Page 69 of Imperfect Arrangement

How far we’ve come in such a short time, and how far we still have to go.

I look at Raymond, half expecting his usual hesitation, but instead, he gives a soft nod, his smile easy. “It’s okay, Bug. Go with Miss Pershing,” he says gently.

As Mom guides her inside, I feel a pang of protectiveness so fierce it momentarily startles me. For the first time, I fully understand Raymond’s outburst when he saw Quill with me on that Ferris wheel the first day. Even though Quill’s not my daughter and I know how incredible my mom is with kids, I can’t ignore this nervous stirring in my chest when she’s out of sight.

“What was all that about?” Nana’s voice cuts through the moment, dragging me back.

“We haven’t told Quill about…us,” I admit.

“Most people throw engagement parties, but you two are acting like you’ve joined some secret cult. Why is that?”

“I’m sorry for putting you under this pressure—” Raymond starts, stepping forward, but Nana halts him with a raised hand like a traffic cop.

“Why don’t you start by introducing yourself properly? Because last I heard, you were the man trying to steal my husband’s land.”

I cringe, partly because I’m sure Raymond isn’t used to being interrupted, but mostly because I know Nana’s just getting started.

“My name is Raymond Teager,” he says smoothly. “Yes, I was interested in your husband’s property. It’s a truly remarkable piece of land.”

Nana’s eyebrow arches, her rapid-fire retort already locked and loaded. “I know that very well.”

Raymond doesn’t flinch. Instead, his lips twitch into a small, sincere smile. “I was shortsighted in the beginning. But the more I talked to Willow, the more I started to believe in not just your husband’s dream but also your granddaughter.”

“So, you got engaged to her for access to both,” Nana shoots back without missing a beat.

“Nana!” I groan, throwing my hands in the air. “I’m standing right here.”

“I never said you weren’t. But I want to know his intentions.”

“Intentions?” I scoff. “Are we in the eighteenth century? I’m perfectly capable of choosing a life partner.”

“Even the smartest make mistakes, Lolo. There are a few things in life where you don’t jump first and think later.”

The sound of approaching footsteps signals Mom and Quill’s return, and I quickly turn to Nana. “You can interrogate Raymond some other time, but please don’t say anything in front of Quill. She’s an absolute sweetheart.”

Nana tilts her head. “Did you marry him or his daughter? Because it seems like you care more about her.”

“That’s what I find most attractive about her,” Raymond interjects smoothly, just as Mom and Quill step back into the room.

I whip my head toward him, but he’s already walking toward the table where Mom places a plateful of cupcakes topped with too much pink icing.

A PRICKLY BEARD

RAYMOND

“So, how was tonight for you?” Willow’s voice drifts from Quill’s room, soft but tinged with worry, and my fingers still on the keyboard. Whatever I was typing instantly loses its importance.

Willow Pershing surprised me again. The evening felt like stepping into an alternate universe. It started with Willow’s fierce overprotectiveness, like she’d declared herself a bodyguard—not just for Quill, but somehow for me too. Then came her nana. That woman is a firecracker, sharp as a blade and utterly unfiltered. It didn’t take long to figure out from whom Willow inherited her wit and feistiness.

Watching Willow tonight was equal parts endearing and downright hilarious. She was so on edge the whole time, like she wasn’t in her childhood home but in some foreign, hostile territory. The way she hustled us out of there at the end was pure classic. If I hadn’t been so focused on surviving the evening, I might have teased her about it.

Her voice cuts through my thoughts again. “Yes, that’s the house where I grew up.”

The worry in her tone is gone now, replaced by something calmer. Quill must not be as rattled as Willow feared.

“Yes, we can definitely take Captain Lick with us next time.”

A grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. Willow’s voice is so flat, so resigned, it’s almost laughable. She’s definitely not going back to her grandmother’s house anytime soon, especially not with my daughter in tow. I’d bet my entire portfolio on it.