Page 3 of Accidentally Marrying the Billionaire

Finley beams. “Good. And Evelyn?”

“Yes?”

“If you accidentally fall in love with a stranger or solve a fake crime or do something completely unhinged…”

She shrugs. “I’ll consider that a bonus.”

I laugh, a real one this time.

As I slide the envelope into my bag, I have no idea if this trip will change my life.

I just know—for the first time in a while—I’m actually looking forward to leaving town.

chapter

two

Mike

The call to my brother, Mitchell, goes through just as I settle into my seat in first class. This is not how I thought I’d tell Mitchell about my impending nuptials, but nothing about this week has gone as planned. Thus, the last-minute flight to Japan.

“Yeah,” he answers.

“I’ve got a situation,” I say, keeping my voice even. Calm. Assured. If he thinks I’m uncertain, he’ll try to talk me out of this. “And I need your help. I need you to drive to Houston and pick someone up.”

There’s a pause on the other end. Not a hang-up pause. A what-the-hell-are-you-about-to-ask-me pause.

“You can’t find anyone else?” he asks. “Valor Springs is hours from Houston. Are you in trouble?”

I exhale slowly. “Not me. But someone is.”

“Mike,” he says, already suspicious, “what the fuck is going on?”

I stare out the airplane window at the runway lights, feeling the weight of what I’m about to say settle fully in my chest.

“I’m getting married.”

Silence.

Long enough that I wonder if the call dropped.

Finally, “What?” he says. “You hate marriage and everything it stands for.”

I scoff. “I never said that. I just don’t think marriage is for me. But this is… a very unique situation.”

“I feel like I need to sit down for this conversation.”

“You probably do,” I say dryly.

I run a hand through my hair, already bracing myself. “Do you remember Harrison Crawford from back home?”

“Yeah. I always thought his sister was cute. What about him?”

“A few years ago, I asked him for a favor. Someone at my gaming company was in a sticky immigration situation. Needed a practical solution.”

I hear his intake of breath before he speaks. “You didn’t.”

“I did. I asked him to marry her.”