Page 319 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 11
“With who?” I asked.
“Someone overseas.”
Oh no.Was he talking about our Russian neighbor? What was he doing calling her? And what time was it in Russia right now?
“What’s up, Jacob?” Liam asked. And then the two of them did some handshake I’d never seen before.
“I was actually the one with news,” Jacob said. “Well, both of us, really.” He smiled down at me. He was really good at pretending this was real. “But first.” He turned to my dad. “Uncle James. I’d like to ask permission to date your daughter.”
It felt like all the air was sucked out of the room. Everyone was eerily quiet. And my dad’s face was completely unreadable.
“Gross,” Liam said with a chuckle. “Jacob, you have terrible taste in women.”
I picked up a pillow off the couch and threw it at him.
He caught it before it could hit his face.
“The two of you are dating?” my mom asked and looked back and forth between us. “Really?”
Why did she say that like she didn’t believe it?
“Yes,” I said and slid my hand into Jacob’s.
“That is if it’s okay with you, sir,” Jacob said to my dad.
My dad was just staring at us. Or had he fallen asleep with his eyes open or something? What the heck was happening?
“Well, that’s wonderful news,” my mom said.
She’d said it was wonderful. But her voice sounded strange.
“Right, James?” She put her hand on my dad’s shoulder. “James?” She kind of nudged him a bit.
And it was like my dad finally regained consciousness. “Wonderful news,” he said. A smile slowly spread across his face. “Yes. Spectacular, really.” He stood up and shook Jacob’s hand for some reason.
Liam and I glanced at each other.
Liam shrugged.
My dad clapped Jacob on the back. “Best news I’ve heard in a long time. You two make a fine couple.”
“Ew,” Liam said.
My dad snapped his fingers in Liam’s general direction. “Stop it. They’re the perfect couple.” He nodded to himself with a strange smile on his face. “We need champagne! Wait. No. Actually, yes. I know you both drink at parties.”
Did he?!
“Ellen!” he called.
Our housekeeper came into the room.
“We need champagne all around!” my dad said.
“Oh?” she asked. “What’s the occasion?”
“Scarlett is datingJacob.” He emphasized Jacob’s name in a strange way. And then he pointed at Jacob. As if any of us didn’t know who Jacob was.
Seriously...what is happening right now?
