Page 92 of Boss of Attraction
“Is this about Morgan?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”
“Christ,” Sean muttered under his breath, his fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel.
I sighed, leaning back into the leather seat. “I just don’t know what to do to prove to her that I’m with you because I love you and not because of the amount of money you have in the bank.”
Sean shot me a sympathetic glance before returning his gaze back to the road. “Time. Actions speak louder than words, right?”
“Yeah. But lending me your Caddy and now getting us hotel rooms are actions. I don’t want to cause more tension between you two.”
“She’ll come around. We can’t let her dictate every decision we make.”
“Yeah, but she’s your daughter.”
He let out a frustrated huff. “She’s not the only one who matters here. This is about your mom, Declan. She needs help, and we’re going to give it to her, regardless of what Morgan thinks.”
Despite my worry, I couldn’t help but feel more love for him. “You’re right,” I admitted, the knot in my chest loosening ever so slightly. “Let’s just find a hotel and figure the rest out later.”
Hell, maybe Morgan wouldn’t even find out.
While Sean drove the rest of the way to my mom’s address, I booked us two rooms at a Hilton in town. It wasn’t as upscale as I assumed he was used to, but it would have to do.
The Escalade rolled to a stop in front of the charred remains of what used to be my childhood home. The sight of the burnt trailer sent a pang through my chest, and I had to take a moment to steady my breathing before stepping out of the car.
Sean followed suit, and I led the way to where my mom stood in the charred frame of what was once the front door. The smell of burnt plastic hung in the air as we neared, and then my mom turned as we approached, her eyes red-rimmed from tears and exhaustion.
“Declan,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she rushed forward to envelop me in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I returned the embrace. “Always, and we’re going to get through this, I promise.”
When we finally pulled apart, my mom’s gaze shifted to Sean, who stood a few steps behind me. “And you must be Sean,” she said as she extended her hand toward him.
He took her hand gently. “Yes, ma’am. It’s nice finally to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances.”
My mom’s eyes welled up with fresh tears, and she nodded. “Thank you for being here for Declan. He’s always been my rock, but he needs someone to lean on too.”
Sean squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Thank you.”
“Did anyone figure out what happened?” I asked.
“Fire Marshal Jenkins said the fire started from the lamp in the living room. You know I keep it on every night since I’m alone. I guess something happened with the wiring in it and it sparked a flame. He said he’ll have his final report in a few days, but that’s what it appears to be.”
“That’s crazy.” I blew out a breath.
“I’m just lucky to have gotten out in time.” Fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
I engulfed her in a hug. “Fuck. I’m so happy you did. That had to have been scary.”
“You have no idea,” she sobbed.
Once we got checkedinto the hotel, Mom went to her room to shower and change for dinner. We met down in the lobby and headed to the restaurant in the hotel. The clothes Mom had found at Goodwill looked nice; she always could make the best of a small budget.
After we ordered, I couldn’t stop thinking about what my mother was going to do. I hated that all of her belongings were just gone. All our pictures. All her clothes. Everything. She’d mentioned her insurance would get her some sort of temporary lodging, but that could be in some roach motel for all we knew.
“Mom,” I began, clearing my throat nervously as I glanced up from the menu, “I’ve been thinking ...”
