“I mean, yes, I’m fine. Thank you. Have a nice day.” She spun on that heel, willing the stupid tingle his interest had sparked to go away, and headed toward her car.
“Hey, wait a minute.” Prince Charming caught up to her and grabbed an arm. Awareness sizzled through her.
She took a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder. “Yes?”
“I’m Reese.” His hand hadn’t left her arm and his fingers were doing all sorts of wonderful twirly moves on her skin.
She tugged. She did not have time for this. Not now, not in the next five minutes, nor the next five years.
“And I’m late. Thank you for your assistance. Have a nice day.” She gave him a slim smile and walked away. Another life, maybe.
“Hey, Cindabella!” called a nasal-y voice from behind her.
Drew. Bella missed a step, groaning while she tried to regain her balance. That stupid nickname. Her stepsisters found it funny. Bella did not.
But Drew would keep calling her until she turned around, so, resigning herself to three minutes of torture, Bella took another deep breath and turned around—
To find Prince Charming, er, Reese, with his arms folded, one shoe crossed over the other, and that mocking eyebrow almost touching his hair. “Cindabella?”
“Don’t ask.”
He uncrossed everything. “On one condition.”
“Huh?”
“I won’t ask on one condition.”
Drew was at the top of the courthouse steps and, even from there, the speculative gleam in her eyes was visible. Bella didn’t have much time.
“Fine. What’s the condition?”
“Your name. Unless it really is Cindabella?”
She laughed in spite of herself. “No. It’s Bella. Bella Casteleoni.”
When he smiled she’d swear his eyes actually twinkled. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Darn, she didn’t want to like him, but he was making it awfully hard not to. “I guess not.”
“So, Bella—wait. Casteleoni? As in Casteleoni’s Restaurant?”
“And Catering. Well, Bella’s Catering.” Might as well start the advertising now. She was going to need a lot of side jobs to fight Madeleine.
“Bella! Wait up!” Drew was a third of the way down the steps. “I need you to do something for me.”
Of course she did. Both of her stepsisters took that stupid nickname to heart.
Bella looked between Drew and Reese. Even though she wasn’t planning to get to know him, she didn’t want him witnessing whatever ridiculous minutiae Drew was about to spew. And it was always ridiculous minutiae.
Reese glanced back at Drew, then nodded to the platinum Ferrari by the curb. “I could give you a ride somewhere.”
Cool car, complete with convertible top and rearing stallion logo. Not one of those souped-up muscle-bound cars, but elegant, classy, and sexy as all get out. Just like him.
Which was reason enough to stay away. She needed to keep all her focus on the battle with Madeleine. “Thank you, but I can handle it, er, her.”
“You’re sure?”
They both looked at Drew who was now extremely interested in Reese. Which meant Bella could show no interest whatsoever. “I am. Thank you again.”
Reese took one last glance at Drew who had changed the angle of her descent to head right toward him. “Okay. Right.” In half a dozen steps, Reese reached the car and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Good luck. It looks like you’ll need it. See you around.” The engine gunned to life and he peeled into traffic with a wave just as Drew sauntered to her side.
“Who’s the hunk?”
“Oh, just someone I bumped into.”
“Hmmmm.” Drew flipped her hair back in that annoying affectation she thought made her look sophisticated. It didn’t. “Listen, I need you to cater a party this Saturday.”
Of course she did. Five days’ advance notice was nothing to Drew. Matter of fact, Bella should probably be grateful for that much.
“What kind of party?” She’d love to tell Drew to take a hike, but the fact of the matter was, she needed the money. Even Drew’s. And there was a certain irony in her stepsister contributing to the fight against Madeleine.
“Jimmy’s mom is having a dinner party and her caterer cut out on her. I told her you’d do it.” Drew had learned social climbing at Madeleine’s knee; Jimmy DeLeo’s mom was not only one of the wealthiest women in town, but also on every social committee there was—including the Arts board Madeleine was desperately trying to finagle her way onto.
Hmmm, this might just help her beat Madeleine at her own game.
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Copyright 2012 Judi Fennell
Beauty and The Best (Once-Upon-A-Time Romance) Page 32