Page 19 of Imperfect Arrangement
“Calm down, Daze. I’m not discussing Quill with any of my journalist friends. I’m not stupid.” Violet rolls her eyes dramatically. “If Raymond went to all the trouble of hiding her, I’m sure he has his reasons. I’m just digging online.” She waves her phone at us like it’s a golden ticket. “But guess what? There’s literally nothing. No articles, no photos.”
Out of all of us, Vi is the quirkiest, like an eager puppy chasing after the shiniest object, even if it’s about to smack her in the face.
But who am I to judge on this matter?
I’ve been deep diving into every Google result about Raymond since that Ferris wheel incident. And I came up with zilch—no mention of a daughter or even an old flame. It’s like that man is a damn magician when it comes to making everything about his personal life disappear.
Violet nods as if reading my thoughts. “And here’s the real kicker—Raymond’s never been seen with anyone. Like, ever. The few times he’s been spotted with women, they’re always models who are already engaged or dating someone else. How does a guy like that keep akida secret?”
Leave it to Violet to know every juicy detail about the rich and famous. She could dig up dirt on the Pope if she wanted to. Honestly, I can’t imagine her doing anything other than writing gossip columns. And her column might not be winning any Pulitzer Prizes, but her follower count could rival Oprah’s.
“There’s this little thing calledprivacy,Vi,” Elodie says, rising from her lounge chair and walking over to us. “A few people still appreciate it, you know.”
“Which, of course, our very own Gossip Girl doesn’t care about,” I tease, grinning as Elodie playfully musses Vi’s hair. She preferred the floor, ignoring the ottoman right next to her.
“But”—Elodie slides beside me as we face Daisy—“I’m kind of with Vi on this one. How could Raymond keep something likethisa secret for so long? Quill’s what—five? Six?”
“She hasn’t been with Raymond that long,” Daisy mutters under her breath, instantly catching all of our attention.
I lean forward. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Daisy shifts in her seat. I’m sure she’s not a fan of this probing session. “I don’t know all the details, okay? What I do know is that Quill has no other family except for him. She came into Ray’s life only a few months ago. But since then, he’s completely wrapped around her finger. He loves his daughter and is extremely protective of her. God, you should see him with her—he’s like a different person. Playing tea parties and everything.”
I blink. Did she saytea parties?
I try to picture Raymond Teager—the man who practically eats boardrooms for breakfast—sitting on the floor, sipping imaginary tea from a plastic cup, and nearly snort at the image.
“And yet, he sent her off with us, practically strangers?” I raise an eyebrow.
Elodie nudges me with her elbow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Come on, Wills. I don’t think anyone would accuse you of being a stranger in Raymond Teager’s world.”
I shoot her a mock glare. Yeah, my friends have seen me plotting Raymond’s murder more times in the last few months than I’m proud of.
“Not funny, El,” I mutter, sticking out my tongue at her. “There’s more to this. There has to be.”
Daisy throws her hands up, clearly done with the conversation. “You’re all overthinking it. Raymond gave us those tickets because he wanted his daughter to have fun and some girl time. That’s all. I know you and he aren’t exactly friends, Wills, but he’s not a monster.”
Yeah, even she doesn’t sound fully convinced saying that.
“I don’t buy it,” I say, crossing my arms. “There’s no way?—”
“Shh. They’re back.” Elodie stops me from saying another word.
We all straighten up like we haven’t been gossiping about Raymond Teager’s entire life.
Quill trots toward us, ice cream in hand, with Grandpa Will trailing behind. And, of course, the spa manager, Laine, isn’t far. She’s been glued to our group since we arrived, mostly hovering around Quill. Turns out, she’s also a certified ASL instructor. A weird mix of admiration and confusion swirls inside me when I think about Raymond—the dad not the businessman.
“How are we doing, ladies?” Laine glides over with the kind of energy that screams,I love my job and you’re about to love me for it.
And of course, we respond with a unified squeal. “Amazing.”
Daisy groans. “I can’t wait to close my eyes and get all pampered.”
“Perfect.” Laine beams. “Now, I’m going to split you up for a short while. Two of you will head for the massage room, one person will go for facials, and one of you is the lucky lady to join Quill at our nail salon.”
“Oh, I’ll join Quill.” Daisy immediately straightens up and squares her shoulders. There’s no doubt she feels responsible for Quill.
“How about you go for the facials while I join Quill. Only if it’s okay with her?” I provide, looking between Quill, Grandpa Will, Daisy, and Laine.
