Page 11 of Secret Cinderella
She’d had to go to school and face kids laughing at her, and the comments made on Linda’s blog about Charlotte’s crush on Dillon, for weeks.
Her stepsisters had huddled just like that.
She and Jack made it to the back room. “You know, I probably shouldn’t go, even if Linda trash-talks me. I can just deliver Antonio’s phone.”
Jack’s gaze narrowed. “I thought we just decided you’re going.”
Her face was hot. She wiped her watering eyes. “We did… But…”
He stopped in front of the next box. “What?”
She sucked in her bottom lip. Jack was her closest friend and wanted what was best for her. “A Morgan and I… I mean that’s just silly.”
She bounced on her feet and stared at the floor when he asked, “Because why?”
Life was about reaching her goals, yeah? Her dream was right here in this store, about making it successful, not dancing at a party. And fancy dreams never came true. She kissed Jack’s cheek. “Because I want to run a store, not marry a rich guy and stop working. I don’t know what I’d do if suddenly I had no responsibility.”
Jack’s arms on her sides calmed her down and he said, “Well, we’re not marrying you off. It’s just a party and a date.”
Marry a Morgan? Maybe in another universe. She swallowed and said, “Right. One more question…you don’t like me, do you? Nancy made some weird comment earlier.”
He pressed his hand to his heart like she’d just shot him. “Charlotte, you’re the closest thing I have to a… best friend. Now let’s get back to work.”
Right. She wasn’t into her best friend. The only guy who ever saw the real her. Even if he’d developed into the hottest guy in Pittsburgh but had no idea why girls were suddenly interested in him. His muscles were useful to her, not for holding her. That was silly. She relaxed. “Good, because I don’t think I’ve ever been interested in a guy like this. I’m slightly terrified.”
He touched his forehead to hers and said, “He’ll be the lucky one if he wins your heart.”
Jack smelled a little like Antonio if she was honest. Actually, in some ways Jack was better because he was so familiar and she knew his heart was pure and good. She ended the hug and said, “Thanks, Jack.”
They both opened boxes, then he stopped and asked, “One question though.”
“What’s that?”
“If at the party you meet some billionaire who’s a guy you’d want to be with forever, don’t let Linda or any of them stop you.”
“Of course.” She checked the list against the contents of the box. Today she would restock the laundry detergent. In a way this was perfect as bulky took up room so she didn’t have to constantly go back for small things to line up. And she’d do this with Jack, who guaranteed fun and laughter every day.
Chapter 5
Jack checked his tie that his mother had helped him with to ensure it was straight. Tonight everything would change. Hopefully for the best. Charlotte had to attend the announcement that the O’Conners were in fact Morgans.
Jack needed her there like he needed air.
And not on the arms of the Italian brother he’d spent the past night researching online. Antonio was already a father. The mother was Jennifer Gonzales, one of the world’s most beautiful women on the planet, whose backside made men drool.
Charlotte was in over her head with Antonio, and he needed to show her that she had other options. She had… him.
So, Jack knocked on the hotel door where his brother was staying.
No one had questioned him when he’d ridden the elevator, but his shoulders were tight from being out of place in the pristine white hallway with red carpet.
The door opened and behind his Italian half-brother was a crystal chandelier like what he’d seen on the White House tour he’d taken in high school.
This wasn’t anything like the O’Conner house. Jack stepped inside to a suite of hand-carved wooden furniture with white satin upholstery. “Antonio.”
Antonio placed his hand on his shoulder like they were friends and said, “Jack, it’s good to see you again.”
On the cherry wood dining table Jack saw a new phone next to its box and his heart thudded in his chest.
