Chapter 26
“If you walk through that door looking like that, you will ruin this little girl’s party. You will guarantee she never believes in happy ever after.” Nicole pressed her fairy wings against the back door. Her arms stretched to her sides, blocking Lucy from walking around her friend.
“You’re being ridiculous,” Lucy protested. “Move.”
“Your eyes are red and blotchy,” Nicole said. “You look like you’ve been crying for days.”
“I spent my morning at the hospital,” Lucy snapped.
Nicole cocked her head but didn’t lower her arms. “You wept after seeing Cara? I thought you said she was doing better than expected.”
“She is,” Lucy admitted. “But I still cried.”
“This has nothing to do with your billionaire boyfriend who flew from New York to have coffee with you?”
He’s not my billionaire, Lucy thought. Not anymore.
The tears threatened again, but she channeled the flood into anger. Red eyes and a river of mascara was a poor look for Cinderella.
“Move or we’ll be late,” Lucy growled. “My eyes are fine now.”
“You cried after your date, didn’t you?” Nicole said. Her arms lowered an inch and Lucy darted forward. But the fairy was faster. Nicole blocked her grab for the door handle.
“Yes,” Lucy admitted. “You’re right. I cried the entire ride from the airport.”
She’d had a pity party for one in the back of Jared Mitchell’s stretch limo. He’d wanted to try to make their relationship work. And she’d shot him down.
I did the right thing, she told herself. I know what I want from a relationship, and this isn’t it.
“Now will you let me through the door?” Lucy asked. “I can fix my makeup before show time. But we need to get to the party site—”
The front doorbell cut her off. Lucy glanced over her shoulder. The tap, tap, tap of high-heeled shoes on hardwood filled the entryway and drifted into the kitchen.
“Lucy,” Emma bellowed from the front hall. “There’s a gentleman at the door.”
Jared came back.
Lucy gathered her gown in her hands and then hesitated. Delaney needed her. She couldn’t waste time listening to Jared’s reassurances that he would make their relationship work. Not now.
I’ll tell him to get back on his plane, she thought. Then she spun on her glass slippers. She raced down the hall. The sound of flapping fairy wings told her that Nicole was on her heels. Lucy stopped abruptly by the stairs.
That’s not Jared.
Emma held the door open for a tall, slim man in a black suit and hat. She recognized the gentleman from her ill-fated coffee date. Jared hadn’t cast aside his work, his company, and the foundation of his life—for her.
Of course not, she thought bitterly. Why would he?
Love. Well, that was one reason. But clearly heart-felt emotions remained a footnote in Jared’s life. She’d been right to end their relationship.
“Did you forget something?” Lucy asked Jared’s driver.
“Mr. Mitchell requests the pleasure of your company.” The driver scanned her ball gown and then executed a half bow.
“Now?” Lucy sputtered. Jared had sent for her now, knowing she was on her way to Delaney’s party? She frowned at the driver.
Nicole moved to her side and took her hand. “We’re running late. Mr. Mitchell can wait. Forever.”
“He sent a message.” The driver stepped forward and held out a small slip of paper. “The receptionist from The Mitchell Fund’s office asks that you please excuse the handwriting.”
Lucy unfolded the paper.
Dear Scared to Fall in Love,
You’re afraid I’ll forget you. But I won’t. Not for a day or even an hour. Please give me a chance to make your dreams come true. Follow the map. X marks the spot where our magic begins, but it won’t end there.
I’m not leaving you. Not ever again.
Your Prince,
Jared
Below the note, Jared—or rather Jared’s receptionist—had drawn a map. She recognized Cinderella’s castle at the top of the carefully drawn street labeled Main Street USA. An X marked the spot at the base of the iconic structure, near the performance stage.
“That’s a long drive,” she murmured.
“Yes, miss,” the man said. “We need to leave now if we’re going to make it in time.”
“But Jared’s on his way to New York,” she protested. “I saw him get on the plane.”
I sound like Ms. Scared to Fall in Love, she thought.
“The pilot assured me that Mr. Mitchell would be there with plenty of time.” The driver glanced back at his limo. “We won’t be so lucky if we don’t leave soon.”
Emma turned to Lucy, and her eyes narrowed. “What exactly happened on your coffee date, Lucy? What did you say that made Jared abandon his trip to New York?”
“I told him it was over,” Lucy said flatly.
“That would do it,” Nicole murmured.
Emma nodded and then turned to face the driver. “She’s not going anywhere with you. Lucy is not at Jared Mitchell’s beck and call. She’s going to work.” Her friend began closing the door.
“Wait!” Lucy cried.
Emma froze. She looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. “Lucy, you can’t miss Delaney’s party because Jared happens to have a few hours free and a whim to see you again. I won’t let him toy with you like this.”
She met Princess Belle’s stare. “Jared addressed his note to Scared to Fall in Love. Do you think I’m hiding behind fear, Em?”
Her friend’s regal look turned to a pure Emma expression—pity. “You have every right to be afraid. Your ex was horrible to you. And now Jared is expecting you to drop everything because he sent a limo?”
Lucy nodded. “Yes, but this time’s different. Jared is staying. See for yourself.” She held out the note.
Emma propped the door open with her foot and snatched the paper. “Hmm,” she murmured, scanning the paper.
“On the ride to the airport,” Lucy said softly. “When I explained what I need from a relationship, he told me that I was his world.”
“Then he got on a plane and flew away. Back to New York and whatever waits for him there,” Nicole said.
“I told him to leave,” Lucy said. “I didn’t give him another option. What if he’s making a choice now? What if this is my fairy tale?”
“You don’t honestly believe that do you?” Nicole said.
“I believe in Jared,” Lucy announced. “He’s right. I’ve viewed our relationship through a lens of fear from the start. I compared him to Barrett every step of the way. And that’s not fair to either of us.”
“Because Jared lied to you,” Nicole pointed out.
“I’ll give Jared the benefit of the doubt.” Emma tapped her golden shoe as she glanced out at the stretch limo.
“But what about the next time?” Nicole demanded. “Or next year when he’s missing his wild, fast-moving life in New York?”
“I don’t know,” Lucy said. “I can’t possibly know what will happen. But I’m certain that if I don’t accept this invitation, if I let my fears win, then I’ll never know what could have been.”
“I suppose Delaney will understand if we explain that you left to chase your Happy Ever After,” Emma said slowly.
“She will,” Lucy said.
“But before you get in that limo,” Emma continued. “You need to go upstairs and take off your gown. You can’t go anywhere looking like—”
“Cinderella?” Lucy smiled at her. “You’re a great matchmaker, Em. Really. You’re the best.” She turned, kicked off her glass slippers, and raced up the stairs.
“Please hurry,” the driver called. “We don’t have much time.”
“What if he breaks her heart?” Nicole’s sharp tone reached her as Lucy mounted the top step.
“We’ll be here to put her back together again,” Emma said.
Lucy stepped onto the second floor landing and barreled down the hall to her bedroom. She would think about the potential heartbreak later. Right now, she chose to believe in his prince.
“Please, please don’t let me down, Jared.”