“Please do.”
Isabeau turned and dropped her arms to her sides. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. That wasn’t my intent. I’ll make sure I don’t do it again.”
Rowan nodded. “See that you don’t.” He turned far enough to catch his uncle’s gaze. “Her room will be in the west wing. This house is big enough that there is no reason Ms. Daniels and I have to see each other over the next year.”
Her mouth dropped open. “But—”
“I appreciate your helping me keep my home. For that, I cannot express my gratitude enough, but I am not looking for a friend, a girlfriend, or a wife. You will be free to come and go as you please, and with that in mind, we do not have to communicate once the marriage is made official. The day this home is signed over to my name, our marriage will be over. Do you understand?”
“Izzy,” his uncle said. “Could you give me a moment with Rowan?”
She nodded and stepped out of the room.
Rowan whirled around. “She was patronizing me!”
“She was being kind to you. Which is more than I can say for you. She hasn’t signed the contract yet. You two aren’t married. Do you really want to risk her leaving and losing this home?”
“It’s better that she knows where I stand now than to think this will be anything more than a business deal. I don’t need friends, especially friends who will move out in a year and never speak to me again.”
His uncle walked to him and set his hands flat against the desktop. “Rowan, you hurt her. I realize you are used to being the king in this castle, but you’ll be sharing it now. It might be to your benefit if you don’t treat her like an enemy.”
Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. “Please leave me alone. My head hurts.”
Ulysses straightened. “Fine, but if you plan on living a live version of Beauty and the Beast, you should remember that he falls in love with her by the end.”
Rowan jerked his head up. “What? I’m not going to fall in love with her or anyone else.”
His uncle smiled. “I think what you’re trying to say is that you can see yourself falling in love with her, and you’re terrified she won’t feel the same.”
“You’re wrong. I’ll stay on my side of the house, and she’ll stay on hers. The year will end, and it will be like she never existed.”
Ulysses sauntered to the door. “If you’ll recall, the Beast thought much the same as you. The only difference between you and him is that he actually believed it. Your problem is that you don’t want to.” With that, his uncle walked out of his office.
Rowan folded into his chair. His uncle was certifiable if he thought for one second that there was any chance of him falling in love with Isabeau. He laughed and leaned back. It was crazy. That she could ever fall in love with him. It wasn’t happening, and it was ridiculous to entertain such thoughts.
But she had looked shocked and hurt after his outburst. Even if the idea of love was completely ludicrous, it didn’t mean he had to be cruel to her. His uncle was right. He’d hurt her, and she’d done nothing to warrant it. She’d complimented him, and he’d angrily thrown it back in her face, calling her a liar.
He hung his head as his shoulders rounded, feeling more shame than he had in a long time. Even if she was just being nice to him, she was trying to help. He was having a panic attack, and that was her way of helping him get through it.
Taking a deep breath, Rowan scrubbed his face with his hands. He needed to find her and apologize. But he still wanted them in separate wings of the house. The less interaction he had with her, the better. It was the best thing for both of them. She wouldn’t have to deal with him, and he wouldn’t get his heart broken.
Chapter 5
As Izzy hugged herself tighter, she wondered why Rowan had lost his temper with her. She hadn’t been patronizing him. He was struggling to breathe, and she wanted to help. That was all.
“Izzy, if you’ll take a seat here at the bar, we can talk,” Ulysses said.
Retta turned from the stove. “Izzy, what’s wrong?”
His uncle set the papers on the counter and sat in the seat beside Izzy. “Rowan lost his temper.”
“Oh, that boy. When will he learn?” Retta patted Izzy’s hand. “I’m sorry.”
“He thought I was patronizing him, but I swear I wasn’t. He was having a panic attack,” Izzy said.
Ulysses took a deep breath. “Izzy has agreed to marry Rowan so he can keep the house. When he realized he’d have to make a public appearance to get the marriage license, he panicked.”
Retta leaned her hip against the counter and sighed. “I can see that happening.”
Izzy leaned forward with her arms on the counter. “How long has it been since he’s left the house?”
Ulysses and Retta locked gazes a moment. “It’s been roughly eleven years, when he came home from the hospital. The last time he was around other people was just after he’d recovered from the accident,” his uncle said.
Eleven years? Izzy couldn’t wrap her brain around that. How was that possible? “He hasn’t left this property in all that time?”
Retta nodded. “His recovery after the accident took quite a long time. It was months before he came home from the hospital, and we had a homecoming party for him here at the house. I had convinced him to put himself out there. I told him his friends would love him enough to accept him as he was, only I was wrong. Those kids were cruel.”
“Very cruel. And his father and I shoulder that blame as well. Rowan was popular, and I would never have believed our circle of friends could be shallow. But they were. They couldn’t see beyond Rowan’s scars.” Ulysses’s voice was soft and low. “It was a horrible realization.”
Izzy couldn’t imagine how that must have affected Rowan. “I can’t believe they treated him like that.”
“It was hard on Rowan,” Retta said. “And hard on me to see him go through it.”
“I bet it was.” Izzy understood. The only friend she had left was Kelsey. All her other friends thought she was making everything up about Steven. It was hard to know that the people you thought you could trust didn’t want you anymore. She chewed her lip. “Not that I think he needs it, but has Rowan ever considered plastic surgery?”
Retta nodded. “Once, but there was no guarantee he’d look the same, and he’d already been in so much pain that going through surgery and more pain…he just couldn’t do it.”
Izzy nodded. “I can see that.”
A moment of silence passed until Ulysses took a deep breath. “Anyway, let’s talk details. You want the money to go to a women’s shelter.”
“Yes, please.” She smiled. “And, really, as long as I have enough to get an apartment when the year is up, I’m fine.”
His uncle’s lips parted like he was surprised. “You really are doing this just so he can keep the house, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “Yes, I really am. There’s something about him, and I find myself wanting to help him.”
Retta smiled. “He’s a sweet, charming man.”
“When he isn’t being a complete jerk,” Rowan said as he partially stepped into the kitchen.
Izzy jumped and pressed her hand to her chest. The man needed a bell or something. How long had he been standing there? Had he heard them talking about him? Her cheeks burned, and the heat raced to her ears. “I really am sorry. I won’t…do that to you again.”
“You were trying to help me, and I bit your head off. I’m the one who needs to apologize.”
Izzy swiveled on the stool to face him. “Apology accepted. Do you accept mine?”
“Yes, and thank you. I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me.”
Retta walked to him and cupped his cheek. “Perhaps you could show Izzy where she’ll be staying while Ulysses gets the contract updated.”
Butterflies stirred in Izzy’s stomach, and nervous jitters made her shiver. She liked the idea of spending time with him. “I’d love that.”
“Rowan, she’ll be living here for the next year. The least you can do is show her a little hospitality.” Retta’s voice was firm.
He sighed. “Yes, ma’am.” Rowan nodded and motioned for Izzy to walk with him. “Stay to my right, please.”
“Okay.” Izzy slid her hands into her pockets and cast her gaze to the floor as she walked next to him. The tension felt like weights pressing down on her shoulders. She’d apologized and so had he, so why did it still feel so uncomfortable?
They took the stairs and at the top, he motioned to the right. They passed several rooms, took a left, and when they got to the end, he stopped in front of an open door on the right. “This will be your room.”
Her heart stopped. It felt so far away from the rest of the house, and it was only on the second floor. What if… “Where’s your room?”
“I live in the east wing. This is the west. You’ll have complete access to any room on this side of the house. Just stay out of the east wing.” Rowan stepped inside and waved her in. “This room looks over part of the garden.”
She walked to the bed and sank down. “But it’s so…” What was she going to say? She’d already come across as a flake the other day when he’d surprised her in the dining room. Perhaps it was for the best that she was so far away, especially since she was still having nightmares. “Actually, this will be fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
She lifted her gaze and found him eyeing her.
“You’re pale.” He narrowed his eyes. “And you’re shaking.”
“Oh, because I was already running late, I didn’t eat this morning. That’s all. I’m fine.”
Rowan narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure that’s it?”
Izzy swallowed down her fear and said, “Yes, I’m sure.”
Now that she took the time to look around, she did like the room. It was big enough for the king-size bed with enough room left over for a sitting area by the window. Dark damask curtains hung from the top of the high ceiling to the floor. The large rug on which the bed sat looked old and expensive.
“Do you visit this room often?” she asked.
“No, I think my father envisioned having a lot of children and grandchildren, which is why he built such a large home. After I was born, though, my mother became ill, and she was no longer able to have children.”
“How old were you when she passed away?”
“I was seven.”
Izzy looked down at her hands in her lap. “Yeah, I lost my dad just after I graduated from high school. He was in an accident before I was born, and it made him medically fragile. My mom passed away right after I turned twenty.”
“I’m sorry. I know how that feels. Some days are better than others.”
Lifting her gaze to his, she said, “There are times I find myself desperate to talk to her or him. To ask for advice or just hear their voice.”
Rowan smiled. “My mother recorded videos for me, and I have the last message my father ever sent me. Sometimes, I’ll hide away and spend time with them.”
“I had a message from my mom on my phone, but it was broken. I tried to find a company that could retrieve it, but they said the phone was too damaged.”
Then he did something that shocked her. He walked to the bed and sat next to her. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost those things. Part of the reason I struggled with losing this home was losing my connection to them. It seems stupid, but it’s all I have left of them.”
She covered his hands with hers and locked gazes with him. “It’s not stupid at all. If I could have stayed in Portland, I would have. My childhood home is there, but I had to sell it. I had some unexpected expenses come up and didn’t have a choice.” Why had she said that? He didn’t need to know about her problems.
His eyebrows furrowed. “What sort of expenses?”
“I was…” What could she say? She didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want to fillet herself open to a man she’d just met. “I was in an accident, and I had medical expenses to pay.”
“Accident?”
She pulled her hand from his and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, but I’m fine now.”
“Good. What made you decide to move to Dallas?”
Then it struck her. They were having an honest-to-goodness conversation. She was enjoying herself too. Beyond thinking he was good-looking, she liked the sound of his voice, and now that he was so close, she couldn’t help but notice how great he smelled.
She braced her hand on the bed and set her chin on her shoulder as she looked up at him. How long had it been since she felt this at ease with a man? But she was. She trusted him. Something she never thought she’d feel again. “My best friend, Kelsey, moved here for work. She was letting me stay with her while I got back on my feet.”
“That was nice of her. My uncle said you were a physical therapist. Why aren’t you still doing that?”
Izzy sucked in a sharp breath. “My license renewal came up while I was still hurt, and I wasn’t physically able to do it.” That was true, but Steven—well, his father—also had friends in high places, and he’d reported her to the board for misconduct.
Rowan narrowed his eyes. “I’ve told you I don’t like being lied to. I’m a lawyer. It’s my job to know when someone is lying.”
Pulling her gaze from his, tears pooled in her eyes. She didn’t know Rowan that well. What if…what if she told him and he wanted nothing to do with her? How would he save his house then?
“Would you like to tell me all your deep, dark secrets?” she asked just above a whisper.
“Point taken.” He stood and held his hand out to her. “If you’d like, we can go back to the kitchen and maybe have some hot tea?”
She took his hand and let him help her up. “That sounds wonderful.”
Inwardly, she cheered. She really liked him, and the prospect of becoming his friend sent a thrill through her. They’d had a rocky start to the morning, but they’d been able to move past it pretty quickly. If they were able to tackle all their challenges as easily, the next year would work out just fine.
Chapter 6
In through his nose, out through his mouth. Rowan had put the phrase—and action—on repeat since leaving his home. His uncle had updated the terms of the contract the day before, and Isabeau had signed it. Afterward, they’d applied online for the license, and now all they had to do was pick it up.
“We don’t have to do this today, Rowan.” Isabeau’s voice broke through his thoughts. “We can wait a day or two.” She’d sat next to him, and she’d even been considerate enough to stay to his right.
He’d called for a car that morning, and now they sat in a limo, not ten minutes from the courthouse. “I need to get it over with. The faster I do that, the quicker I can get back home and stay there. Besides, there’s the seventy-two-hour waiting period I have to consider. I know we have a little over a week until my birthday, but I think I’ll sleep better at night knowing I’m not going to be forced out of my home.”
She nodded. “I can understand that.”
Her smile only accentuated how beautiful she looked. He wasn’t sure how it was possible that she grew even more stunning by the day. She’d worn an off-the-shoulder light-pink blouse with a black skirt that made her legs look long and lean.
“I didn’t think to ask. Do I need to call movers for your things?” he asked.
“Most of my things are in storage in Portland. All I have are my clothes and a few belongings. I suspect they’ll fit in my car, and I’ll only need to make one trip.”
Rowan twisted to look at her. “I can have your things in Portland sent for if you’d like. I don’t mind.”
“It would be nice to have my things, but you don’t have to do that. You’re already doing so much.”
He choked. “I’m doing so much? I’m not doing anything in comparison. You’re giving up a year of your life to help me save my h
ome. You’re going to be stuck living with me. Which, you’re free to date if you’d like. The will said nothing about infidelity.”
Her face fell. “I don’t…I don’t date. It’s been more than a year since I’ve dated anyone.”
“A beautiful woman like you hasn’t dated? I find that hard to believe.”
When she lifted her gaze to his, a glassy sheen coated her eyes. “Please don’t call me beautiful. I don’t like that word.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say the last person who used it wasn’t very nice to me. He took that word and twisted it.”
Without thinking, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Before he realized what he’d done, she curled into him and put her hand flat against his chest. It was the strangest sensation to have a woman so close to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt someone warm against him, and now that he had, he wanted more. “Would it be okay if I called you lovely?”
She nodded. “Yes, that’s okay.”
“Okay, then that other word is banned. Will stunning work too?”
Isabeau chuckled. “Yes, that’s okay too.”
“How about incredible?”
She pulled back, and a wide smile greeted him. “Thank you.”
He may not be able to say beautiful, but she couldn’t stop him from thinking it. Although, it didn’t seem to convey just how amazing she was.
Unlike last time when she was this close, he wasn’t having a panic attack, and all his attention was directly on the softness of her skin and curve of her lips. There was no hope of a future with her, and yet, he couldn’t stop himself from staring.
The glass partition slid open, and the driver said, “Sir, we’re here.”
It was just the thing Rowan needed to break the spell. Another second, and he might have been crazy enough to think he could kiss her. That would have been worse than embarrassing. He could picture her leaning back, wondering what on earth he was thinking.
“Thank you, Henry,” Rowan said. “I guess this is it.”
The Beast’s Fake Marriage Page 4
