Page 82 of The Billionaire's Teacher

My shoulders slumped. Tristan’s words were harsh, but true. Because it would be a waste of breath. Once Dad got on a train, he didn’t usually get off voluntarily. “Thanks for handling it for me.”

“It’s what I do. And now that the divorce case is finally settled, I have more time to do the work I want.”

“Yeah? It’s done?”

Tristan nodded.

“Congrats. Don’t promise people favors anymore. Except us. We won’t do that to you.”

Tristan laughed. “Believe me. I have already made that decision and it’s nonnegotiable.”

“So are you doing better now? You’ve been stressed and distant.”

“That’s what you all say. I think so, yeah. But you remember I’m not nor have I ever been the life of the party.”

“Whatever.” I drained the last of my soda. “You round out the group. It’d be different—wrong—without you.”

“Thanks, man. Appreciate that.”

I could tell he was trying to resist checking the time. I stood. “I guess I’ll let you get back to work. You’d just leave this situation with the girls alone? Really?”

“I would. If you honestly have to do anything? Call Sunshine. Just talk to her.”

Call Sunshine.

I’d been avoiding that since pretty much the minute she ran off the plane. But she’d reached out to me first. I’d kept responding in kind, trying to keep the ball in her court rather than taking a chance.

Maybe Tristan was right.

I waved and strode down the hall then let myself out of his condo.

If I called, I’d get to hear her voice. I wanted that more than I was willing to admit, even to myself.

I took the elevator down and marched through the lobby and out to my car. When I was inside, behind the wheel, I sat, mulling the options. I did a quick search to see the time difference. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I scrolled to the contact I’d made for Sunshine and tapped the phone icon.

It rang three times. I was getting ready to hang up when it stopped ringing and I heard wind and laughter.

“Hello?”

Everything in me relaxed at the sound of her voice. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it. “Sunshine? It’s Wes.”

“Hi.” I could hear the smile in that one word. “How are you?”

“Better, now.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I spent the bulk of today pretty ticked at my friends. Tristan talked me down and convinced me to just call you.”

She laughed. “I think I’m going to like Tristan. I like the women.”

“Do you?” I wasn’t surprised. They were likable ladies. But they weren’t her generation, really. So there had definitely been a little concern that this would become yet another obstacle. “Most of the time I do, too.”

“They love you. Did you know that?”

My eyebrows lifted. “Uh.”

“Not in a way that’s going to make their husbands jealous. Don’t be dumb. You know what I mean. I could hear it when you talked about your crew—you love them. It’s definitely reciprocated.”

---