The Teacher's Billionaire

a chance. She might still come around. It hasn’t been that long, and it has been quite a shock for everyone.” He thought Sara was being immature about the situation. In many ways, he felt she hadn’t fully grown up yet. Not that it was entirely her fault. Warren and his mom tended to still treat her like a princess rather than an adult woman.
    “I hope you’re right. They are sisters.” Warren said before changing the topic.
    The conversation for the remainder of dinner centered on Warren’s campaign and an upcoming fundraiser. With the election only five months away there was a lot of work to do, and Warren liked to get input from those closest to him.
    Right before dessert arrived, Warren’s cell phone rang. Excusing himself he retreated to a more private area to take the call. Dylan didn’t envy his stepfather. These days the man ate, slept and drank politics. This was actually the fourth call he’d gotten during dinner. He didn’t want to know how many Warren had already received that day.
    Once Warren left, Dylan’s mother focused her attention on him. “Thank you for keeping an eye on Callie.”
    “It’s not necessary,” he said unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
    Wrapping her manicured hands around her teacup, Elizabeth studied her son before answering. “You’re probably right. Callie seems like a nice young woman.” She paused as if trying to choose just the right words. “But Warren has worked too hard for this. I don’t want everything ruined because of one indiscretion from his youth.”
    Dylan knew his mother only had her husband’s best interest in mind. Still it didn’t sit well that she viewed Callie as any kind of threat. True he once shared her sentiments, but that was before he’d gotten to know her.
    “Once you get to know her you’ll see she isn’t like that.” Dylan tried to keep his voice devoid of emotion.
    By the way his mother’s perfectly shaped eyebrow went up, Dylan suspected he hadn’t succeeded. “Just how well have you gotten to know her?”
    “We’ve become friends.” The last person he wanted to discuss his relationship with was his mother. Elizabeth looked as if she wanted to press the matter but didn’t say another word as her husband approached the table.
    ***
    Callie stared at her silent cell phone. She didn’t even want to know how many times she’d done it that night.
    You’re pathetic.
She couldn’t keep the derogatory thought from her mind.
    Dylan said he’d call tonight and here she sat by the phone like a lovesick teenager. She sighed at the thought of the word love. She couldn’t deny it. She was falling in love with Dylan Talbot. Callie didn’t know when it started to happen, not that it really mattered. The only thing that mattered was what she planned to do now.
    Telling him was not an option. He hadn’t given any indication that he felt the same way. Maybe that made her a coward, but she still had no intentions of telling him.
    Lauren suggested she just enjoy herself, and see where things went. That didn’t seem like a great idea either. In the end she would be the one with the heartache.
    “Be glad you’re a dog,” Callie said scratching Lucky behind the ears.
    The Bon Jovi chorus coming from her cell phone caused her heart to beat faster, and she silently cursed herself. She hated that she had so little self-control where Dylan was concerned. “Hello.” Man, she wished she didn’t sound so eager.
    “Hi. I hope I didn’t wake you,” Dylan replied. “I just got in from dinner with Warren and my mother.”
    “No, I’m just watching some television.” O
r at least trying.
The television was on yet she didn’t know what was happening even though it was one of her favorite shows.
    “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to say hello, and tell you I should be up on Saturday. There’s no way I can get out of the city before then.”
    “You can stay here if you want,” Callie said before she even had a chance to really think about it.
    As soon as the words passed through her lips she wanted to snatch them back. Was she coming off as too clingy? Was she pushing things too far too fast? Callie felt so out of her element with this man who kept inching his way into her heart.
    More like bulldozing.
    “If you don’t want to...” she added wishing she could turn the clock back a few seconds.
    “There’s no place I’d rather stay especially if it means more of your apple cinnamon pancakes for breakfast.