Operation Cinderella Read Online Free PDF Page B

example—looks, personality, and brains, and did I mention I was spiritual?” He did a half turn, arms outstretched, wine slopping over the rim of his glass. Sucking the spillage from his knuckles, he met her gaze with his own suddenly serious brown eyes. “The complete package, Mace. That’s what you deserve and nothing less.”
    She swung her head from side-to-side, getting used to the freedom of shorter hair. “I’m afraid there just aren’t all that many straight guys out there who are complete packages.” With the mainstay of her makeover behind her, she lifted her wineglass and took a sip.
    He paused. “What about Ross Mannon? Does checking out his… package come as part of the assignment?”
    Macie nearly squirted wine from her nose. Coughing, she said, “Are you kidding me? I may be dedicated—okay, borderline nuts—when it comes to my job, but even I’m not so out there that I’d prostitute myself to get a story.”
    Swirling the wine in his glass, he studied her. “That’s some comfort, I suppose. Even though you must be borderline something to saddle yourself with a name like Martha… What was the other half?”
    “It’s Martha Jane , and I’ll have you know it’s my legal name.” Seeing his jaw drop, she added, “If you don’t believe me, I have the driver’s license to prove it. I took Macie Graham as a pen name once I moved here, then I decided if I liked it so much why not use it all the time?”
    If she’d stuck with Martha Jane Gray, she’d still be writing fluff pieces instead of covering the meatier, grittier assignments that had made her want to be a journalist in the first place. The name change had been powerfully symbolic of the fresh start she was making. It had meant putting to rest the naïve, altogether too trusting small-town girl she’d once been—forever.
    Or so she’d thought.
    For the next six weeks she’d signed herself up to not only walk the walk, but talk the talk of the very creature she’d sworn to never ever be—a sickeningly sweet, simpering old-fashioned girl. As transformations went, it amounted to Cinderella in reverse. But glancing down to the pile of hair at her feet, she told herself that no sacrifice was too great. She wanted to knock Prince Ross off his high horse once and for all. She wanted it bad. Galvanized to get going, she started up from the salon seat.
    Franc’s voice stayed her. “Not so fast. Nathan and I have a prezzie for you.” Over his shoulder, he called loudly, “Nathan, love, pull your nose out of the Excel spreadsheets and come here. It’s time.”
    Before she could ask what he was up to, he reached down into his styling station and withdrew what looked to be a vintage wooden shoebox. Straightening, he turned around and held it out to her.
    Taking it and setting it in her lap, Macie was dumbfounded—and deeply touched. Being on the receiving end of a gift was never something she expected—or knew quite how to take. “What’s the occasion?”
    Franc shrugged. “No occasion. You’ve been such a supporter of the Salon, with all the fab coverage in On Top , and such a great friend to Nathan and me that when we saw these and heard the legend, we knew they were meant for you.”
    Shuffling out from the stockroom in a cardigan and khaki pants, a pen pushed behind one ear and a camera in hand, Nathan called, “Wait for me.” Coming to stand beside Franc, he raised the camera. “Okay, open it.”
    Macie lifted the hinged lid to the camera’s pop. Unfurling the tissue paper, she carefully took out one shoe. “Oh…my…God!”
    The vintage ruby velvet-covered high heel was in mint condition and dated from the late thirties or early forties, Macie surmised, based on the styling and exquisite detailing. Amber crystals beaded the strap and the vamp above the peep toe, flashing like flawless canary diamonds.
    Smiling broadly, Franc nodded. “Vintage Saks and first worn by the famous film star Maddie Mulligan. She had them on