Page 3 of Wife By Accident

“I am!”

“Wow, my aunt would never do this!” Lily’s friends looked impressed, and Lily beamed with pride.

“You’re so cool.”

“I try.” Olivia winked.

“Now watch me!” Lily bounced and landed on her bottom before returning to her feet.

“Nice!” Olivia grinned.

“Can you do that?”

“Sure.” It was probably a mistake, but why not make her niece’s day while she still could?

Olivia repeated the trick. “Now try this!” She jumped, spun, and landed — but then, her feet slipped out from under her. Her stomach lurched as she fell onto her hip, the shock radiating through her back. The back pain she’d been fighting returned with a vengeance, and Olivia swallowed a few choice words that she’d never say in front of her niece and her young friends.

“Are you okay?” Lily dropped to her knees next to Olivia, her eyes wide with worry.

“I’m fine!” Olivia managed to roll onto her knees, gritting her teeth against the flashing pain. “But I think it’s time for me to chase down some cake. You kids continue.”

She slid out of the bouncy house and crossed back towards her sister, doing her best not to let herself grimace at the seizing pain in her back.

“Are you okay?” Rachel asked with a sympathetic look.

“Bouncy houses and back problems maybe don’t pair so well together.” Olivia rubbed her back.

“We aren’t kids anymore, are we?” Rachel smiled. “Luckily, piñatas and cakes have no age limit.”

“That’s good, at least.” Olivia smiled gratefully at her sister. Rachel smoothed her blond hair and smiled back. The sisters looked completely different—Rachel had fair hair and blue eyes, while Olivia had curly black hair and green eyes. Somehow, Lily had ended up looking more like Olivia than Rachel — people sometimes thought she was Lily’s mother when the two went out together.

They were different in more ways than looks. As teenagers, they hadn’t been close. Rachel had been popular and well-liked, always invited to parties and surrounded by friends. Olivia, meanwhile, had been shy and reserved, preferring to look at the world through the lens of a camera. No matter their differences, though, they’d always helped each other. Their family hadn’t had much money, and Rachel had always made sure Olivia had everything she could give her. As adults, the sisters had reconnected and become closer than ever.

“Is it time for cake now?” Olivia asked with a grin.

“Absolutely. Come on, let’s light the candles and start singing.”

Olivia was following her sister into the kitchen when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Drawing it out, she saw the caller’s name and winced. It was her boss, Jonah Marley. He almost definitely had some complaint or another about her work that he’d want her to solve urgently, regardless of the fact that she was on vacation.

“What’s going on?” Rachel turned back, and Olivia held up the phone to show the caller ID. “Don’t answer. You don’t have to be on call all the time. You’re supposed to be on vacation!”

“Sorry, I have to take it.” Wincing again, Olivia swiped to answer. If she didn’t answer, it would just cause more problems in the future. And despite everything, she wanted her boss to finally see that she was a hardworking employee who could handle more responsibility and a raise.

“Olivia?” Mr. Marley’s gruff voice came over the line.

“Hi, Mr. Marley.” That was one of the ways her boss sucked — although he called her by her first name, he insisted that she address him formally.

“Lucy dropped out of the conference tomorrow,” Marley said. “Apparently, her kid is sick.” His words dripped with derision, as though bowing out of work to care for one’s sick child was the worst excuse in the world.

“I see,” Olivia said.

“I need you to replace her,” Marley continued. “You know the products. Head to the airport — if there are airports in Idaho.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “There are airports,” she said. “But I’m on vacation right now, and I’m right in the middle of my niece’s birthday party.”

As if to punctuate her words, the partygoers outside began to sing to Lily as they carried out a cake laden with candles.

“Are you coming or not?” Marley asked gruffly. “I’m giving you an opportunity here, whether I should or not. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. With your track record, this may never come again.”