The Billionaire's Kiss(44)

But here she was, riding along with Logan, pulling up the long, tree-lined drive to the school. The place was even more idyllic than the website had let on. A few students were lying out on the lawn; someone was walking a dog, the trees swayed slightly in the gentle afternoon breeze. This school was on the brink of an enormous scandal, and no one had a clue. It always surprised Callie how often that was the case, that these things popped up in what seemed like otherwise perfect circumstances. Whether or not the picture-perfect lawn would fill up with news vans and reporters was entirely up to her. It was time to get to work.#p#分页标题#e#

The walk to Luke's dorm had been a short one. He had stayed on campus for a summer session. Supposedly, he was hoping to pick up a few extra credits before college, but in light of recent revelations about his personal life, Callie was pretty sure Luke's intents were anything but academic. Before they entered the small brick building, Callie pulled Logan aside. "Remember," she said, "we don't know how this kid's going to react, so don't be so... so you." She let her voice fall at the end of her sentence to convey just how seriously she meant this statement.

Logan nodded as if this were a command he had been given a hundred times before.

Inside, Luke was standing alone in the common room, leaning against a window. "I've been waiting for you," he said. "Let me guess, he wants me to come home. What are you guys on his staff or something?”

Callie shook her head. "I'm a paid consultant for the family."

"I'm just here for fun,” Logan said with a smile.

Callie elbowed him in the side. "I mean I'm her driver. Just consider me a friend."

"Yeah, right, some friends," Luke said. "You're here to tell me that I'm in trouble, that I need to give up Erin and go with you back to Connecticut, right? You know I'm not going to do that, right?"

Callie paused for a second. The way Luke said his teacher's name had caught her off guard. Erin, not Ms. Anderson. "We're just looking for a way to make sure that everyone wins, Luke."

Luke shook his head and started pacing back and forth across the room. “You think this is about winning?” he asked. “My father and this school are trying to ruin Erin's life because of a mistake we made together. It's not right. Do you really think I want to figure out a way to win? I just want you and him and everyone else to get the hell out of here. How about that? Can you go back to Greenwich and tell my father that I'm an adult, and I don't need him to clean up my messes? I'm telling you, that's the best you're going to get from me."

Callie had to admit that Luke had a point, but that didn't matter. It wasn't her job to make Luke happy. It was her job to keep him out of the press. Maybe she could win him over by pretending to try something on his behalf. "What if I do that for you? Will you at least let us talk to Erin first? Will you help us keep her from making another mistake that will ruin her life? This is in your hands, Luke, not ours. We're just here to help."

"You're here to pay her to go away. This is what my father does when something threatens his precious image as a family man. Were you the ones who covered up my father’s affair with my nanny? Maybe you were the ones who got my sister’s DUI erased last year.” Luke stopped pacing, threw his arms up in the air and looked at Logan.

“We're here to help,” Callie said.

"Is she for real?" Luke asked Logan. "I mean really, what's her deal?”

Logan shrugged. "I'd listen to her if I were you. She's usually right."

"What if I make a call and tell your father you need some space?” Callie asked. "Would you consider at least letting us talk to Erin?"

"Sure," Luke said. He added, "That doesn't mean I will though."

Callie turned to Logan. "Can you stay here for a minute? I'm going to make a call."

"Sure thing, boss," Logan said. Callie could tell that he found this whole thing to be pretty amusing. "You're not afraid I'll try to corrupt him?"

"He's done a good enough job of that on his own," Callie said.

"You know I can hear you guys talking," Luke chimed in.

"We know," Callie said. "Stay here with Logan. I'll be right back." She motioned to Logan and lowered her voice. "Remember, he's just a kid. He's probably scared out of his mind right now. Just don't do anything that will get me in trouble, ok?"

"Deal," Logan said. Callie walked out of the common room and out into the hallway. Logan followed her and shut the French doors to the room.

What is he doing? Callie took three steps toward the exit, stopped and walked back to the french doors. Peeking through the crack between the door and the jamb. She listened in on Logan. She watched as he walked over to Luke, and leaned against the window next to him, crossing his arms and letting out a sigh.