Teacher's Pet

"I wasn't paying attention to headlines. I was helping you through a family crisis, or was all that just a big joke, too?"

My voice was getting too loud. I spun and headed out the patio door. "Don't follow me. I just need some air."

I heard Alicia's silken voice as I retreated. "I knew you two weren't really engaged. Honestly, Penn, she's not your type at all. I can't believe your parents ever fell for it."

"They fooled me," Phillip said.

I sucked in my breath and refused to cry. I couldn't let Penn and his friends get anymore entertainment out of the poor girl from South Dakota.

Chapter Eighteen

Penn

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my hand, but I had to admit that I was relieved. Now Corsica knew who I really was, not the penniless black sheep of my family. Except now she saw me as a liar, instead of a self-made man.

"She really didn't know who you are?" Alicia tittered again, as if it was the most unbelievable thing. "I thought all gold-diggers went straight for the ego, but it seems your country girl was taking a different route."

"I never told her my last name. It never came up," I said.

"And not much of a conversationalist either. Poor Penn," Alicia purred.

I shook her off. "You couldn't wait to tell her, could you? You knew and you waited until it would be a big scene."

Alicia smoothed back her hair and surveyed the room. Half a dozen men smiled, nodded, and beckoned to her. "I couldn't let her get her claws any deeper into you. Now you're free to pursue other things. Or people."

"You're right," I snapped, stepping around Alicia to follow Corsica. "I'm free of a silly lie, and now Corsica can get to know the real me."

All I heard from Alicia was a sharp intake of breath. I was sure she had never expected the conversation to end that way. Alicia had preened and posed, sure I was going to shower her with thanks and love. It made my stomach turn.

Still, she had a point. It was freeing now that the truth was out. Now Corsica knew I was a billionaire, not that it mattered much. She wasn't going to see any great change in me. I just had to make certain I didn't see a change in her.

Which would never happen unless I stopped her from leaving. I wove through the country club crowd, trying to be polite, but mostly pushing. Too many people wanted to congratulate me on the Forbes list, offer rich advice, or introduce their lovely daughters. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't see Corsica.

I spotted her just as she dodged for the side door. Luckily, my parents were nearby, and my father stepped in front of her. I was stuck behind an elderly couple and couldn't do anything. Corsica's hands fluttered in front of her face-was she crying?

My mother pulled out a handkerchief and tucked Corsica into a quiet corner. My heart was in my throat by the time I got close enough to hear what they were saying.

"It was all a lie. He's been lying to me from the very first night," Corsica said. She balled my mother's handkerchief up and shook her fist. "And I was so stupid. I should have searched the internet for his name. I should have known as soon as he arrived."

Xavier laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, my dear; I went along with it. It was meant to protect him, not hurt you."

Corsica's eyes flashed. "Penn didn't need protection from me. Until now. He turned me into the butt of a joke for all his fancy friends."

"Oh, Corsica, you aren't a joke. If anything, the joke's on Penn. He didn't tell you about his money because he wanted to see how you would feel about him, instead of it. And now that he knows, he's screwed everything up." My mother fixed me with a piercing look. "That doesn't mean you should call the wedding off."

"Wedding?" Corsica echoed. I waited for her to reveal the extent of my lies, but she didn't. "How can I marry someone I don't even know?"

Xavier patted her shoulder. "You know the important parts."

"Like he's a liar," Corsica spat. Then she saw me and struggled to get past my parents to the door.

"She's right. I'm a liar," I said. It was the only way to stop her. "Corsica and I are not engaged. We met the same night Xavier arrived in San Francisco. I made up our engagement, and she was nice enough to go along with it."

My mother's eyes glowed with the confirmation that she had known all along. Except for why. "Maybe you made up the lie until you could make it the truth?"

Corsica stopped dodging and fixed me with a laser bright gaze. "He said it was to make you happy. Like some sort of dying wish. I only went along with it because I knew what a hard road you all had ahead of you."

"And that is why we love you," my mother said. She wrapped an arm around Corsica.