The Teacher's Billionaire (4 page)

“He wanted to come himself. We advised him otherwise.”

“We?” she asked, her eyebrow raised.

“His campaign adviser, my mother, and me. We were afraid of what might happen if the media learned about you now during the campaign.”

He felt like a real ass admitting the truth aloud.
I probably don't want to know what she thinks of me.
Without her even saying a word he knew he hurt her. Something he regretted more than he expected. Which made no damn sense because he barely knew her.

“There is no way of knowing what kind of spin the media might put on the information,” he added when Callie remained silent.

She’d expected as much, still it hurt to hear it.
Don’t let it bother you. What did you expect anyway?

“I see. So he always does what others tell him?” Despite her best effort she couldn’t keep her voice from catching.

Callie felt his warm hand fold over hers. The feeling of his unexpectedly rough skin against her hand sent unwanted tingles up her arm.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Callie,” he said using her given name for the first time. “Normally, he does what he believes is best.”

For most of her life, she’d disliked her first name. It had been different from everyone else growing up. She hadn't known anyone else with her name. More than once she’d wished her name was something more common like Melanie or Michelle. But when Dylan said it, Callie sounded beautiful, special. Callie didn’t know exactly why it sounded so much better coming from him, it just did. Maybe it was due to his accent or perhaps because it came from such a gorgeous man. Whatever the reason she could have listened to him say it all day long.

“And he didn’t think coming to see me was best?” She kept her eyes focused on their hands afraid he would see how upset their discussion made her.

Dylan cleared his throat before answering as if he was uncomfortable with the conversation. “I think he realized he was too emotionally connected to make an impartial decision, so he agreed to let me come and arrange everything for him.”

Even if every word was true, it didn’t change the fact that she didn’t want any charity. She didn’t want Warren Sherbrooke to think she expected anything from him. As far as she felt, he was nothing more than a sperm donor who’d been involved with her mother. Perhaps this view would change one day, but right now she couldn’t really think of him in any other way.

“I appreciate your honesty.” Callie said in a much kinder tone. Somehow Dylan’s sincerity killed much of her anger. “But I can’t let Mr. Sherbrooke pay for my airfare. And I definitely don't want to use his private plane. Any meeting will have to wait.”

When Dylan didn’t reply, she assumed he finally accepted her answer and decided to give up. She started to breathe a sigh of relief when he spoke again.

“In that case could you meet with him at his house in Newport? You could drive down and spend the weekend.”

Lord, this man doesn’t give up does he? Persistence should be his middle name.

If Dylan was trying so hard, did that mean this meeting was really that important to her father? It seemed like it, and she had to admit she was more than a little curious about the man.

Only he can answer your questions.
Plus a weekend down in Newport would be a nice mini-vacation. She loved the area, always had. And if things weren’t working out it'd be easy enough to come home. Newport wasn’t that far away, just a couple of hours.

Callie nervously chewed her bottom lip. She didn’t want to make the wrong decision. “That sounds okay,” she said slowly her mind working. “There's a long weekend coming up, and I could take two personal days.”

A smile she suspected had melted dozens of hearts spread across her visitor’s face.

It should be illegal to look that good.
If he kept smiling at her like that, she might agree to anything.

“Just give me the dates and Warren will be there.”

Callie stood to get the pad stuck to the refrigerator door so she could write down the days. Turning back around she was shocked to find Dylan's eyes locked on her. Or more precisely her body.

He can't be checking me out. It just isn't possible.
She had a decent figure. Callie would never deny that. But compared to the women he'd probably dated and could date with the snap of his fingers, she was nothing special.

I'm just imagining things.

Chapter 3

“We went to the new seafood restaurant, Sole, that opened last month. It was delicious.”

Callie stared blankly into her closet as she listened to Lauren go on about her romantic date the night before. She was packing, or at least trying to pack for her weekend trip to Newport. Lauren had stopped by to visit and lend moral support. “Packing isn't supposed to be this difficult,” Callie said, interrupting her friend before she could continue. “Seriously, you'd think I could just fold some clothes and put them in a suitcase. So far the only things I've packed are underwear and a toothbrush.”

Lauren patted Lucky who sat on the bed next to her. “It is simple. You're the one making it complicated.”

Looking over her shoulder Callie threw her friend a dirty look. “I am not. I just have no idea how I should dress this weekend. Should I go for casual or do you think the Sherbrookes expect something more formal. This is about as formal as my wardrobe gets.” Callie gestured to the navy blue dockers and short-sleeve sweater she had on.

“Bring your favorites. Whatever you're most comfortable in. I doubt they expect you to be wearing an evening gown, chickie.” Lauren got off the bed and came to stand next to Callie.

Callie pulled her favorite short-sleeved blouse off its hanger. The blouse was a little faded and fraying a bit at the collar. Still Callie didn’t normally think twice about wearing it. Today though, she returned it to the closet. “I don't want to look like a complete slob, Lauren.”

Even though she kept telling herself it didn’t matter what her father and his wife thought of her, she knew deep down that it did. “I don't want them to think I'm some uneducated hick from the country.”

“Now you're being silly. No one would ever think that about you.”

“I should have started packing sooner.” Callie pulled out the short bright red sundress that Lauren convinced her to buy one day but she had never worn. She hadn't even bothered to take the tags off of it. Though it looked great on the hanger and probably would look fabulous on Lauren with her lithe dancer's body, it just wasn't her style. “Then, I would’ve realized what a desperate state my wardrobe is in and been able to go shopping. But nooo I waited till the night before. After the mall closed.”

Lauren put an arm around Callie's shoulders. “If you want I can go home and grab a few things for you. Maybe that violet pencil skirt you like.”

“If you don't mind. It's already kinda late.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Wouldn't have offered if I minded. Anything specific you want or do you want me to just pick a few things?”

“Whatever. You know my taste.” Callie folded the sundress and put it in her suitcase. She doubted that she would wear it, but just in case she got really desperate while down there she would have it. Then she started looking through her clothes again.

“Be back soon. Call me if you think of anything specific you want.” Lauren called as she headed out.

“You don’t know how good you have it, Lucky.” Callie walked over and ran her hand down the dog’s back after Lauren left. “You never have to worry about impressing anyone.”

Oblivious to the turmoil Callie felt, the dog flopped onto his back to get his belly scratched.

“
I wish I could take you with me this weekend.” No matter what else was going on, Lucky somehow always managed to improve her mood and help her relax. “Somehow I doubt the Sherbrookes would want a crazy dog like you running around their mansion.”

As soon as she said the name Sherbrooke, her gaze shifted to the black and white photo she’d printed off the computer. The picture had been taken at some charity event the family attended that winter. Her father, half-brother Jake and Dylan Talbot were all dressed in tuxedos while Warren’s wife, Elizabeth, and Callie’s half sister Sara were both dressed in gorgeous designer gowns that probably cost more than she made in two months. The entire family looked so elegant, so sophisticated. And so far removed from her life. She couldn't see herself ever fitting in with them.

Stop being such a sissy, Callie told herself. They're just people. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like you. Theirs just cost a hell of a lot more. Walking back to the closet, she pulled her favorite blouse of its hanger. To hell with it being faded.

***

Bellevue Avenue in Newport was perhaps one of the most well known spots in New England. Along both sides of the road stood breathtaking mansions, which at one time had been the summer cottages of America’s most elite families. Families like the Vanderbilts and Astors had built their homes over looking the Atlantic Ocean with only one thing in mind, outdoing their neighbors. Today most of the mansions were owned by various historical societies and open to the public for tours. Some could be rented for special events. A few had even been used in movies.

She'd always loved the area and had toured some of the mansions. Though each one was unique she’d been equally awed by the beauty and extravagance each displayed. She found it difficult to imagine anyone actually living in them. Yet people had. Some still did. Her own father in fact.

In her rear view mirror she could see the security gate closing behind her.
This is it. There is no turning back now
. Even as she sat there some security personal was probably alerting Warren of her arrival.

Callie gripped the steering wheel tightly and followed the gravel driveway. Manicured lawns stretched out all around her and in the distance she could hear the crash of waves. When the driveway curved Cliff House came into view for the first time. Unlike many of the other mansions, Cliff House was situated so that it couldn’t be seen from the road and since it was still used as a part-time residence, the public couldn't tour it like many of its counterparts. As a result few people had ever seen the mansion. Naturally, photos appeared in magazines from time to time but none did the building justice. After turning off her car, Callie sat gazing at the palatial structure before her. Built in 1895 out of light colored granite the mansion had been designed to resemble Alexander Palace in Russia or that was what the website had told her.

What would someone who lived in a place like this want with her, she wondered nervously chewing her bottom lip? All the way down, she’d tried not to think about the differences, which separated her and her father. But now seated outside Cliff House in her four year old Ford Focus it was impossible not to think about them. He was a billionaire. A United States Senator. Perhaps even the next
President
of the United States. She was an elementary school teacher. What could they have in common? Other than some shared DNA what could she have in common with her half-brother and sister? If they were anything like Dylan Talbot, Callie's half-siblings and her were worlds apart.

Callie hadn’t seen or heard from Dylan since his last visit to her apartment when she’d finally agreed to this meeting. Not that she expected to. He passed along her father’s message. With that job complete he had no other reason to seek her out. Still part of her had hoped to hear from him again even if only to confirm her visit for the weekend. But no such call ever came. Instead she'd received a phone call from his executive assistant confirming what time she should arrive.

Would he be there this weekend? It wasn’t like he had a reason to be around. They weren't related in anyway. She didn’t even think Warren’s other children would be here this weekend. The way the executive assistant spoke only Warren and Elizabeth Sherbrooke would be present.

Did Jake and Sara Sherbrooke even know that she existed, she couldn’t help but wonder? Her father might have decided not to tell them yet. But if he had, how had they responded to the news? Dylan never once mentioned Warren's children or his wife Elizabeth. If the tables were reversed how would she feel about her father having a child appear out of nowhere? How did his wife feel about the situation? Many women wouldn't appreciate their husband's bastard child showing up on their front doorstep even if that child had been born before they'd meet.

The unasked questions brought Callie to a halt as she followed the walkway up towards the main entrance. She’d been so overwhelmed by her own emotions toward her mother and the situation that she hadn’t once stopped to consider the other people involved. At the very least she should have asked Dylan how the others felt. No matter how caring and understanding a person was it had to be difficult to learn your husband had another child floating around.

Why didn’t you think of this sooner?
Callie forced herself to move again. The closer she got to the front entrance the more apparent it became that her visit was a mistake.

Too late, you’re here now.