Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

“How would I know?” Annoyance paints her face. “But would you be surprised if his asshole cousin told your husband himself?”

“Are you okay with this? Pretending in front of your dad,” Elodie cuts through Willow’s irritation.

“I have to be because I’m not telling Dad, especially not today.” I close my eyes, imagining the moment my dad learns the truth. Oh, Daddy. “He loves Charles too much.” My heart pounds in a painful rhythm, and by the look of concern on my friends’ faces, they’re not missing anything. “I also fear that he’ll forget, and then I’ll have to tell him again every day. Or worse, he forgets that this has to be kept under wraps and tells someone.”

“Talk about a crisis.” Willow groans. “Charles Hawthorne should sort out his crisis first and then poke his nose into others’ business.”

It’s six in the evening and Dad’s living room buzzes with relatives, ex-colleagues, and friends from the neighborhood who have been witnesses to every twist and turn of our lives.

Kai manages the drink table, tactfully limiting the champagne intake of our geriatric guests and discreetly checking on their current medications before handing anyone anything.

“Wow! This turned out so much bigger than what I expected!” Aunt Mel fans her face with both hands.

“You’ve outdone yourself tonight. Dad is so lucky to have a sister like you.”

Her smile grows as my arms encircle her.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, especially with Dad’s condition.” My throat tightens.

“Hey, Doodles.” She rubs my back with her usual motherly touch before stepping back. “Jason and you are my family. You never have to thank me for anything. Plus, your husband’s family just added more spark and zing to our evening. Did you see the cake Charles’ great-grandmother brought?”

Her eyes shine as her head slants toward the side table, where there’s a huge birthday cake with Dad’s name on top that Chloe and GG personally delivered. Right now, they’re both with Dad, and Chloe is busy taking pictures for their social media profiles.

I nod. “That’s really sweet of them.”

“It is. I’m so happy you found a loving family for yourself, kiddo. I must confess, when I first heard about you and Charles, I was skeptical. Everything was perfectly timed. He was pressured to marry, and a minute later, he conveniently announced you as his girlfriend. For a long time, I thought that man was blackmailing you.”

I freeze in my spot, the ball of nerves tightening around my throat like a too-tight necklace.

“But now I see you two together, and I feel so stupid to even doubt for a sec. That man loves you like crazy.” She pats my cheek affectionately, completely oblivious that I’m a second away from passing out. “Where is Charles anyway?”

I swallow hard a few times, my voice a bit shaky. “He should be here soon.”

In truth, I have no clue where he is or if he’s even coming.

She nods, giving me a warm smile, and then slips away to greet her friends as Violet and Elodie join us.

“Looks like we might get to see the only thing missing from this kick-ass party!” Violet grins before tipping her head toward the dark corner of the room. “Murder! Willow is one second away from ripping Raymond Teager’s head off, don’t you think?”

My mouth goes dry when I find Willow rising on her toes, her hands reaching for Raymond’s neck. Judging by her feelings toward the man, she’s definitely not trying to caress his face.

“Gosh! Are you crazy, Vi? Let’s go and stop them!” I’m all ready to intervene and prevent Willow from spending a night in jail, because I doubt Raymond will look the other way and not press assault charges if even Willow’s finger makes contact with him.

“You stay and see after the guests. I’ll check on Willow.” Elodie stops me from walking away. “And you, little quarrel connoisseur, help me, will you?”

My eyes are fixed on my friends as they pull Willow away from Ray, when a throat clears behind me.

“Hi.”

My heart catapults out of my body at the familiar voice—one that used to drive me crazy for four years, but now, after not hearing it for a week, I’m not sure how I survived these past few days.

I turn around slowly, my pulse beating at the highest rhythm.

Charles stands before me, looking more handsome than ever. His hair is slicked back, and he’s dressed in a sharp black suit, white shirt, a purple tie, and his signature Hawthorne crest cufflinks.

There’s an unmissable tightness on his face that I haven’t seen in a long time.

Since you moved in with him, you mean.