Imperfect Match (Elixir Bachelor Billionaires #1)

“I…I come from a modest house, and Charles is like the prince of Cherrywood. I sometimes worry what everyone thinks of me.” I make an excuse that also has some truth in it.

“I didn’t come from money either, Daisy. In fact, I hated rich people because I thought they were total snobs.” Sophia smiles, her fingers softly running over my hair. “To be honest, I still think a lot of rich people are total assholes. But in love, money means nothing. What’s more important is how you make each other feel when you’re together. And we’d have to be blind not to see how happy Charles is around you. Since he was born, that kid had everyone watching his every move. People were either waiting for him to be a business marvel or a failure. My small boy never got a chance to live for himself. He was trained to hide his emotions and feelings, but for the first time tonight, his training failed him. His gaze couldn’t stop following you, and his eyes sparkled whenever you smiled at him. I thought we killed my little Charlie’s emotion while training him to be the Charles Hawthorne, but with you, he’s just any other man in love.”

My heart lurches as a thousand butterflies take flight in my stomach. “I…I don’t know what to say,” I whisper. Somehow, the tightness in my chest loosened at her words.

“I know.” She smiles. “You just need to keep in mind that all these boys can be dense, especially when it comes to displaying their emotions, so you’ll have to hold the reins in this relationship.”

21

READY TO BEG?

DAISY

“Did my family scare you too much?” Charles asks as we both settle in the back seat of the limo.

“I’m not someone who gets scared easily, Mr. Hawthorne.” I turn my head toward him with a smirk.

Reality? I might not have been scared, but God was I nervous when we got out of the car this evening. Yet the moment I stepped inside Charles’ grandparents’ home, it was like visiting old friends.

“Yes, you certainly aren’t.” After a moment’s pause, he asks, “So, any questions about anyone or anything you found interesting tonight?”

“Charles Hawthorne! Are you a secret gossip connoisseur?”

“Hey, you dropped the A in my name.”

“You don’t behave like one anymore.” I grin. “But I do have questions. Several, to be honest.”

What’s the deal with Alex and Chloe?

Even though I tried to keep my small-town gossip-mongering instincts down, there was no missing the sizzling tension between them.

Why was everyone so protective over Rory? It took me a while to put together that Rory is the mysterious Aurora Teager, Zander and Rose’s daughter. There has never been a picture of her in the news, just her name.

But despite all those curiosities, I chose the one question that was making me crazy. “Promise you won’t be upset.”

“Out with it, wife.”

“Who’s going to take over the Hawthorne business after you?” I ask carefully, and the grin on Charles’ lips drops faster than a popped balloon, as I expected.

“Already looking forward to my demise.” Even though his words are light, there’s no humor in his voice.

“After your outburst before the doctor last night and the way you behaved today when your grandmother mentioned kids, it’s clear that you’re not exactly eager to become a dad.” It takes everything in me to keep that smile on my lips.

“No, thank fuck. I’m not.”

My heart sinks like a pebble in a lake.

Stop it, Daisy. This is about him and not the time for your feelings.

“Since you’re so committed to the Hawthorne name, I’m sure you have a plan in place for future.”

Charles’ lips twist, clear that he doesn’t like my impromptu interrogation session.

“There’s nothing to plan. Chloe and her future kids have the same rights as me to our family property and business.”

I don’t need to tell him that it’ll never be so simple in this traditional town.

“But what if Chloe doesn’t want kids either?”