Page 19 of Wife By Accident

“Hi, Mr. Barclay⁠—”

“Leo, please.”

“Leo. I just wanted to check in with you about your schedule. We have a flight window for just after ten, but if that isn’t going to work, I can try to push it to later.”

Leo glanced at his Rolex — it was nine fifteen. He stifled a curse. He had a meeting that afternoon in New York that he couldn’t miss, so he couldn’t afford to stay in Vegas to try to sort out his unexpected marriage to the beautiful and mysterious Olivia Keller.

Then he glanced at Olivia. She was standing just outside the wedding chapel, looking at a pamphlet entitled Cheap, Fast, Romantic Weddings!!! Her green eyes were tired, and her hair was messy, but none of that mattered. She was still gorgeous. And there must have been some reason that Leo had agreed to marry her last night. He wanted to know what that was. And he wanted to know more about Olivia, beyond her being his new and unexpected bride.

At the same time, he needed a chance to figure out what was happening here. Leo was a billionaire several times over, and if their marriage was real, that meant their divorce would be real, too. They hadn’t signed a prenup (he assumed), so he needed to be sure they got their divorce done right to avoid Olivia ending up with half his money or property.

She didn’t seem like the kind of person who would do that, but then again, he really didn’t know her.

“Keep the ten fifteen flight time,” Leo said. “I’ll be there as quick as I can.” The airport was only fifteen minutes away if he drove fast, so he could make it work.

“Very well.” They hung up and Leo turned back to Olivia.

“It sounds like you need to go.” Olivia’s shoulders were slightly slumped. “And I have to get to the airport and try to find a flight back to Seattle.”

“Before you do that, I have a suggestion, and it may sound a little… unusual. So, keep an open mind.”

“More unusual than getting married to a complete stranger while drunk in Vegas?” Olivia asked.

Leo chuckled. “I’m not sure.” He gestured to one of the benches where couples could wait for their weddings, and they both sat. “I really don’t understand this situation yet, but I do have to get back to New York.”

Olivia nodded. “I get that. We both have lives to get back to.” She rubbed her temples. “And I have to apply for jobs.”

“Okay. Don’t laugh. But what if you don’t go back to Seattle yet? My private jet is on the tarmac waiting to take me back to New York. You could come. You could apply for jobs from my apartment, visit New York, and take a little break. I would cover all your expenses, including your eventual flight back to Seattle.”

“You’re right,” Olivia said. “That does sound more than a little bit unusual. I don’t understand why you would want me to come to New York — or why I would agree to it instead of just going home.”

“Just give me a few days,” Leo suggested. “A week, tops. We can both figure out what’s happening and file the divorce paperwork from the same state, to make things easier. You’ll be back in Seattle in just a few days with a great story to tell. And, like I said, you won’t have to pay a penny. What do you say?”

Olivia looked down at her folded hands, then at Leo. “What you’re asking is crazy,” she said. “I can’t go to another city with a man I just met. I have so much I need to get done back in Seattle.”

“I understand that. But you haven’t answered me yet.”

“You want a real answer?” Olivia smiled at him, though her eyes were tired. “I’ll give you one. No. This has been a weird enough day without me tearing up my whole life to follow you to New York. I have to get back to my life in Seattle. I don’t know about you, but I can’t just take a week off. And I don’t know you well enough to go home with you, either.”

Leo let out the breath he’d been holding. He should have expected this answer, but he was disappointed anyway.

“I understand. Let’s go back to your hotel room, pack up our things, and I’ll drop you at the airport on the way to my flight.”

“Thanks.” Olivia smiled, “It’s been… weird, but not completely terrible, being married to you.”

Leo laughed. “That’s what every man dreams of hearing. Come on. Let’s get going — we both have a lot to do.”

They stood and left the wedding chapel, passing a couple dressed as clowns and one lone woman in a gorgeous wedding dress before exiting into the main casino. Leo’s heart was surprisingly heavy. There was no reason for Olivia to have come with him to New York, no matter how much it would have helped him out, or how much he’d have liked to get to know her better, but he still wished she’d said yes.

Then again, they still had a few minutes together before he dropped her at the airport. Twenty minutes at least. And Leo was a born negotiator who’d once landed a huge contract with a company that had flat out refused to work with Palasa. Maybe there was still a small chance that Olivia would change her mind, and if that chance existed, Leo would find it.

He’d never push Olivia to do anything she was uncomfortable with, but maybe there was a way to convince her that a week in New York was the right move for both of them.

Olivia pushed the elevator call button, and they both stepped inside. Leo glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Maybe the best thing he could do was get to know his new bride a little better…

CHAPTER 10

OLIVIA