The Cinderella Project (A Comedy of Love, #1) Read Free Page A

the chances her stepsister did, hoping that Ella would just fade away.
    “But one day that all changed.”
    She smiled. “I love this part.”
    “A handsome young man named Prince Nicholas came riding into town. Nicholas was a good soul, kind to children, animals and visiting politicians.”
    “Oh, you,” she said, slapping me lightly.
    “Prince Nicholas had come from a far -off land in order to complete his princely education. Suitably enough, Prince Nicholas was studying love. Fortunately for him, all the princesses and maids in the county noticed his studies and wanted to give him first-hand experience.”
    Ella stiffened surprisingly and tightened her grip, but I spoke before she could. “But none of the fair ladies were quite fair enough and Prince Nicholas knew that his heart’s desire lay elsewhere.” Ella relaxed, but left me wondering.
    “And so he plowed through his education, always longing for that one, special someone to whom he could give his ring. He was nigh ready to cease searching when he heard of a large, formal ball that was to be thrown in honor of the school’s hundredth anniversary. It was to be a grand gala, with lords and ladies from all corners of the campus. Furthermore, it was to be a costumed ball, in order to celebrate the ‘Many Faces of the University.’
    “Prince Nicholas was delighted at such an opportunity. Perhaps he would finally meet his one, true love. In any royal case,” I continued, “at the insistence of his sister, Prince Nicholas decided to disguise himself as a prince from times of yore. He knew this would draw the hordes of gold-digging vampire women that infested the campus, but he braved the ordeal nonetheless, in hopes that one of the ladies would be real. Little did he know that the very woman Destiny had selected as his bride would attend the ball that very night.”
    My voice quieted for effect. “With help from a godmother, Ella had escaped from her wicked stepmother and stepsister. Ella knew that the stepmother and stepsister were very fond of this godmother, for she was the very godmother of Ella’s stepsister, who shall remain nameless.”
    Ella giggled again, but said nothing.
    “Ella and her one, true girlfriend raided a local costume shop, intent on making it gloriously obvious that Ella was, indeed, the most beautiful girl at the ball. Ella would dance in the guise of a masked angel, come from Heaven above to bless the royal ball and to answer some lucky sap’s prayers.
    “That lucky sap—our handsome prince—had been at the ball for hours by the time Ella the angel had arrived. He’d used his powers of distraction to deflect an eager freshman girl or twenty and was nearly ready to throw in the towel when… she appeared.”
    “I love this part, too,” Ella said, sighing.
    “It had just so happened that one of the roving spotlights—put in place to make the dance floor an epileptic’s nightmare—seized up just at the precise moment that she materialized… right in the middle of the spotlight’s glow.”
    I dropped my voice to just above a whisper. “A hush fell over the crowd. Who could this gorgeous being be? Surely no mortal woman could look that celestial. Surely, no mere human girl could have such sparkling, crystal blue eyes; such long, golden locks; such a radiant smile and such a hot, sexy figure.”
    “You are such a flirt, Nicholas Cairn,” she said, jabbing me playfully in the ribs.
    “Yes, I know. But as I was saying, the crowd was stunned. Prince Nicholas knew at once that he had been saved from a life as an internet-surfing bachelor. At once, our prince battled his way through the swarm of males gathered around her. As the last man fell beneath the righteous fury of Prince Nicholas’ assault, his eyes finally met hers. Lady Luck smiled on the young prince and the heavenly woman graced him with a dance.” I smiled at the memory. It was one of my better ones.
    “You stole my breath, Nicky. Why would I not dance with a