She Replaced Her Sister at the Airport Pickup — And Picked Up the Billionaire Boss by Mistake…

The Airport Mixup

The buzzing of her phone dragged Allison Reed from her dreamless sleep. She fumbled in the darkness, knocking over a half-empty mug of yesterday’s coffee before finding her cell.

The caller ID displayed her sister’s name. A quick glance at the clock, 4:47 a.m., sent a jolt of concern through her body.

“Mia, what’s wrong?” Allison’s voice was thick with sleep.

“Ally, I’m so sorry.” Her sister’s words were punctuated by violent coughing.

“I have a fever of 102. There’s no way I can drive to the airport. Mr. Hayes will kill me if no one picks him up.”

Allison sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Wait, slow down. Who’s Mr. Hayes?”

“My boss, the one I’ve been telling you about for months. He’s flying in from London this morning for the Henderson merger.”

“I was supposed to pick him up at 6:30.” More coughing followed.

“Please, Ally, my job depends on this. You just need to pick him up and drive him to the Grand Hotel downtown.”

“He doesn’t know what I look like in person yet. I’ve only been his assistant for three months.”

“We’ve only had video calls where I’m just a small face on the screen.”

Allison groaned. This was exactly like Mia: last-minute emergencies that somehow became Allison’s problem.

But her sister sounded genuinely ill. Despite their complicated relationship, Allison couldn’t bring herself to say no.

“Fine. What does he look like?”

“Tall, dark hair, probably wearing an expensive suit. He’ll be coming from London on flight BA284. Just make a sign with ‘Mr. Hayes’ on it.”

“Please, Ally, I owe you big time.”

Twenty minutes later, Allison was in her decade-old Honda Civic. A hastily scrolled sign was on the passenger seat.

She headed toward the airport in the pre-dawn darkness. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail.

She wore the nicest outfit she could assemble on short notice: black pants and a blue button-up blouse.

She hoped it looked professional enough. As she drove, she mentally rehearsed what to say.

She would be polite but not overly chatty. She would explain that her sister was ill.

She would drive him to his hotel, and that would be that. It was a simple favor, nothing more.

The airport was surprisingly busy for such an early hour. Allison parked in short-term parking, wincing at the rates.

She made her way to the international arrivals terminal. She positioned herself near the exit, holding up her makeshift sign.

“Mister Hayes” was written in black marker on the back of a grocery receipt.

Passengers began trickling out, looking tired after their overnight flights. Allison scanned each face, looking for someone who matched her sister’s vague description.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, she started to worry. Had she missed him somehow? Was she in the wrong terminal?

Just as she was about to call Mia again, a tall man in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit approached her.

His dark hair was neatly styled. Despite what must have been an exhausting flight, he looked refreshed and alert.

His striking blue eyes locked with hers. Allison felt an unexpected flutter in her stomach.

“Are you from Reed Associates?” he asked. His voice carried a hint of a British accent.

Allison hesitated for a fraction of a second. Reed Associates was her sister’s company. This had to be Mr. Hayes.

“Yes, I am,” she replied, lowering her sign. “I’m here to take you to your hotel.”

The man smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Excellent. I’m Daniel Morgan. I appreciate the early pickup.”

“Let me just grab my luggage.”

Allison froze. “Daniel Morgan, not Hayes?”

But he had recognized the company name. Perhaps Hayes was his first name.

Before she could ask for clarification, he had turned toward the baggage claim area. He clearly expected her to follow.

Confused but not wanting to create an awkward scene, Allison trailed after him. Maybe Mia had gotten the name wrong in her feverish state.

As they waited for his luggage, Allison discreetly sent a text to her sister.

“Is your boss’s name Daniel Morgan or Hayes?” No response came.

Daniel collected his sleek black suitcase from the carousel. They walked in silence to the parking garage.

Allison felt increasingly uncomfortable. Something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t put her finger on what exactly.

“This is me,” she said apologetically. They approached her modest car.

“I’m sorry it’s not the company car. There was a situation this morning.”

Daniel looked surprised for a moment but quickly recovered. “No problem at all. I appreciate the accommodation.”

As they settled into the car and Allison navigated out of the airport, Daniel began asking questions.

He asked about the upcoming meetings. She gave vague responses, trying to avoid revealing she knew nothing about Reed Associates’ business operations.

“So the Henderson merger is still on track for Friday?” he asked, consulting his phone.

“As far as I know, yes,” Allison replied cautiously. She merged onto the highway toward downtown.

“My sister—I mean, the office hasn’t mentioned any delays.”

Daniel glanced up sharply. “Your sister?”

Allison gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I’m filling in for Mia Reed this morning. She’s ill with a fever. I’m her sister, Allison.”

There was a long pause. Allison could feel his eyes studying her profile. Finally, he spoke.

“Mia Reed isn’t expecting me until tomorrow.”

Allison’s stomach dropped. She pulled into the right lane, slowing down as the implications hit her.

“You’re not Mr. Hayes?”

“No,” Daniel said, his voice now cool and measured. “I’m Daniel Morgan, CEO of Pinnacle Investments.”

“I’m in town to meet with several potential acquisition targets, including Reed Associates.”

“The meeting with your sister’s company is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.”

Allison’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry. There’s been a huge misunderstanding.”

“Clearly,” Daniel replied, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice now. “Who is Mr. Hayes?”

“My sister’s boss. She was supposed to pick him up this morning, but she’s sick. So she asked me to go instead.”

Allison felt mortified. “I should have realized when you said your name. But you mentioned Reed Associates, and I just assumed.”

“So somewhere at this airport, there’s a Mr. Hayes wondering where his ride is?” Daniel asked.

The realization hit her like a truck. “Oh no.”

She quickly pulled over to the shoulder of the highway and fumbled for her phone. “I need to call Mia right away.”

As the phone rang, Allison glanced at Daniel. She expected to see anger or frustration.

Instead, he looked surprisingly calm, even slightly amused by the situation.

“Mia, I think I picked up the wrong person,” Allison blurted the moment her sister answered. “Is your boss’s first name Hayes?”

“What? No. His name is Richard Hayes,” Mia croaked. “Why? Who did you pick up?”

“I’ll call you back,” Allison said quickly, ending the call.

She turned to Daniel, who was now openly smiling. “Mr. Morgan, I am beyond sorry for this mix-up. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life.”

“It’s quite all right,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “These things happen. Though I admit, this is a first for me.”

He checked his watch. “We should probably head back to the airport to find the real Mr. Hayes.”

Allison nodded, putting her car in gear and carefully merging back onto the highway.

As she drove, her mind raced. She had just kidnapped—was it kidnapping if he came willingly?—one of the most powerful businessmen in the country.

“Pinnacle Investments,” she said aloud, the name finally clicking. “Wait, you’re that Daniel Morgan?”

He was the billionaire whose face occasionally graced the covers of business magazines. He was the notorious corporate raider known for ruthless acquisitions.

Daniel’s smile widened. A predatory gleam in his eye sent a shiver down Allison’s spine.

“The very same,” he replied. “And you’ve just given me quite the introduction to your sister’s company. I wonder what else I might learn before our official meeting tomorrow.”

“I should probably call my driver,” Daniel said, pulling out his phone.

“He was supposed to meet me at 9:00, but I can have him come to the airport now.”

Allison glanced at him as she navigated back toward the airport. “You had a driver scheduled? Then why did you come with me?”

A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Curiosity, I suppose.”

“It’s not every day a stranger holds up a sign with someone else’s name and then whisks you away.”

His fingers paused over his phone screen. “Though I should probably let him know I’ve arranged alternate transportation.”

Allison felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. “I’m really sorry about this. I was just trying to help my sister.”

“No need to apologize. In fact—” He pocketed his phone without making the call.

“I find myself intrigued by this turn of events. Tell me, what do you do when you’re not impersonating your sister’s colleagues or kidnapping CEOs?”

“I’m a photographer,” Allison replied, relaxing slightly at his light tone. “Freelance, mostly. I specialize in architectural photography.”

“Interesting. Any buildings of mine in your portfolio?”

“Actually, yes.” Allison couldn’t help but smile. “The Pinnacle Tower downtown. The way the light hits the glass facade at sunset is spectacular.”

Daniel’s expression softened with genuine interest. “I’d like to see your work sometime.”

As they pulled into the airport parking lot for the second time, Allison’s phone rang. It was Mia again.

“Any luck finding Mr. Hayes?” her sister asked, sounding even worse than before.

“I’m back at the airport now,” Allison explained, parking the car. “I’ll find him, don’t worry.”

“There’s been a change of plans, Mia,” she said, followed by a fit of coughing.

“Mr. Hayes just called. His flight was delayed in London due to mechanical issues. He won’t be arriving until this afternoon.”

Allison let out a sigh of relief. “So I didn’t strand him after all?”

“No, but he’s furious about the delay. He wanted me to book him on another flight, as if I control the airlines.”

Mia sneezed loudly. “Anyway, you’re off the hook for now. I’ll figure something out for later.”

“Feel better, Mia. Call me if you need anything else.”

Allison ended the call and turned to Daniel, who had been watching her with interest.

“Good news. Your doppelganger’s flight was delayed. He’s not even here.”

“Fortune favors the foolish, it seems,” Daniel said with a chuckle.