The Teacher's Billionaire

to hold back tears, Callie retraced her steps. She made it almost to the main foyer before realizing her purse with her money was still in the ballroom. In her rush to get away from Sara, she’d left it on the table. There was no way she’d get anywhere without money or a credit card.
    Turning, she headed back toward the ballroom.
Come on, get the bag and go before he gets back.
    The low murmur of voices and the tinkling of ice in fine crystal glasses greeted her. For a brief second she gazed at the scene. What a fool she’d been to think she belonged in this world. Taking a deep breath she crossed into the lion’s den and made a beeline for her table. With her purse in hand Callie’s only thought was to escape before Dylan or anyone else came looking for her. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on her side that night.
    “There you are, Callie.” Elizabeth stopped next to her. “Warren is looking for you.”
    Before realizing it, Callie wiped a tear from her cheek.
    Elizabeth studied her for a moment, concern evident on her face. “Are you okay Callie? You look upset.” Elizabeth’s eyes moved over Callie’s face.
    Did she know about her son’s agreement with Marty? Did Sara and Jake know too? Was that how Sara knew they’d been intimate?
    “I think I’m stating to get a migraine,” she replied trying to come up with a reasonable excuse for leaving. “I’m going to go back to Dylan’s and rest.”
    The older woman studied her for a moment longer, and Callie was sure Elizabeth knew she was lying. “I’ll let Warren know where you went. Dylan should have something you can take. He gets migraines sometimes too.”
    Callie mumbled some kind of reply and bolted from the ballroom. It seemed to take the bellhop forever to flag down a taxi. But eventually she slid into the backseat of one and gave the driver Dylan’s address.
    Her first instinct was to go straight to Penn Station. Catch the first train home. However, the haze cleared in her head long enough to realize she couldn’t ride the train in an evening gown.
    Thankfully Dylan had given her a key earlier when he’d been forced to go into the office so she could go out and sightsee alone. Out of habit she threw the key into her purse before they left that night.
    After entering the penthouse Callie rushed to change into shorts and a tank top. Then she stuffed the rest of her belongings into her overnight bag. Finally she jotted two words on a piece of paper.
Went home.
    Not that he’ll care.
    Without a backward glance, Callie turned off the lights and closed the door behind her.
    Dylan wanted to get away from this conversation and Marty Phillips. The longer he sat there the more uncomfortable he became. Yes, he’d agreed to keep an eye on Callie but when they were together his agreement with Phillips was the farthest thing from his mind. Still he felt guilty because he’d gone along with it at all.
    It’s time to end this conversation.
Dylan pushed back his chair. “Listen Phillips I’ll talk with Callie, but I’m not going to force her. She’s a grown woman who makes her own decisions. If she wants to give Warren the green light, that’s up to her.”
    “Do what you can.”
    Dylan left the other man and their conversation behind. He had only one goal in mind. Finding Callie and seeing if she wanted to leave. Earlier he’d caught a glimpse of a sapphire gown, and he’d thought she had come looking for him. When she hadn’t materialized, he assumed it was someone else.
    When she wasn’t at their table he walked the perimeter of the ballroom. Occasionally someone would stop him. In no mood for small talk, he kept all his conversations short.
    Bloody hell
, w
here is she?
He’d walked all the way around the room. Yet he hadn’t seen her. She wasn’t with Warren. From where Dylan stood he could see his stepfather talking to the mayor.
    She has to be here somewhere. She wouldn’t leave.
    With a fierce frown Dylan plowed through the crowd not even stopping when someone called out to him. His mother sat at her table chatting with Senator Greenwood’s wife. Dylan stopped at their table. “Excuse me ladies. Have you seen Callie recently?”
    His mother’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “She didn’t tell you she was leaving?”
    “She left?”
    Nodding his mother continued. “About fifteen minutes ago. She said she was getting a migraine. I assumed you went with her.”
    Dread coiled in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to believe