Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2) (32 page)

Krista sighed loudly. She didn’t want to
ride with him, but it was too late to grab the train. “I’ll just
bring it.”

“Krista, are you okay?” Sean asked
quietly.

His voice held self-loathing and regret.
Krista didn’t need confirmation in his eyes so she looked out the
window.

“I’m good. Just stressed. This is only my
second presentation.”

After a pregnant pause, thankfully he let it
go.

“
All set, Ben?” Sean asked
as they filed in the car.

“Yes. I just hope Judy has calmed down since
yesterday. She really doesn’t want me in that meeting, Sean.”

“We’re using some of your material, so I’m
afraid we don’t have a choice.”

All Ben said was, “Yes.”

~*~*~*~

“I hope she holds up,” Ray said quietly as
he stood next to Sean in the corner of the conference room.

Sean turned to see what Ray was talking
about and saw her. She was in her suit, walking in with her
purposeful stride, brimming with knowledge and intelligence,
gathering eyes and her crew as she neared. She was magnificent. She
looked like a high-powered executive with her determination and
poise. Her hair and makeup went perfectly with her clothes and
shoes. The only thing out of place was the look of terror on her
beautiful face.

“She will. As soon as she starts, she will.
Have faith, Ray.”

“I do. It’s just that this is so important
and she is so inexperienced.”

“I know, but she rallies. She gets in the
zone, and she turns it on. You’ll see.”

Ray nodded slightly, looking over his
notes.

Sean matched the nod and said, “I’ll go
check on her.”

Sean walked over to her
slowly, enjoying the view on the way, not wanting to check
on
her so much as
check
in
with
her. He hadn’t been able to sleep all week. In just two days he’d
gotten used to her by his side. Her heat pressed against his. In
just two days she’d put her feet in the cement of his foundation,
and now the imprint she left constantly reminded him of how much he
needed her. What he lacked without her.

“
Krista, you are a vision,”
he said softly as he neared. He didn’t care who heard.

“Not looking so bad yourself, McAdams,” she
nervously smiled at him.

“
Look,” he said, his eyes
connecting with her on a deep and personal level. “I know we have
history, and I know I am currently responsible for a lot of hurt,
but I would like you to know that I’m here for you. If you need
anything at all, as a friend or as an associate, I am here for you.
Please ask and I’ll do whatever I can to help. Okay?
Please?”

Krista swayed. It was a small movement,
barely noticeable, but those words hit the base of her. She was
moved, he could see it on her face. She reached up and hugged him.
He returned it tightly, wishing he didn’t have to let go.

“You’ll do great,” he whispered in her ear.
Then he kissed her cheek as he stepped away.

Krista’s eyes were glassy, as were his. They
both knew it had nothing to do with the presentation.

“Can I interrupt?” Ben asked, dissolving the
moment.

Sean looked Ben over, noticing his tight
shoulders and darting eyes. “Are you nervous?”

Ben shook his head and glanced at Judy.
“Sorry Sean, but I think it was a mistake to invite me. Judy is not
pleased to share the spotlight.”

“I’ll talk to her—“

“No!”
Ben hissed. He tried to melt to Krista’s side, “It’s fine.
I’ll just stand close to Krista.”

Sean threw his eyes in Ray’s direction. Judy
needed to be sorted out. On a rock-star quality team, she was not
pulling her weight. She wasn’t as bright, or gifted, as Sean’s core
group. For this presentation, only Ben would do, and if the man was
worried about a knife in the ribs, it wouldn’t go off as well as it
needed to.

Ray, catching the look, and the scene, made
his way in Judy’s direction immediately. They were a good team, and
they each knew the score.

“Okay. I can do this,” Krista said, steeling
herself, not worried about Ben’s cowering. She shook out her hands
like she was about to play basketball.

“Of course you can,” Marcus said as he came
over, leaving Judy on her own right before Ray intersected.

They were all a good team.
Well-orchestrated. They’d need that today. Sean was very nearly
nervous himself. He had a lot to lose here today, but he had a damn
good team. They would not fail. Between him and Krista, their team
would be guided to the goal line.

“Krista,” John said, striding up with hands
on hips. He looked around at everyone, then honed in on her again.
“You’re scared. You’re new to this. I get that. But you look great.
You smell great. You have more knowledge on this stuff than all of
us combined. If anyone can succeed today, it’s you. Have faith in
yourself, follow that big, boring brain of yours and you’ll land on
your feet. I have all the faith in you.”

“That was very to the point, John. Thank
you,” Krista said, laughing.

John looked at Ben, “I don’t quite know what
it is you do, but Sean seems to think you do it well, so let’s land
it!”

Everyone blinked and looked at John, and
suddenly, just like that, they were in conquer mode.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Alright, Sean, the clients are here.
Showtime.” John made a circle in the air with his finger.

Before they arrived, Krista said, “Sean, if
you escort me out halfway through the meeting today, I will key
your car.”

Everyone snickered, having heard that Sean
had done that with the first presentation. Except John, but he
didn’t have time for a proper talking-down, because the clients
were now in sight!

Everyone tensed. This was the money. This
was what they’d worked so hard for. They needed this sale.

Mr. Hartling led the group,
laughing and joking with the
CEO.!
A new wave of heat filled Krista’s suit, exiting
the neck hole in something resembling steam. She really hoped she
didn’t sweat through the suit!

Sean stepped forward, debonair and
completely in charge, he worked his way through the powerful men
who filled the room, Mr. Hartling first, and then an assortment of
grim-faced men with slicked hair parted on the right side, wearing
expensive suits, and looking like they had Ivy League educations.
He laughed and chatted, shaking hands and strolling around. He
belonged here, with powerful people who controlled
conglomerates.

She belonged in a friggin’
doughnut hut selling coffee! She was
way
out of her league.

“Re
lax!”
she heard next to
her.

Marcus was airy and calm, not a worry in the
world. Judy was beyond him, Ben beyond her. They were at a panel
off to the side in the largest, most impressive conference room
they had.

“How can you stay so calm?”
Krista hissed. “That guy probably drives a car that costs more a
month than my
rent!”

“Oh honey, a guy like that doesn’t have a
car payment.”

“Was that supposed to help?”

Marcus would not have laughed if he’d
realized he had just made Krista’s hit list.

As the clients sat down, all easy and
important, Krista found that her jacket was too tight. She couldn’t
get enough air. There was so much riding on her material. What if
she didn’t check it thoroughly enough? What if they missed
something? What if she was the person who lost the client?

Across the room, Ray, whose eyes had been
checking in with her all afternoon, zeroed in. He leaned into Sean,
whispering something without so much as a twinge in facial
expression. The next second had Sean’s eyes snapping to her, worry
evident.

They knew she was freaking out. She was
being the anchor in high winds that would sink the ship.

With a look of calm assurance, Sean crossed
the room to Ben, who was at the end of their panel. “Have
everything you need, Ben? We are about to go live.”

“Yes, Sean. Thank you.”

Sean’s eyes hit Judy. He got a nod. He
sauntered down to Marcus, “All set, bro?”

“Using that term is
so
last year, Captain. I
thought you were up on the latest?”

Sean smiled, his eyes finally hitting
Krista. He took another step, his back to the now-seated clients,
blocking her from their view.

He looked down on her with soft, green eyes,
“You okay, Geegee?”

“
I’m scared shitless,
Sean.”

“Honey, that smile looks like a grimace,”
Marcus wasn’t helping.

“This is the big-time and I am a
half-trained circus clown!” she hissed.

Sean smiled and the others snickered.

“I knew you could do this the first time I
saw you give a presentation, Krista,” Sean said in a low, deep
voice. The clients might know he was talking, but not what he was
saying. “This is in you. It doesn’t matter who is on the receiving
end. You wow even the unbeliever when you only half-know what you
are talking about. And as John said, you know more about this topic
than probably anybody in this room. You managed to impress Mr.
Hartling with only a fraction of what you know now. You are ready
for this. I believe in you. I have always believed in you.”

Krista nodded with each point he said. She
willed herself to believe it.

“If you get scared, or tongue tied, look to
me and I’ll help you, okay? I won’t let you go down in flames. If
you need me, all you have to do is look at me and I’ll know.”

“But what if I just look at you because
you’re listening and I want to talk to a friendly face?”

“I’ll know, Krista. I can read you better
than you can read yourself. I’ll know, and I will help, okay? You
are not alone.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

He looked at her a second longer, putting
all his love and support on his face for her to see. After a pause,
he said again, “I’ll know.”

It did help. She felt better. Before he
left, he said, “Remember, I am nothing but an actor who lost his
way.” He smiled his secret smile and turned.

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.