Read Online Cinderella Busted (The Cinderella Romances #1) by Petie McCarty - Free Book Online

ex-girlfriend’s house,” Tammy said, earning a glare of her own, “and there is that little deception thing you have going on.”
    “We left the party shortly after we arrived,” Lily argued, “and I’ll tell Rhett who I really am soon.”
    “When?” Rob and Tammy asked in unison.
    “In New York when he can’t just drive me back home and leave me.”
    Her friends both gaped incredulously. Lily gave them a shortened version of the happy half of her date at the beach.
    “I’m convinced,” Tammy said, smiling dreamily. “That sounds so romantic.”
    “Well, I’m not convinced.” Rob scowled. “I think it’s a bad idea. You can’t run home either, you know.”
    “I’ll have my own room,” Lily said petulantly.
    Tammy asked, “Did you happen to tell him that you—”
    “No!” Lily cut her off.
    “Honey, you’re building up a pile of deceptions,” Tammy said gently.
    “I’m not,” Lily cried and jumped to her feet. “We’re still getting to know each other, and it’ll all come out at some point. I’m going to New York, and that’s final. When he likes me enough, I’ll tell him all about the nursery.” She paused at the door. “You two will take of the nursery while I’m gone, right?”
    They both nodded. “Sure.”
    When she left the office, Tammy turned to Rob. “She’s half in love with him already.”
    He nodded slowly.
    “What are we going to do?”
    Rob gave her a bleak look. “Put up storm warnings and ride out the hurricane when it hits.”
    “I really appreciate you going shopping with me,” Lily said and changed lanes amidst the I-95 Saturday morning traffic, squeezing her truck in-between two semis.
    “Are you kidding me?” Tammy all but squealed. “This is huge. An incredibly sexy—and might I add, rich—man is whisking my best friend off for Cinderella’s week in New York City, and she asked me to help pick out the ball gowns!”
    She laughed. “Hardly. A couple cocktail dresses and some tourist clothes.”
    Tammy gave her a pointed look. “And at least one ball gown or a gown any way. Buchanan’s rich. Who knows where he might take you.”
    “It is really exciting.” She grinned and pulled off at the exit for the Palm Beach Gardens Mall.
    “So when are you going to tell him?”
    The smile faded. “I’ll tell him I’m a gardener when we get to New York. Sometime.”
    “No, not that secret. I mean the other.”
    She slanted a glance at Tammy and caught her friend’s knowing look. She heaved a sigh. “I tried to tell him last night.”
    “You already did?” Tammy looked, and sounded, incredulous. “On your first date?”
    She almost cursed when she felt her cheeks grow warm.
    “You’re blushing. It must have been good. Tell me.”
    “I told him I couldn’t sleep with a guy unless I liked him—a lot.”
    “He asked you to sleep with him on the first date?” Tammy left incredulous and shifted straight to appalled.
    Lily’s cheeks grew warmer still. “No, I just thought he did, so I blurted everything out.”
    Tammy started to laugh. Really hard.
    “It’s not funny.”
    “Sorry, Lil, but it really is. So what’d he say?”
    “He said he’d just have to make me like him. A lot.”
    “Ohhh, that is sooo sweet,” Tammy gushed.
    “But he never said he’d care a lot about me ,” Lily argued.
    “Never look a gift horse, girlfriend. At least, you didn’t tell him you had to be in love first, and Rhett didn’t boogie when you said you’d have to care for him before you slept with him. A lot of guys would have.” Tammy beamed at her. “That’s huge. The man is sticking it out.”
    “For now.”
    “Honey, he sounds like a keeper.”
    Lily couldn’t help herself. She grinned. “He does, doesn’t he?” The grin didn’t last long. “There’s still my deception though.”
    Traffic in all three lanes had stopped dead on PGA Boulevard, and emergency lights were visible about a half mile up the road.
    Tammy waved her off. “That