The Teacher's Billionaire (21 page)

Before hanging up Callie reassured the principal three more times. Once she did end the call she turned the ringers off on both phones. If she received that many calls just while she shopped Callie didn't want to know how many more she'd get that night.

***

Dylan stretched out on the couch in his media room and flipped on his favorite news channel. As he expected the big story was Warren's announcement. It had been on his mind all day. Not because it might effect Warren's candidacy although it might but because of Callie. This was going to change her life in ways she probably couldn't imagine.

He unconsciously rubbed his chest trying to get rid of the dull pang he got every time he thought of her. Something he found himself doing constantly. Dylan hated the way things ended between them. That was what upset him. Or so he insisted on telling himself. He wasn't upset because things ended. After all he didn't do long term relationships. He kept them to a maximum of two months. If he counted the time they spent together in Newport theirs had already hit the one month mark.

The fact that he hurt her was what bothered him. It had never been his intention to get involved with her. At least not as anything more than friendly acquaintances.

You really screwed up this time.
Dylan figured that was actually a major understatement. Not only had he gotten involved with her, he'd gotten himself in deep. He'd let himself become emotionally as well as physically involved. Something he hadn't done since Francesca.

Francesca.
There was someone he didn't think about to often.

They'd been engaged, but thankfully he'd learned of her true nature months before the wedding. Not only had she been after his money and connections, which was bad enough, but she'd also been sleeping with one of his old college buddies. He'd actually caught them together one night in her apartment.

Callie isn't Francesca.
The fact that they were both women was the only thing they had in common. She deserved better than the way things ended between them. He'd tried calling to explain again. She hadn't answered. He left a short message. She hadn't called back, and he hadn't tried again.

Let it go.
Even if she did forgive me then what?
How much longer would our relationship have lasted anyway?
It wasn't as if he planned on getting married. So things would end anyway. Did it really matter if they ended now or later?

Deep down he suspected there was another question lurking. What if their relationship didn't end at all? Disgusted with himself, Dylan switched off the television and opted for some classic Metallica music. He'd never been the type to sit and mull over his emotions. And he didn't plan on starting now.

The lyrics to his favorite Metallic song filled his media room, but they did nothing to distract him from his thoughts. Instead they reminded him of the night he and Callie ate ice cream while listening to music in her apartment. Surprisingly they liked much of the same music. Not many women he knew enjoyed classic and hard rock.

Then again they had a lot in common despite their different backgrounds. It was just another reason why he enjoyed spending time with her. Not that it mattered now.

“Damn it,” he swore aloud. “I need to get over this.” Whatever had been between them was over. Finished.

Turning the music off he headed to his bedroom to change. Perhaps an hour or so in his home gym would help. If nothing else maybe it would tire him out enough that he would sleep tonight. He'd had trouble doing that every night since the fundraiser. Every time he tried, visions of Callie that night in her kitchen came back to haunt him. The hurt and betrayal on her face were permanently burned into his memory.

She was the one that refused to listen. I tried to explain things to her.
He tore off the polo shirt he was wearing. Anger toward Callie burst through him. It was the first time he'd felt that emotion toward her.
If she really cared wouldn't she have let me explain?

Almost as quickly as the emotion came on it disappeared. Who was he kidding? She had every right to respond the way she did.
I wouldn't have even opened the door that night. Probably would've called the police instead and had them escort me away.

***

Had it really only been a few days since Warren's announcement? It felt like a life time ago. Both her cell phone and house phone seemed to be constantly ringing. People at the summer camp were continually asking her questions. Even television and newspaper reporters were camped out across from her apartment. And Neil, her bodyguard, constantly followed her. It seemed like the guy never slept. She wasn't sure how much more she could take. Already she'd reconsidered Warren's offer to come stay in Newport until things died down a bit. At first she'd thought he was exaggerating about how crazy things might get so she'd turned down the offer. Now though she was seriously thinking about going for a little while.

A knock at the door sent Lucky barking through the tiny kitchen.

“It's me,” Lauren called from the other side.

A friendly face.
Callie unlocked the door. Lauren was one of the few people who wasn't treating her differently these days.

She immediately handed Callie a copy of Star Magazine. “Have you seen this yet?”

Unlike the cover of People magazine that she'd seen in the grocery store which had one picture of her and one of Warren on the cover, this one just had a picture of her the night of the fundraiser. The constant knot in her stomach tightened. “No, I haven't seen this one,” Callie answered with a sigh.

“Turn to page 12.”

By the tone of her friend's voice, Callie knew she wasn't going to like what she saw. Flipping to page twelve she was greeted by a double page spread of pictures. All of them featured her and Dylan. There was even one of them standing outside her motel room in Newport the weekend she went down to meet Warren for the first time.

Tears welled up in Callie's eyes blurring her vision. Seeing her face on the cover of People was bad enough. But seeing her disastrous relationship or whatever her thing with Dylan had been, announced to the world was just too much.

How?
They'd been alone when some of the photos were taken. Or at least she'd thought they were alone.

Pushing the magazine away, Callie dropped her head into her hands. “What a mess,” she groaned. “I never should have gone along with this. What was I thinking? No one else ever needed to know.”

Lauren patted her on the arm. “I don't think you could've kept it a secret forever.”

“It was a secret my entire life. I think it could have stayed that way for a few more decades.”

“That was before anyone else knew, including you,” Lauren began in the same voice she used when she tried to make a student see reason. “Too many people knew to keep it a secret forever. Eventually it would've come out.”

Callie knew she was right. “It still sucks.” Standing she went to get some iced coffee. “Do you know there have been at least four reporters and I don't know how many photographers parked across the street all week. They follow me. I can't even take Lucky for a walk without someone bothering me. I actually asked Neil to do it for me last night so I wouldn't have to deal with them.” Callie slammed her glass down on the counter causing some of the coffee to slosh over the sides. “And I've lost count of how many reporters have called or just showed up looking for a statement from me.”

Lauren remained silent just letting Callie unload. Something she hadn't done in awhile. “To top it off Mrs. Brooks called this morning and let me go,” she said referring to her boss at the summer camp.

“I'm sorry. I know how much you liked it there.” Lauren accepted the iced coffee Callie handed her.

Callie shrugged. “I don't really blame her, but it still makes me mad.” It was true, she didn't really blame her former boss. Her presence at the camp was disruptive for the children. Still she resented the situation. She would miss working with the children. This was her fourth summer there.

“I think I'll just take the summer off. Maybe by September I will no longer be news worthy. My fifteen minutes will be up.” She hoped that would be the case. She couldn't risk losing her full time teaching job too.

Lauren didn't reply, and Callie didn't know if that was a good sign or not. Instead Lauren reached for the discarded magazine which was still open to the pictures of Callie and Dylan. “Have you spoken to him?”

Forcing herself not to look at the pictures, Callie took a long sip of coffee. “No and he hasn't called again.”

“Maybe you should call him. Hear what he has to say,” Lauren said gently.

Callie opened her mouth to reply but Lauren cut her off. “I know what you're going to say. But it
is
possible that it wasn't a lie. That he does care about you.”

And pigs can fly.
“You didn't hear him.” Callie didn't want to have this conversation with Lauren again. She thought about Dylan enough without having to talk about him too.

“No, but these pictures tell another story. He could really care about you. Maybe even love you.”

“It's called acting, Lauren. People do it all the time.”

Lauren held up her hands in surrender. “If you say so.”

Her friends words resonated in Callie's head long after Lauren left. How she wanted them to be true. The time she'd spent with Dylan had been magical. Never had she been with someone and it felt so right.

Without intending to she'd fallen in love with him. Even now after his betrayal he was lodged in her heart. Yet wanting something to be true didn't make it so.
Don't you know that by now?

She wanted to go for a walk. Sometimes that helped clear her head. Pulling back the curtain she saw that three cars were parked outside waiting for her to leave. Already that morning she'd dealt with several reporters and photographers when she'd tried to take Lucky for his walk. In the end Neil sent her back in the apartment and done it for her.

I just don't have the energy to deal with them again.
She let the curtain fall back into place. Instead she settled onto the couch to watch the Red Sox game and consider her options.

Maybe I should go to Newport.
No one will bother me there. Security at Warren's mansion won't let anyone through.
She wouldn't stay long. Just long enough to recharge. With any luck some other big news story would break in the mean time. Then everyone would forget about her and life would go back to normal.

The plan sounded perfect assuming Dylan wasn't there. He'd told her once that he visited Cliff House occasionally. What constituted occasionally to him? Did that mean once a month or once every few months?

She couldn't handle running into him. Not now anyway. Sure it was bound to happen someday. After all his mother and Warren were married. Hopefully that someday would be years away.

Years might be pushing it, Callie admitted. Still she didn't want to see him until she'd been able to bury her feelings for him. Right now her emotions were too raw.

Would it sound odd to ask if anyone else would be there? Possibly. Then again this entire situation was odd. It had been from the very moment Helen Lee told her the truth.

Muting the television, Callie dialed Warren's cell phone number. The phone rang several times before Warren answered.

“Callie,” her father greeted warmly. “I was going to call you later tonight. How are you holding up?”

She could hear the concern in his voice. “So,so.”

“Have you thought anymore about my offer? Elizabeth and I are arriving at Cliff House tomorrow for a few days.”

“Actually yes. That's why I'm calling.” Callie paused to think of her next words. She didn't want to come right out and ask about Dylan specifically. At the same time she needed to know if he would be there. “But I don't want to intrude on any family time if everyone is going to be there.”

“Callie you
are
family.”

She was touched by his statement and wasn't sure how to reply. Thankfully she didn't have to.

“Don't worry though. This trip it should just be us. Sara is visiting friends in Miami and Dylan hardly ever comes anymore. I don't know what Jake's plans are, but it is doubtful he'll show up.”

She couldn't have asked for a better response.

“Oh and if you want bring your dog. There is plenty of room for him to run around outside and an empty kennel next to the stable. Then you can stay as long as you want without having to worry about boarding him.”

He's really trying.
Callie had been impressed with Warren's treatment of her since their first meeting. But his offer to bring Lucky really sent her opinion of him over the top.

“Uh, okay. If you're sure.” While she appreciated the offer, she already felt as if she was taking advantage of the situation by accepting his invitation to hide out there.