A Wife by Accident by Victoria Ashe Page A

You’ll turn the whole town on its ear tonight.” He elbowed Gary again. “Say something,” he encouraged.
    “Wow.” Gary caught Hayely’s gloved hands in his. He grinned proudly at Charlie. “To all of society, this is my wife.”
    Gary placed his warm hand at the small of her back and led her outside to where a shiny black limo awaited the three of them. Seated closely beside her, Gary held onto Hayely’s hand tightly as the limo moved smoothly over the driveway pavement and out onto the road.
    Charlie watched the two closely. There was no doubt in his mind; Gary and Hayely had something passing between them that had nothing to do with business. Hayely couldn’t stop touching Gary, whether a fingertip on his arm or her knee resting beside his leg, the contact was never broken.
    When Charlie had first met Gary in the orphanage, he knew he’d behaved like nothing better than a scraggly, red-haired tag-along. But in no time flat, Gary had informed him he’d seen Charlie’s gift for details and wanted him to run a corporate office one day.
    That was Gary’s gift—giving people self-respect, security and a sense of purpose. It was high time someone could return the favor to him. He just had to wonder if Gary would recognize the opportunity even if she walked down the stairs and into his limo.
    “Are you ready for the big public appearance?” Charlie asked at last. “The great unveiling?”
    Gary nodded. “What’s in the old bag of tricks for this year?”
    Charlie laughed. “I don’t know how we’re going to top last year’s pink fiasco. Maybe this year I’ll tell them all you like women who really know how to slather on the make-up. Or, you know, I’ll bet we could triple Nevada’s cosmetic surgery market with a single comment.”
    •
    Hayely looked at Charlie in shock as she realized the impact of their practical jokes. “You guys are terrible. You’ll have the whole town scraping off eye shadow with chisels by next year’s banquet. And I don’t even want to think about that other inspiration you just had.”
    Gary squeezed her hand again. “Just a guess here, but I think the news of our marriage is probably going to be enough entertainment for this year.”
    The limo pulled up at the guest entrance to the hotel at which the event was always held. Coming in through the side door gave the appearance of a much lower-key evening than Hayely knew awaited them. That illusion was shattered as Hayely , Gary and Charlie handed away their coats and walked inside a ballroom artistically converted for the occasion.
    At the head of the room, a long table set up for the Chamber of Commerce officers sat empty except for a few well-placed microphones and crystal pitchers of water with condensation rolling down the sides. Flowers cascaded from corners and pillars. Ice sculptures glistened on the hors d’oeuvres tables. The great remainder of the room was speckled with round tables draped in white linen, but there seemed to be no particular assigned seating.
    At the back of the room around the dance floor and near the bar, hundreds of people mingled, talked and sipped from champagne flutes. Others sat here and there at some of the empty tables.
    “I’ll go on in and grab us a table,” Charlie said.
    Hayely rested her hand on Gary’s arm in her best imitation of a wifely gesture. “You go on ahead, too. I’m going to visit the restroom first. I’ll find you.”
    •
    Gary nodded and followed Charlie to a table with a mediocre view of the main table. They didn’t want to be too conspicuously up front in case they found a way to slip out early. Charlie ordered a glass of wine from a waiter as his friend sat down beside him.
    “So have you told her your feelings for her aren’t so businesslike?” Charlie asked quietly.
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “And have you asked her to forget that insane agreement and try being with you just because she wants to?”
    “There’s nothing