Page 7 of Burning for the Billionaire 7

I can’t help noticing how disappointed Mom looks. Isabelle eyes Rowan and me as if she still can’t believe I’m with a man like him. Between her and Mom, I’ve always felt like the ugly duckling... until I met a man who not only tells me but shows me I’m beautiful.

Dad glances at us. “Which hotel?”

“The Ritz-Carlton,” I answer absently, pushing around my piece of carrot cake on the plate. That’s the hotel Rowan’s new assistant booked. She took care of all our travelling details.

He’s gotten a proper team together to help him with the business side of things since the debacle with his former lawyer, though his new employees have yet to see his face. I’m reminded of how good he is at staying under the radar.

“That’s pricey.”

My head snaps up to look at Dad.

“It’s fine,” Rowan says easily.

He’s been cool through dinner, seemingly unbothered by the tension hovering over the room. I haven’t been around my family enough to know what’s going with everyone, but Dad seems annoyed every time he looks at Mom. She looks unhappier than usual, and Isabelle is quieter and a little less bitchy than is typical.

My shoulders tense. I feel like my father is about to say something snobby. However, all he says is, “You said you’re a firefighter, right?”

“That’s right,” Rowan replies.

Dad’s eyes narrow. I assume he’s trying to gauge why my boyfriend would want to dish out so much money on a luxury hotel for five days. He’s out of touch enough to think that anyone who isn’t a big-time surgeon or in a similarly prominent career is pinching pennies.

“How did you meet my daughter?” he asks.

My shoulders relax with my relieved sigh. Things could have taken a worse turn.

Beaming, I answer before Rowan can. “He saved my life. He’s the one who carried me out of my apartment building during the fire.”

Dad’s fork stops midair on the way to his mouth. “Carried you out?”

I raise an eyebrow at him. He’s acting like he doesn’t know about my misfortune months ago. I told Mom.

“Sure. I was unconscious by the time he got to me. My entire building almost burned to the ground. I was trapped under debris in the middle of the blaze and Rowan risked his life to get me out...”

I trail off because Dad is gawking at me. I’ve never seen him look so horrified.

“Your mother told me it was a minor accident.” Accusation gleams in his eyes when he looks at Mom.

She heaves a sigh. “For goodness’ sake, Jacob, she’s fine. You should be worried about Isabelle’s wedding in a few days.”

The room goes quiet, and my parents glower at each other. Isabelle continues picking at her salad as if bored. I can see Rowan looking at me from the corner of my eye—no doubt watching to see how I’m doing. Maybe he can tell that I’m dying on the inside.

All I can do is embrace that familiar feeling of being utterly unimportant to the people who brought me into the world. I told Mom I almost died, and she called it a minor accident. And Dad has the nerve to be outraged that he didn’t know what happened. If he’d get his head out of his ass and stop being pissed at me for choosing how to live my own life, he’d call me once in a while to check on me.

My lip quivers with my struggle to fight back tears.

“So, my fiancé just started at his father’s law firm. He’s going to make partner soon, I know it. Then he’s on his way to becoming mayor.”

Isabelle’s voice grates on my nerves.

“He has a bright lawandpolitical career ahead of him. You remember Colton Lance of the prominent Denver Lances, right, Grace?”

I glance at her in utter disbelief. Leave it to my sister to completely overlook my distress and make a situation about herself.

“For the love of God,” Rowan mutters, then announces, “We’re leaving.”

When I glance at him, his concerned gaze is still on me. Getting up, he holds out a hand, which I accept without hesitation.

“Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, thank you for dinner.” He nods at Isabelle. “Good night.”

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