Page 1 of The Billionaire's Teacher

1

WES

“Thanks for letting me crash at your house in the Caymans for a couple of days next week.” I reached past Scott for the bag of chips.

“No problem. I like knowing it’s getting used. I’m still not sure why you don’t just run your dive trips out of it. We’re unlikely to want to use the place at the same time, and it would save you all this recon.” Scott grabbed the deck of cards out of the center of my dining room table and began to shuffle.

The other guys weren’t there yet. Cody was still on his honeymoon, so he obviously wasn’t coming, but Austin and Tristan had both texted that they were running late. “You didn’t hear from Noah, right?”

Scott shook his head. “Not yet. He’ll turn up.”

I laughed. “You hope. He’s engaged now, remember. And since Megan’s in Paris on her honeymoon with Cody, I’m pretty sure the girls’ bookstore hangout isn’t happening. What’d Whitney say?”

“That they’re skipping this week. And next.” Scott frowned. “Why would that mean Noah bails?”

“Date night? Duh. I’m honestly surprised you’re here. And that Austin is even pretending to come.”

“What do you mean, pretending?” Scott clicked the button on the side of his phone.

“How are you married when you’re this clueless? Again I repeat: date night. Kayla’s free on a Friday. Austin is totally going to skip out early—if he even shows—and do something with his wife.” I shot a glance at Scott. “You sure Whitney didn’t drop some hints you missed?”

Scott hunched his shoulders. “She knows I’m bad at hints.”

“Uh-huh.” I reached over and took the cards. “Go home, man. I think we ought to cancel until honeymoon-boy is back.”

“Nah. You all still get together when Whitney and I travel. Why—”

“Because the girls have a place to go, too. But they’ve already canceled. Which means married couples should take advantage of Friday date nights.” Scott was lucky God had dropped Whitney into his lap eighteen months ago. I honestly couldn’t believe he’d ever have found love otherwise. “Go. I’ll let everyone else know we’re canceling.”

Scott pushed his chair back. “I still think you’re wrong. And I’m also not blind to how this gets you out of hosting. Again.”

“Hey.” I lifted my hands. “I tried to host. It’s not my fault it didn’t work out. You’re here, in my house, aren’t you? So it’s not as if I have secrets that I’m hiding.”

“Fine.” Scott scowled. “But you’re leaving when, Monday?”

I nodded. I’d thought about heading to the Caribbean over the weekend, but Saturday was our busiest day at the dive shop and Sunday was church. Monday was soon enough. “I’ll be gone two weeks. Maybe three. No biggie.”

I stood and clapped Scott on the shoulder.

“Ouch.”

“Whatever, man. Get Whitney to kiss it better.”

Scott snickered and punched my arm. “Have a safe trip. Keep in touch, okay?”

“Okay, Mom.”

Scott huffed and headed for the front door.

I got my phone off the table and sent a quick text to the group chat.

We’re calling it. Go have fun on a date night with your SO. Tristan – if you wanna hang, come on by. We can do single-guy stuff.

There. That should handle it.

Tristan wouldn’t come. He always had work to do. That was the joy of being a successful independent attorney. Or something. I figured it was more that he was a workaholic than anything.

Of course, it didn’t help that he was handling a nasty divorce for a friend right now. Or a friend of a friend. Whatever the situation, all the guys had been surprised when he finally spilled the beans about why he was so cranky. Except Noah.

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