Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

I hand the phone back to Dave before striding away, dragging along my aching heart.

As planned, Willow is already waiting for me in the hospital lobby, which is thankfully empty.

“Thank God you’re finally here! I thought you got last-minute cold feet.” My best friend’s fingers, tapping away on her phone, pause as she looks up at me. She places a baseball cap on my head and pink sunglasses, which threaten to engulf my entire face, over my nose.

“Can you recognize me?”

“I’d recognize you in a room full of masquerade masks, Daze.” She gives me a duh look, but before my master plan completely loses its spirit, she hands me a bag. “But that’s because we’re besties. Change into these, and no one will know it’s you.”

We slip into the ladies’ bathroom, and I promptly duck into a stall to shed my lavender skirt and white silk blouse.

“How do I look?” I walk to her in baggy jeans so ripped up, they look more shredded than stylish. Her red crop top shows my midriff in a tasteful and not indecent way. I feel like an adult trying to pass as a high schooler.

“You look smoking hot!”

“The point is to make me invisible and not stand out.”

“Trust me, everyone will be too busy admiring your curves to notice your face. Now, let’s go, I’ve already booked the appointment for you.”

“Under your name?”

“Yep. We’ll tell the receptionist I’m the patient, and then hopefully the doctor will understand why you want to keep it a secret, with you being Mrs. Daisy Price-Hawthorne and all.”

Not for much longer.

We settle in at the OB-GYN and pediatric unit waiting room. The metal legs of the chair groan under my nervous fidgeting legs, but they still as Willow’s phone goes off. Her annoyed expression could carve ice as she lets it go to voicemail.

The incessant ringing persists, and her expression turns murderous. “Stop calling me, Gus. I’m not having this conversation on the phone.”

The other voice is muffled by her sharp inhale.

“Did you hear a word I said this morning? I’m not signing anything. And if it comes to it, I’ll drag you and your greedy billionaire friend through court. You’re a fraud, and I won’t let you touch my grandfather’s land—”

Mid-sentence, she springs up from her seat, eliciting a squeal out of me.

“That’s private property, you jerk! If you don’t leave now, I’ll sue you for trespassing.”

She ends the call but doesn’t return to her seat. She’s like a human pressure cooker right now, and I can practically hear the lid rattling as she paces the floor. We’ve been friends since kindergarten, and I know her every move. She needs to be somewhere else right now.

“Go.” I stand before her, bringing her marching to a stop.

“What? No. I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’ve already done the hard part together.” I jerk my head toward my clothes. “I’ll be okay from here.”

“Stop it, Daisy. I’m not leaving you alone. Your husband should be here with you, dammit. But if that stupid guy is too busy or too scared to be a father, you don’t need him anyway. But I’m not going anywhere.”

Oh, Wills.

Who would know the importance of a dad more than her?

A tingling sensation runs down my spine, like a gentle electric current swirling with gratitude.

“Do you know how lucky I feel to have you in my life? You’re the best friend a girl could ask for.” I feel the anxiety rolling out of her as I hug her tight. “If I’m thinking of doing this alone, it’s only because of my friends. I know I can count on you all.”

“We’re here every step of the way. You—” Her words are once again cut short by her ringing phone. The soft lyrics about a first love don’t sound so peaceful right now.

“Go, Willow. Please.” I don’t know what exactly is happening in her life, but soon I’ll get to the bottom of it.