Page 32 of The Billionaire's Teacher

But I was also keeping a firm eye on the trajectory of the storm and I honestly believed we were going to be fine. All but one of the computer models had it veering north in the next twelve hours. So while it had strengthened to a strong tropical storm, by the time it hit hurricane strength, it should be on its way toward Florida. Or maybe it’d just stay in the ocean and leave everyone alone. There was at least one model suggesting that option.

As long as it didn’t continue on its westward path, we’d be fine. And we could continue our voyage and our dive trips.

I strode toward the marina offices. The quiet was unusual. No one was out and about. Strange. Lights glowed inside the building, though, so I should at least be able to see what the consensus on diving was when it came to this island. The harbor master had his—or her—finger on the pulse of things. They wielded enough authority that they oftensetthe pulse.

I knocked on the door, then pushed it open. “Hello?”

It took a moment, then a dark-skinned woman about my age, her hair in tight braids that were all pulled back into a tail, appeared from the depths of the offices. She tipped her head to the side and grinned. “Sunshine? Long time, no see.”

“Beverly. Wow. Harbor Master?”

She nodded. “For a month now. Just in time for hurricane season.”

I laughed. “No one can handle it better.”

She shrugged. “I hope you’re right. You’re in the yacht?”

“I am. Solo passenger. He’s got a dive shop in the States and is looking for the best trips to offer his clients.” It was better to keep the information as sparse as possible. Beverly was great. She was also a man hunter. If she had any suspicion that Wes was young, single, and hot? She’d be hanging around trying desperately to make him the next notch in her belt.

“Hmm.” Beverly narrowed her eyes. “What you don’t say is as loud as what you do. But, it doesn’t matter. I’ve changed.”

My eyes widened as Beverly held out her left hand to show off the ring encrusted with sparkling stones. “Wow. Congrats. Anyone I know?”

“Jeremiah.”

I laughed. “No way.”

Beverly’s face reddened. “Do I have to admit out loud that you were right?”

“It never hurts.”

Beverly shook her head. “Fine. I guess ‘thank you’ is also appropriate.”

“When’s the big day?”

“Three months ago.”

“That was fast.” I’d been down this way in January. That was when I’d pointed out that Jeremiah had a thing for her. Beverly had dismissed it and gone on to mention that she wasn’t interested anyway. So much for that.

She shrugged. “When you know, you know.”

I nodded. I’d felt the same way about Luca. Our courtship had also qualified as a whirlwind. I didn’t necessarily recommend it, though it had worked for us. We’d also had some big fights our first year—or two—that probably could have been avoided if we’d dated longer. Although, on the same hand, if we’d fought like that while dating, we might never have ended up married. It was only because neither of us were willing to consider divorce that we’d plowed through.

“So. Diving?”

“Yeah.” I studied Beverly’s face. “Have you shut it down?”

“Not officially. I’m not sure you’ll find anyone willing to take you out though, if you needed that.”

I bit my lip. Technically, I didn’t. I had all the qualifications. I knew the spots. But I also hadn’t been here since January, and things could change. This was one of the islands I’d been hoping to bring a local along for. “You think they’d join if I did the driving?”

“Can’t say. You should ask. Best bet will be Danny.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I was afraid of that.”

Beverly chuckled. “You could do worse.”

“Could I?” Danny was okay. When diving. But he was self-assured to the point of being cocky. He was the opposite in every way of Luca. Maybe on some planet that would be what I should look for if I were planning to fall in love again. It would stave off comparison, wouldn’t it?

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