Smoke & Pearls by Marianne Rice

He brought out the normal in her she didn’t know existed…

Sidney Mitchell, granddaughter of a wealthy Dallas icon, loses her beloved Grandpop and her world slips off its axis. When a handsome stranger sends a smile her way at the funeral, she welcomes the distraction and accepts his lunch invitation. He quickly becomes an important figure in her life, helping her forget her grief and focus on her future.
After working a twenty-four hour shift, firefighter Max Harmon is involved in a fatal accident. While paying his respects at the funeral of the victim, he is knocked off his feet by the beautiful blonde with the sad eyes. They’re both looking for an escape and turn to each other, finding friendship, laughter and incredible chemistry.

Sydney loves that Max is unaware of her heritage. For the first time, she’s not worried about a man using her for her family’s wealth. Their passion burns hot until she learns Max is the reason her Grandpop is dead. He may be charming, kind and sexy, but she can’t forgive him for stealing her Grandpop from her, and for starting the cover-up she’s sure is there.
Will their newfound love be strong enough to battle through the betrayal, or will their relationship go up in smoke?