Cinderella-ish (Razzle My Dazzle Book 1)
Page 16
Room Service. Bubble Bath. Sleep.
I even ordered a bottle of wine to go with my meal.
And finally, a knock on the door. Room service has arrived.
I unlock the door and fling it open.
And yes! It is room service with a cart full of kiss-my-sorry-ass-sadness-away goodness.
Pizza. Chocolate Cake. Wine.
I pour myself a glass of wine even before the server sets my tray down on the table.
“Anything else, Miss?”
“Nope. That’s it. Thank you.”
I give him a tip. He smiles and offers his appreciation, then pushes the serving cart toward the door. And when I open the door for him, my mouth drops.
Antonio.
What. The. Hell.
How is he even here right now?
“Can I please come in?” he asks, his voice light, and his blue eyes, that glisten, are fixed on mine.
I manage to nod and step aside as he walks in.
He reaches for my hand, and I pull it away. “Please don’t touch me, Antonio.”
He steps back, holding one hand up and one behind his back. “Okay. I won’t touch you. But please let me explain.”
“Nothing you say can change what I heard on that news report. You need to get married, and guess who was the naive one you reeled in to make sure that happens? Me. But it doesn’t matter. I’m leaving for France tomorrow.”
His shoulders sink. “What? France? Daniella. Baby, you—”
“Yep,” I interrupt, taking a sip of wine. “Paris. To work with Lauren Blake.”
He shakes his head. “I’ll come with you.”
Wait. What?
That’s unexpected.
“I beg your pardon?” I say, now sitting on the edge of the bed, losing my ability to stand without my knees shaking.
“It sounds like a wonderful opportunity for you. So I’ll come with you. I can still operate CraveMe remotely. Heck, we can even open up our first boutique there.”
We can open up our first boutique? Does he not remember I’m angry with him?
He moves his hand from behind his back. Holding up my pink shoes by their strap, he approaches me slowly, cautiously. “I once heard a story in which a man confirms his true love by slipping the shoe she left behind, on her dainty foot. If it fit perfectly then she was indeed his match…or something like that.”
I feel my eyes well up with tears. “Is that supposed to be the story of Cinderella rescued by Prince Charming?”
He gives a cautious smile. “Kind of,” he says, inching closer my way.
“Well, I thought you were my Prince Charming, but you proved he does not exist.”
“Did I? I’m here now, aren’t I?” His brows lift.
I swallow the painful lump in my throat as he gets closer, now on one knee, kneeling as he lifts my foot.
“And the fact that you need to get married?”
He scoffs. “Daniella, baby. You’re right. I do need to marry—you—but, God knows, I don’t need to marry you for any reason other than the fact I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t need the money. I’ve got that on my own and we can even marry after my 30th birthday. And I’d give up everything…for you, which is why I’m even willing to go to Paris, together.” He slips one shoe on my foot, and I sink my face in my hands, the tears coming harder than I expected them to.
Antonio lifts my chin and leans in close, his lips gently touching mine. “Just as I thought, baby, the shoe is a perfect fit. I’m Prince Charming-ish. And you’re Cinderella-ish.” His lips swoop over mine and we kiss.
Tender. Long. Passionate.
I’m melting inside and I can’t help but think…this moment—this exact, fucking moment—is precisely what fairy tales are made of.
Our lips part momentarily and, like music to my ears, Antonio mutters, “This, Daniella my love, is where we begin our very own happily ever after.
“The Right Shoes Can Change Your Life.”
Cinderella
Epilogue
Fate
The groom, handsomely decked out in his tuxedo, surveys himself in the mirror with a satisfied grin.
“This is the day you’ve been dreaming about,” he says to himself.
Indeed true.
Since the first day he laid eyes on her, he knew she was the one.
Sure, it took a while for them to get to this point—with all of the obstacles thrown their way, he had to work harder than he ever expected to, convincing her he was the one.
But it was certainly worth it, he thinks, as he begins to reflect back on events that led them here.
A knock on the door takes him away from the flashback of the day he proposed, reeling him back to now when, in less than twenty minutes, he will stand face-to-face with the woman he plans to spend all of his life with.
“You ready to make this whole thing legit?” his best man asks, looking equally handsome in his tux.
“I’ve been ready.”
“Then let’s go, dude.”
The two walk out of the room, and enter the church, walking past the countless number of guests sitting on the bride’s side and the groom’s side—the bride wanted a huge wedding, and he felt it necessary to give her what she wanted.
The groom, now feeling just a tiny bit of nerves creep up, acknowledges the guests with a nod and a smile as he makes his way to the front.
He claims his spot among the best man and groomsmen, all facing the direction in which they expect to see the beautiful bride make an appearance and stroll down the aisle.
The best man leans in and says, “Dude, I still can’t believe you’re getting married before me.” He chuckles.
The groom laughs. “I know, man, neither did I. But we didn’t want to wait. And you’ll be tying the knot soon.”
“Yep. In just a few short months. I can’t wait,” the best man admits, grinning at the thought of his own wedding fast approaching.
The organist begins to play music, making this moment seem all too surreal.
The flower girl skips out, spreading love with rose petals as she makes her way down the aisle, her curls bouncing.
Giddy bridesmaids take turns stepping down the aisle now, and the groom feels his heart begin to sprint, knowing he soon will see her.
It’s been a week since they last saw one another, the bride insisting they have some real time apart to prepare for this day.
It was a fair exchange, he thought, since he’d be able to spend every day with her, after saying their I-Do’s.
The maid of honor now appears and slowly makes her way down the aisle. She looks over to the groom and smiles as she claims her place next to the priest.
The organist pauses for just a minute before she begins to play the Wedding March—a symphony to the groom’s heart.
Guests turn in their seats, as they all wait for the bride.
And when she appears, they all gasp in awe, while the groom finds it hard to hold back tears filling his eyes at the sight of her—the woman of his dreams—walking toward him, looking even more beautiful as he imagined she would.
Bride and groom, both trembling, stand, holding hands as they face each other, both giddier than they expected to be. This was nothing like rehearsal. This was the real deal.
The priest, ready to perform the ceremony, asks if anyone thinks the two should not be joined together in holy matrimony, and a notable silence floods the room.
The bride and groom exchange the vows they personally wrote for this momentous occasion and before they know it, the priest says to the groom, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Jonah leans in to kiss Liza, his beautiful new bride, and when they break free, he turns to face his best man, Antonio, and says, “And by the way, you owe me one-thousand dollars for wager-fest. You bet me I would get nowhere with Liza. And yeah…we’re pretty much married now, bro.”
Everyone laughs in unison, including the little flower girl.
Jonah’s lifelong m
otto has been: if you don’t go after what you want, then you’ll never have it… Now he’s certainly got what he wanted: Liza and their fortuitous happily-ever-after.
Thank You
Dear Lovely Reader,
Thank you for reading Cinderella-ish!! I hope you enjoyed Daniella and Antonio’s Story as much as I enjoyed writing it!!
This story was inspired by not-so-true life events — but one thing is certain, my husband is my very own Prince Charming so I decided to dedicate this book to him and release it on our anniversary. Sweet and Mushy, right? LOL
The music playlist featured during The Fashion Show can be found on my website - www.joslynwestbrook.com along with character playlists that flow with the story.
Stay tuned for the next book in the Razzle My Dazzle Series—Haute Couture—set in Paris, France where we will get to know Lauren Blake, the renowned fashion designer mentioned in Cinderella-ish. Sign up for my mailing list, also on my website or follow me on Amazon for updates.
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.
xo Joslyn Westbrook
Acknowledgments
OMG - where do I even begin? There are so many behind the scenes stuff that takes place before the book is released to the world. So my acknowledgements are from the book’s infancy to when it is born and ready for the world:
I have to thank the 405 freeway in Los Angeles for allowing me endless hours of sitting in traffic to be able to come up with book ideas and character concepts - LOL.
Thanks to my Cover Designer pro_ebookcovers for the fabulous cover - I always seem to need the cover first before I dive into writing.
Thanks to Ashli and Vanessa for reading the book, one chapter at a time, providing feedback all along the way - I honestly do not think you two know how helpful you have been and the huge difference it makes when you offer feedback. LOVE YOU BOTH (yes, you are my daughters, but still…haha).
Thank you to all of my author friends who continue to support me in this journey. Our conversations (even if only on Facebook messenger) are so helpful and at times SO needed when I need to rant or shoot off an idea that I feel needs tweaking. Maria, Roberta, Julie—you are all rock stars!! XO
My Editor…I mean, how FAB is she?! Kathy you have no idea how valued you are and how I SO appreciate you coming through for me on such a tight deadline to help make this book shine. You are beyond amazing and at times I wish I could just hug you (not in a creepy way, haha). THANK YOU!!!
Roberta - You came through when I thought I wasn’t going to have a proofreader and I mean OMG you have NO idea how helpful you were!!! I owe you lunch whenever I make it to Milan. THANK YOU!!!
My Hubby - I LOVE YOU - thank you for listening to all of my writing woos, supporting me when I am stressed, and thank you for reading chapters and offering “guy talk” guidance. You are not just prince charming-ish—you are the real deal. My Prince Charming. XOXO
ARC Team - I know I got this to you later than desired!! So sorry!! Thank you all for your last minute feedback and as always, thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to read the Advanced Copy.
XO Joslyn
Also by Joslyn Westbrook
Delectables in the City Series
The Fifty-Two Week Chronicles
And Coming Soon…
A Cupcake and A Gentleman
Razzle My Dazzle Series
Coming Soon...
Haute Couture
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents, are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2017 by Joslyn Westbrook. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying and information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author or publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Fifth Avenue Publications.
Cover design by pro_ebookcovers
Edited by Indie Editing Chick
First Edition (July 2017)
Second Complete Edition (September 2017)
www.joslynwestbrook.com
Created with Vellum
About the Author
Joslyn Westbrook has been creating stories since grade school. Her passion for writing often led to teachers and college professors reading her stories to the class, showcasing her creativity. Putting her writing on hold, Joslyn pursued a career as a Business Consultant as she raised her children. While she enjoyed working with business owners, she craved what she believed was her true calling - writing. During her free time, Joslyn began writing her romance novels and series of sexy chick-lit style novels to curb her passion for writing. Her work as a Business Consultant has spawned the concept of several characters featured in her books. Joslyn is a self-proclaimed foodie, enjoys shopping, cooking, binge watching on Netflix, and spending time with her husband and children at home in sunny California.
You can connect with Joslyn via the links below:
joslyn@joslynwestbrook.com