Married By Mistake

and dumped the files on the seat. “Don’t be so Neanderthal. This car is perfectly safe.” She shut the door, but it didn’t catch, so she opened it again and slammed it, which caused the window to drop to half-mast. She glared when Adam directed a pointed look at it. “You are not following me back.”
    “What are you going to do?” he taunted. “Outrun me?”
    Her reply was drowned out by the sound of an engine, louder than a car’s, in the driveway outside, followed by a screech of brakes, then a crash and the shattering of glass.
    Adam had a horrible feeling he knew what that crash was. By the way Casey’s face paled and how she edged away from him, she did, too.
    Outside, doors closed with angry thuds.
    “You idiot,” a male voice yelled. “I drive all night to get you here. All I ask is that you take over for the last half hour so I can sleep, and this is what happens.”
    “You might have told me this damn truck takes ten minutes to stop after you press the brake,” a female voice accused. “What is that...that thing, anyway? Who put it there?”
    Adam pressed the button next to the light switch and the garage door opened. He stepped forward into the sunlight. “I did. And it’s an Aston Martin DB9.”
    At least, that’s what it used to be. Now it was an Aston Martin DB9 with built-in U-Haul. Adam winced at the sight of the truck wrapped around his bumper.
    The woman, who turned out to be a younger, not-so-pretty version of Casey, yelped.
    Casey ran forward. “Karen, it’s me.” She hugged her sister, and Karen stuck to her like a prickly bur. Casey shook her, but didn’t manage to detach her. “Where’s the baby? Karen, is Rosie with you?”
    “She’s with her father. He’s going to bring her down this weekend.” Karen hiccupped on a sob. “You came home,” she said. “I knew you would. Oh, Casey, thank you, thank you. ” She squeezed her tighter, then said tremulously, “Is this...is this your rental car I smashed? I’m sorry. I didn’t expect anything to be in the driveway. But I’ll pay for it, I promise.” She directed a doubtful look at the Aston Martin—even in its current state, it looked like a million dollars. “Uh, did you take the insurance option on the rental?”
    Adam met Casey’s eyes over her sister’s head, which she was patting reassuringly. She gave him a breezy smile, one that said, I have this under control. It didn’t fool him. He counted to five, long enough to convince himself the damage to his car wouldn’t get any worse if he waited a few minutes to inspect it.
    “It’s my car,” he said, “I’m Adam Carmichael.” She lifted her head, looked at him blankly. He didn’t want to say it, but it was somehow easier than saying he was Casey’s husband. “Your brother-in-law.”
    She frowned. “What are you doing here?”
    “Karen!” Casey turned to Adam. “She’s in shock from the accident, she’s not usually—”
    “Such a pain,” interjected the still visibly simmering young man who’d been standing to one side. “Yes, she is, Casey, and you know it.”
    That set Karen crying again. Casey glared at him. “Adam, this is Mike. My brother. Who can be equally painful when he chooses.”
    Mike grinned and maneuvered around Karen to give Casey a belated kiss on the cheek. Then he shook hands with Adam. “Sorry about your car. That’s one hot set of wheels. Automatic or stick shift?”
    “Stick shift.” Adam forced a smile.
    “It’s great to see you, Mike,” Casey said.
    Taking her cue from her sister, Karen said, “Mike’s been wonderful. He loaded this thing for me—” she indicated the U-Haul “—then he drove through the night. I couldn’t have done it without him.” She wrapped her arms around her brother.
    Adam suppressed a shudder. Karen was a clinging vine.
    “Did Dad tell you I was coming today?” Karen asked. “It’s so cool you’re here to help.”
    Adam could see alarm in Casey’s eyes. They hadn’t survived a wedding and a honeymoon for her to give in now.
    “My wife and I—” that turned out to be easier to say than he expected “—are due back in Memphis right away.”
    Karen looked around as if she was trying to figure out who Adam’s wife was.
    “So Casey and I,” Adam clarified, “can’t help you.”
    Casey shifted from one foot to the other. “Adam, that’s a little harsh. I can stay a few hours.”
    He mouthed something at her, and Casey recognized the words tough love. She bit