Page 2 of Accidentally Marrying the Billionaire

That one lands, and my eyes grow misty. “Thank you for saying that.”

“Just speaking the truth over here,” Finley says.

I look back down at the card. “Vegas,” I murmur. “A murder mystery.” My lips flex in an almost grin.

“Costumes. Characters. Plot twists. You’re supposed to stay in character the entire time,” she adds. “You’ll be amazing.”

“I will absolutely overthink it.”

“You will absolutely thrive,” she says. “Because for once, no one expects anything from you. You get to be someone else for a few days. And it will help you remember who you truly are. Not Kurt’s girlfriend or ex. Just you. Because you are amazing, and I want you to remember that. I hate that he stomped on your confidence.”

I close the envelope slowly.

A few days of not being careful.

Not being predictable. Not being safe. Not questioning if I added too much spice to the food, and therefore causing distress to Kurt’s sensitive stomach.

“When is it?” I ask.

Her smile softens. “Soon. Like… pack-your-bags soon. I’ve already booked your airfare, too. With transport to and from the airports.”

“Fin, this is way too much. It had to have cost you a small fortune.”

She waves her hand dismissively. “I have plenty of money. You know that. More than I’ll need in this lifetime and the next.” She gives me a sugary-sweet grin. “That’s what happens when you marry a rich man.”

My friend is incredibly generous. Not only with her money, but also with her heart. She reminds me frequently that she had very little to her name when she became a nanny for her now husband. He’d been a star quarterback then, and now he’s the head coach. Maybe some people foolishly assume she married him for his money, but only people who’d never seen Finley and Maddox together would think that.

“You married for love,” I say.

She shrugs. “True. The money is just a nice bonus to having a smoking hot husband.” Then she waggles her eyebrows at me.

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re insane.”

“I’m a visionary.”

I meet her eyes. “You really think this will help?”

She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “I’m certainly not going to force you to go,” she says, her tone softening. “But I think the weekend will be fun for you and beneficial.”

I sigh. “You’re still blaming yourself for introducing me to Kurt, aren’t you?”

“You wouldn’t have wasted the last fourteen months if it hadn’t been for me,” she says.

“That is not on you. He’s a great team physical therapist. He’s a nice person. There was no way you could know that he wouldn’t be an equally great boyfriend,” I say.

“Forget Kurt! Go to Vegas and play a real-life game of Clue. Eat amazing food and have fancy drinks. Go live it up for a weekend, then you can come back to Austin and go back to your regular life. But let me spoil you with this.”

“I do love Clue. And Scooby Doo,” I add.

“See? You’re totally equipped to go there and solve that mystery.”

I snort laugh. “Doubtful, but I do imagine I’ll have a good time.”

Something warm stirs in my chest. Not confidence—not yet.

But curiosity.

“Okay,” I say finally. “I’ll go.”