Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

“This is what I want to know from you all. What if this wasn’t fake?”

“What do you mean?” Alex asks, leaning forward.

“What if Daisy is what the media says she is.” My throat dries and I take a sip of my drink. “The next Mrs. Hawthorne. Jimmy buys it, by the way.”

“If there’s any woman you spend time with, it’s her.” Ray leans back. His eyes are intense and laser-focused, as they get when he’s working on the ins and outs of a deal in his mind. “You don’t even need to make up a story about how you met or fell in love. She’s been with you for four years. That’s more than enough time to fall in love with someone.”

Rowan lightly knocks on the table to get our attention. “But isn’t she seeing someone?”

Of course, my sweet cousin would know that detail.

“She broke up with that asshole.”

“And you swooped right in to take advantage of the breakup?” Archer, being his usual self, doesn’t mince any words.

“I’m not taking any advantage,” I seethe before turning to Alex. “I suppose you think the same way?”

“It doesn’t matter what we think, Charlie. Have you spoken to her?” Alex’s voice is calm and collected, not giving away anything.

“Not yet.” Suddenly, I feel like an asshole. Should I have talked to her first? Archer’s jab rings in my ear. My cousin sure knows how to get inside someone’s head.

“If you plan to find a fake bride, there’s no one more perfect than her,” Rowan signs, giving oxygen to my dying hope.

Ray nods. “That’s true.”

“So should I ask her?”

“Can I please be there?” Archer raises an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen a man proposing for someone to be their fake bride.”

They all chuckle, but my heartbeat races to the highest degree.

Proposing? Fuck.

My cousins are eating pizza, coming up with ideas for my fake proposal, and each of their suggestions sound horrible. I’m about to tell them to stop when the door to my office opens and Daisy storms in, fuming with anger.

“Can I talk to you, Charles? It’s urgent.”

My cousins couldn’t spring from their seats any faster, snapping the pizza boxes shut and snagging the drink cans from the table.

“Best of luck.” Alex gives my shoulder a reassuring pat.

“You still want to stay?” Ray snickers at Archer.

“No, thanks.” Archer winces and mouths a “Good luck” before they all file out.

“They knew.”

My gaze returns to her fuming face as she walks closer.

“They knew it was me?”

I nod carefully.

“You consulted with them before you told me?” Daisy’s cheeks flush.

I realize I’ve never seen my assistant pissed. She’s never been so incensed, not even when I made her work overtime or redo tasks because they weren’t up to my crazy standards.

“I know they’re your cousins and you trust them much more, but this is about me, Charles.” Her throat chokes, and it makes me feel worse than before.