only fair.

  “Krista, though I appreciate it, and it will make me successful in what I’m trying to do here, I think you are overdoing it a bit. I’ve heard how much you’re working lately. You’re young. Enjoy your life. I don’t need everything done in an instant. I don’t expect that of you.”

  “As my boss, I thank you for your concern. I’m just trying to do what I do best—kick butt and take names.”

  “And as your friend?”

  She paused a second. “Honestly, as my friend, go back to spying on me if you want, but I’m not really interested in your advice.”

  Ouch. He might be waiting a while. “Noted.”

  “If that’s all?”

  “Yes, Kris--ta.”

  Chapter Eight

  Krista lowered her eyes. She was glad he refrained from calling her Krissy. That would have made her cry.

  She made her way back. Instead of going to her office, she went to Kate’s cube. Kate looked up as she leaned against the flimsy cube wall. “I need to get outrageously drunk tonight.”

  “Uh oh. Bad meeting?”

  “Don’t want to talk about it. But I do want to forget about it. Harry’s Lounge after work?”

  “I’m in. I’ll let Jaz and Ben know.”

  Krista sighed and went to her desk. Once there, she emailed Marcus, telling him to head to Harry’s after he got off, and bring some hot, single, fun friends. She was going to get drunk, then maybe get laid. An instant after she hit send, Marcus called.

  “Marcus.”

  “Geegee, I have a great many hot, single, fun friends. I need it narrowed down. Are we talking girlfriends of the male persuasion, or did y
ou have something a little more naughty in mind?”

  “I’m looking for straight, Marcus, and definitely not employed by this company.”

  “Ooooooh, Geegee is letting her slut out. Loving it! And dare I say about time—you need to grease the wheels once in a while to make sure everything still works. I’ll be there with bells on.”

  “For the love of God, Marcus, don’t wear the bells again!”

  He laughed as he hung up. She wrapped up a couple things in a daze, then left a smidge early. She wanted to get changed into something slutty to coincide with her mood.

  The bar they were going to was a dive with a young crowd. There were bands on Friday and Saturday nights, the drinks were cheap, and it was great fun. Krista walked in wearing a slinky blue number with four-inch heels. She had cleavage and legs for days. She looked hot and had the reckless confidence to pull it off. It was not a dress she could wear all the time, but tonight, she would rock the hell out of it.

  Kate and Jasmine were at the bar. As Krista headed to them, Marcus stepped in front of her wearing a red shirt that hugged his body, and tight black slacks.

  “Girl, look at you! You look fab! I have a slew of available straight men en route. I told them a drop dead gorgeous girl was looking for a hunk. Good to see I didn’t steer them wrong.”

  “Marcus, please never use hunk in my presence again.”

  He laughed delightedly. “So how was the meeting with the young stud?”

  She made a face, getting out of the way from a waitress passing by with a tray of drinks. “He might actually be more demanding now than when he was our boss at Dexico.”

  “Impossible.”

  “Possible. Probable. Realistic…able.”

  “Well, so far he hasn’t been able to move me into a position directly under him. Figuratively speaking, of course—otherwise under him would be just fine. Alas, I’m safe for the time being. Speaking of, he is earning a worse reputation than you have.”