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“If you have the time, I’d like to hear the whole story.”
He uncle deserved to know as much as she did. “Before Mom died, she gave Helen a letter to mail,” Callie said starting the tale at the most logical spot.
Chapter 13
It’s done. For better or worse, it’s finally over. Callie sat in her favorite coffee shop waiting for Lauren, yet her mind was not on their upcoming shopping trip. Warren’s interview with the reporter had been earlier that morning.
When she’d spoken with Warren, she’d been angry at Marty Phillips and Dylan. Giving him the go-ahead had been her way of getting back at them. Now, though, she wasn’t sure it’d been such a good idea. She didn’t want people to start treating her differently just because Warren Sherbrooke was her father.
Callie finished off her latte and went to order another. Two lattes in the same day wasn’t good for the waistline, but today, she didn’t care. Someone near the counter had his laptop open, and she glimpsed a picture of Warren on the screen.
“Looks like the media finally uncovered some skeletons in Senator Sherbrooke’s closet,” she heard the laptop’s owner say to his friend. “According to this article, he has an illegitimate daughter floating around.”
“Big deal. All those politicians have their secrets. I think it’s a job requirement,” the companion responded, not bothering to even look up from his magazine.
Wow! That was fast. Technology made getting news out too easy. At least she didn’t see anyone she knew, and she wasn’t likely to since the mall was so close to Boston. Most of the people she knew went to the Salem Mall, which was just a few towns over from Slatersville.
She didn’t want to think about all the questions she would face now from people she knew. On the plus side, school was out for the year, so she didn’t have to face any of her fellow teachers right then.
Damn. I really shouldn’t have made this decision when I was so mad. Callie sat back down with a fresh latte in her hand.
“All right, chickie. Let’s do some shopping,” Lauren said, joining her, “and then pedicures.”
Callie held back a groan. She wasn’t in the mood for one of Lauren’s shopping sprees. Still, she’d agreed to go along because she knew Lauren wanted to cheer her up. She’d been trying to since Callie told her everything about that night in New York. Unfortunately, Callie knew a day shopping and getting pedicures wasn’t going to cut it. Perhaps it would keep her physical body busy, but her mind and heart would still be on Dylan’s betrayal.
He’d tried calling her once since that awful night. When she saw his number on the caller ID, she let it go directly to voice mail. When she never returned the call, he sent a text message, but she ignored that too. Since then, he hadn’t tried to contact her again.
Lauren pulled Callie to her feet. “Smile, we’re going to have fun and spend more money than we probably should.”
Stop thinking about him. It wasn’t real anyway, Callie reminded herself, entering the busy mall. He sure as heck wasn’t losing any sleep over her in that huge penthouse of his. He probably already has someone else in his bed. Maybe he’d had someone else all along. Who knew what he’d been doing when they weren’t together.
“When we’re done at the spa, I made us reservations at The Melting Pot. I heard they have the most amazing Hazelnut Chocolate Fondue,” Lauren continued, referring to the new fondue restaurant Callie had wanted to try for months.
“Thanks, Lauren. For everything.”
Lauren stopped walking. “What are friends for? You’d do the same for me.” Linking her arm through Callie’s, she started walking again. “First, I want to hit the new swimsuit store. I’m in desperate need of a new bathing suit, and I have to stop in Pottery Barn to get a present for my cousin’s bridal shower next week.”
As Lauren rattled off the rest of her plans for the mall, Callie tried to appear enthused. “Sure. Whatever. Doesn’t matter to me.”
When she got home several hours later, there were reporters waiting outside and a man who could play the Incredible Hulk, if they ever made another movie. He informed her Warren sent him to be her personal bodyguard. There were also twenty voicemail messages and several text messages on her phone. Somehow, she’d forgotten her cell phone at home, so she had missed all the calls. There were even some on her house phone, and no one ever called that line. “Word sure travels fast.”
Every single message sounded the same. Was she really Senator Sherbrooke’s daughter? How long had she known? Why hadn’t she told them? Even the principal from her school called, much to Callie’s disbelief. While she had a great professional relationship with the woman, they didn’t interact outside of school. Still, she called wanting to know if Callie planned on returning in the fall.
Out of all the calls, that one was the only one she felt she needed to return. Callie dialed the number left by the principal. “Irene, it’s Callie Taylor,” she said when the woman answered.
“Callie, I apologize for calling, but I had to after I saw the news this afternoon. Is it true?”
She wanted to say no, it’s a big joke, but she held her tongue. “Yes. I only found out recently.”
“I see.” Irene paused for a minute. “Does that mean you won’t be returning in the fall? Should I be looking for your replacement?”
Why Irene even thought she wouldn’t be back was beyond her. “I’ll be there in the fall, Irene. This doesn’t change anything. I have no intention of leaving the school.”
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’d expected, the big story was Warren’s announcement. It had been on his mind all day. Not because it might affect Warren’s candidacy, although it might, but because of Callie. This was going to change her life in ways she probably couldn’t imagine.
