Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

She doesn’t say a word and just grins at him, and my heart melts.

“Yes,” Ray replies with his lips curling.

Holy crap! In all the years I’ve known Ray, I’ve never seen him smile so wide, and ladies and gentlemen, that man has a seriously beautiful smile.

While I stand there stunned, Ray does the honors of introductions. “Daisy, meet my daughter, Quill.” He then looks down. “She’s Uncle Charlie’s wife, your aunt Daisy.”

Quill’s forehead puckers as if solving some serious algebra equation, until she leaps out of her father’s lap and dashes to stop right before me. Before I can make sense of her overenthusiasm, she hugs my legs, squishing me in the cutest and softest shackles ever.

My pregnancy hormones start to kick in when this sweet bundle presses her face to my thighs and I hear destiny whispering, “Get ready for a whole new kind of love, Daze.”

“I’m so happy to meet you, Quill.” I crouch down, getting at her eye level.

But she doesn’t say anything, instead showing me her toothy grin once again.

“Okay, Quills. Back to Dad.” Ray’s voice is soft, but there’s an unmissable underlying tension.

Quill immediately returns, situating herself right back on her dad’s lap.

Before I can turn around and give these three their privacy, which I ruined by my sudden arrival, Ray tips his head to the side.

“That disguise is absolute shit, Daisy. I’m sorry to say, but the person who loaned you the clothes either has bad eyesight or doesn’t care about you enough.”

I’m about to remind him that I never asked for his advice, but Ray shakes his head.

“If even one picture of you in this wing goes public, it’ll create a massive PR headache for Charles, you, and Jimmy. Unless that’s the intention? To attract media attention?”

“What? Crap!” Does that mean I’ll have to camp out here for eternity?

“No, Mrs. Hawthorne. That’d just be too cruel of us.” The doctor smiles, making me realize I’ve once again spoken the words out loud.

“We will see you next week, Doc.” Ray gets up from his seat, and my heart squeezes when he waits for Quill to grab his index finger in her tiny hand, and only then does he turn to me. “You’ll leave with us.”

The hell I will!

I immediately step away from the door, but so does Ray.

Instead of walking to the door behind me, he saunters in the other direction toward a PRIVATE sign on the wooden-paneled wall. My curious gaze follows as he flips the light switch and the door opens to an elevator car.

“What in God’s name is that?”

“This is a secret elevator that will lead you to a private parking lot, Mrs. Hawthorne. It’s built for cases exactly like these, to ensure privacy for some of our well-known patients.”

I’m still reeling at the sight of such James Bond technology in our sweet small town, where all the innocent grandmas think they know everything about everyone.

“I hope you and Mr. Hawthorne will be using this elevator together soon.” The doctor winks as I follow Ray and Quill inside.

“I’ve already texted Dave that I’ll be giving you a ride home.”

My gaze continues to move between Ray and Quill, who’s sleeping peacefully on her father’s chest, her breaths soft and even.

“How come no one knows about her?”

“Who says no one does? All the relevant people do.” His omnipresent cocky smirk is right there on his face. But when I don’t look away, Ray makes himself busy brushing invisible lint from his pants—the only sign of unease.

“Then let me ask again. Why are you keeping her hidden from irrelevant people like me? And where’s her mother?” I whisper, careful not to disturb Quill.

But Ray is done playing nice.