The Cinderella Fantasy Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Coming Soon!

  About the Author

  The Cinderella Fantasy

  SARA JANE STONE

  The Cinderella Fantasy

  By: Sara Jane Stone

  Copyright 2017 © Sara Jane Stone

  Cover Design: © Okay Creations, Sarah Hansen

  Editing by Jill Marsal

  Copyediting by The Formatting Fairies

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author. This book is licensed for your personal use only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked owners of various products and brands referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks in not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  For Caitlin, Emma, & Laura.

  Dear Reader,

  Cinderella meets the world of online dating. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a romantic comedy, right? That’s what I thought after chatting with my younger sister and her friends about the world of dating apps, horrible first dates, and happy-ever-after. So I started writing

  The Cinderella Fantasy is my first romantic comedy, my first self-published title—and the first installment in the Playing the Princess series! If you’ve read my stories before you know I love writing sexy, trope-based romance. My series are connected, but each book can be read as a standalone romance.

  Whether this is your first or fourteenth Sara Jane Stone book, I hope you will stay in touch. Email, Facebook message, tweet, or send a pigeon—I want to hear from you! And if you want updates on my upcoming releases—including the second installment in the Playing the Princess series—stop by www.sarajanestone.com and sign up for my newsletter.

  Happy Reading,

  Sara Jane

  Also by Sara Jane Stone

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  About

  A princess who has lost her faith in love . . .

  Lucy Linden’s prince charming (a.k.a. her fiancé) disappeared three months before the Big Day. Determined to pick up the pieces, she dives into the world of online dating. But the only men interested in a woman whose day job involves playing Cinderella leave Lucy looking for an exit strategy before the main course. And the man rushing to her rescue isn’t the solution to her problems. Jared is a walking, talking fantasy—if Lucy’s daydreams began and ended in the bedroom. No one would ever mistake South Florida’s bored billionaire bachelor for a long-term prince.

  A man willing to risk everything to prove he’s her prince . . .

  Jared Mitchell pushes the limits, in the boardroom and in bed. When his best friend and business partner’s little sister sends up red distress flares, he’s thrust into the role of pseudo-big brother. He’s never had a thing for Cinderella. But now he’s fighting his desire to make the princess his—even if he has to risk his empire to deliver her happy-ever-after ending.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Coming Soon!

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  I should have walked out when he ordered a second Mexican Bulldog.

  Lucy Linden studied the blue-green margarita glass lined with salt. An upturned beer bottle rested inside the drink. Hugh, her date for the evening, had polished off his first potent cocktail before she’d finished half her virgin lemonade. And yes, her dinner companion had teased her for ordering a nonalcoholic drink.

  That was your first mistake, Hugh.

  By the time the waitress returned with their order, Lucy was willing to bet her glass slippers that this man had asked a friend with tact and intelligence—two traits Hugh had not brought to their date—to message her and request an in-person meeting.

  “I bet you’re curious why I swiped right.” He leaned back in his blue plastic chair and ran his index finger over the base of his upturned beer bottle.

  If only he’d been too busy drinking to talk.

  Lucy reached for the guacamole. The made-to-order mix of avocado, lime, salt, and cilantro was the only thing keeping her at the table.

  One more chip. Then I’ll slip away and plan my exit.

  “When I saw in your bio that you played Cinderella at the world’s most famous theme park, I knew you would meet my physical standards.” He leaned across the table. “Did you have to fight the other princesses for the role? Was there a lot of sabotage behind the scenes? I bet all the girls wanted a chance to be the ice princess. What’s her name? Elsa, right?”

  “My fellow princesses are like sisters without the sibling rivalry.” Lucy sipped her lemonade and made a mental note to change her online dating profile to entertainer at children’s birthday parties. Let her potential dates wonder about whether she performed magic tricks or led the kids in games of tag. And she’d remove any mention of her time in Orlando.

  But she’d loved that job. She would have stayed and played the part if her fiancé hadn’t accepted a fellowship in West Palm Beach, three hours away from Orlando. His career as a cardiologist beat her des
ire to smile for photos with children who waited hours just to meet her. So she had moved back to her hometown and started a business with two other former cast members from the magical mouse world. Together they staged princess parties for little girls and a few boys.

  Her life had been on track until the man of her dreams completed his fellowship and accepted a job in Boston. She’d been prepared to uproot her life again, ready to move away from her family and her business, until the man she’d planned to marry had headed north without her.

  He’d left her behind like a troublesome piece of furniture that was too difficult to move. Barrett, the man whom she’d labeled her prince charming, had calmly explained that there wasn’t room in his life for his and her passions—for two people dedicated to their careers. A month after Barrett left, she’d learned that he’d taken someone else with him. A nurse he’d met at the hospital who had clearly shared his “passion.”

  I was a fool to trust him, she thought.

  “But it’s true that they check to make sure you have a thigh gap, right?” Hugh asked, drawing her attention back to her present disaster.

  Lucy blinked. “Excuse me?”

  Hugh flashed a smile that showed every one of his straight, white teeth. He raised a hand and ran his fingers through his wavy, black hair. And yes, the movement highlighted his toned bicep.

  He’s a villain who looks like a prince at first glance. I would be a fool to stay past the guacamole.

  But she returned his grin. She couldn’t help it. She’d been trained to smile for hours on end.

  “I don’t date girls without a thigh gap,” he said as if most men considered this a requirement. Like a college degree—which wasn’t on her resume—or the ability to whip up a homemade meal.

  “But I figured the people at the mouse’s camp already checked you,” he continued.

  Lucy glanced down at the beer protruding from his drink. She wanted to pluck the upside down bottle from the margarita glass and crack it over his head. In his pre-date emails, Hugh—or Hugh’s literate and personable friend—had claimed he was looking to settle down. She suspected the only place her date wished to settle was between her legs. If she met his physical requirements. She hadn’t thought to check the space between her thighs while dressing for her date.

  What about you, Hugh? While we’re talking requirements, how long is your penis?

  Not that a man’s equipment was a make or break relationship requirement. Still, she suspected this asshat measured himself.

  She pressed the heels of her hands against the table’s wooden edge. She wanted the complete picture—a great guy, a happy marriage, and a baby one day. But, finding that prince? Like searching for a needle hidden behind a unicorn in a haystack.

  And Hugh wasn’t her man. Not even close. No, this guy was the dried unicorn poop clinging to the hay.

  “Excuse me.” Still smiling, she pushed back from the table. She stood, turned, and then headed for the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. She pulled out her phone as she walked and dialed for help. Right now, she didn’t need a white knight to rush to her rescue. She needed a princess.

  Her cell rang twice, and then a familiar voice asked her to leave a message. Lucy ended the call. She prepared to type a quick text as she slipped past a hurried server and into the kitchen. She glanced up from the screen and offered the bustling kitchen a smile.

  One of the line cooks, Minny—short for Manuel—looked up. “What the—” The tall, slim chef went from pissed off to beaming in the blink of an eye. “Lucy-loo, are you running away again?”

  “Guilty as charged,” she called.

  The other cooks kept their focus on the food in front of them. The kitchen felt as if it was on high alert, as if a critic had stopped by south Florida’s most popular Tex-Mex restaurant. She turned, planning to head for a quiet corner out of the way, and spotted him.

  No, no, no!

  She did not just walk away from her disaster date and straight into her brother’s boss. Forget about finding the needle in the hay, she’d just run into the unicorn. Jared Mitchell, her brother’s best friend turned fearless business leader—or according to Jared, his partner—was south Florida’s most sought after bachelor. Wealthy, charming, sexy in a hand-me-your-panties way—he was a bonafide unicorn. Men like him were a mirage, a piece of the fictional lure that kept women dating and hoping and then dating some more, trying to find that elusive prince charming.

  But if he’s so perfect, why hasn’t he settled down? Or dated one woman for more than a week?

  His blue eyes alone weren’t enough to draw women to him, one after another according to the local paper’s society pages. But his intense, playful gaze coupled with a roguish smile? What woman wouldn’t want to date him? A chance to see his dimples up close before running her hands over his broad shoulders.

  Forget reading the society page, I could start writing for them.

  About her brother’s best friend.

  The unicorn.

  “Jared, what are you doing here?” she demanded. She held her ground. He wouldn’t ensnare her with those baby blues.

  “Eating a taco?” Jared’s low voice held a hint of humor.

  “I thought you were in New York for the summer,” she said. Not hiding in my Bad Date Sanctuary.

  He shrugged. “We’re trying to close the deal with the DeVilla sugar company this fiscal quarter, so I came home.”

  He lowered the crunchy corn shell, and a piece of shredded lettuce fell onto the napkin draped over his lap. Her gaze followed the rogue vegetable. Beneath the napkin, he wore jeans. Probably designer, but still blue jeans, not one of his fancy suits or a pair of khaki golf shorts. And beneath the jeans, she suspected that he completed her fantasy of the perfect man, perfectly equipped . . .

  Stop right there. I’m not looking for a walking, talking bedroom fantasy, she thought. Or a one-night stand with a man she’d known since grade school. And if her brother found out?

  She looked up at his familiar face. Blue eyes, strong jaw, wavy brown hair. Jared belonged on a movie set or dining with a socialite in a five-star restaurant—one of his five-star, fine-dining places—not the hot, bustling kitchen of a good but cheap place popular with the under-thirty crowd. Plus, he’d celebrated his milestone birthday last spring. He’d hit the big three-o.

  The thirty-year-old billionaire set his half-eaten taco on his plate and wiped his hands. Big, powerful hands that would take a swing at Thigh-Gap Hugh if she asked. He would probably claim that he was stepping in for Finn, her flesh-and-blood brother, when he landed the first punch. Because Jared thought of her as a sister.

  “I wasn’t expecting company,” he said. “But please, pull up a chair and tell me why you’re eating in my kitchen three nights a week.”

  She shot a reproachful look at Minny. But the sous chef only shrugged, his gaze still fixed on his culinary creation. She turned back to Jared. “My brother only lets me go on dates at your restaurants.”

  “Finn’s a smart man. Also, this is his place too. He owns half of the restaurant portfolio.” Jared gestured to the other side of the table. “Join me. I’ll pour you a sample of this new top-shelf tequila. I just opened it. Haven’t even tried it yet.”

  She glanced at the blue bottle perched beside a shot glass. “No, thank you.”

  “Driving?” he asked mildly.

  “Nicole dropped me off and took the car. She’s planning to pick me up.” In an hour, she thought as she dialed and pressed her cell to her ear. Three rings and then voicemail. She lowered her phone, and a text popped up on the screen.

  At the mall buying supplies. Bad reception. Be there in 30. Go see Minny in the kitchen if you need to escape.

  “She’s delayed,” Jared said.

  It wasn’t a question, but she nodded.

  “Pull up a chair.” He spoke in his lord-of-all-that-I-see tone. She’d joked with Finn that his friend tried to command the world around him. And it usually worked for him. Jared Mi
tchell had built an empire by walking into struggling companies, declaring them his—after forking over millions of dollars—and turning them around. He was smart, wealthy, and good-looking.

  “Why are you eating alone in the kitchen?” she asked.

  “I pay the bills around here.” He folded his napkin and placed it on the table beside his half-eaten meal. “They let me eat where I want.”

  She crossed her arms in front of her chest, still clutching her cell in her palm. “So you’re working?”

  “Not anymore.” He pushed back from the table and stood. “I’m taking you home.”

  “What? My date—”

  “You were planning to finish your meal?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “I’ll have someone take care of him.”

  She lowered her arms and arched her eyebrows. Her fingers curled around her phone. During her princess training, her coach had labeled this the “Surprised Cinderella” look. The “Oh-No-You-Don’t” expression usually followed. Neither looks were allowed outside the dressing room.

  Jared grinned and offered a peek at his infamous dimples. “Yeah, I’ll have your waiter take him out back and . . . ” He glanced over at one of the line cooks who’d stopped chopping. “Your server will tell your date you didn’t feel well.”

  “You don’t need to . . . He probably already left,” she said. “And I can wait for Nicole.”

  He didn’t need to fix this mess. Tonight’s failure was a piece of her wrecked love life. She’d gone from cheating fiancé to online dating disasters. Only one decent date since she’d published her profile. She’d never imagined it would be this difficult to find a guy looking to settle down—a man who valued family and could make her laugh, with him, not at him.

  “Everyone needs saving now and then.” He turned and headed for the door.

  “Even you?” she challenged. She couldn’t picture it. At this point, he could probably buy his way out of any situation.

  “Hasn’t happened yet, but I never rule anything out.” He opened the back door leading to the private employee parking area. “Let’s go, princess.”