If the Shoe Fits
Authors: Sandra D. Bricker
If the Shoe Fits
Sandra D. Bricker’s oh-so-modern fairy tale—Cinderella without the cinders, an unexpected Charming, and glass slippers flying—is a sophisticated delight from the first word to the last, with an ending as satisfying as crème brûlée. A story of the richest kind of love,
If the Shoe Fits
does!
CYNTHIA RUCHTI
, author of
When the Morning Glory Blooms
Sandra D. Bricker’s Cinderella-esque
If the Shoe Fits
is a delightful blend of faith, humor, romance, and finding Happily Ever After in unexpected places. Truly, a fun and satisfying read.
TAMARA LEIGH,
Carol Award–winning author
Any book by Sandra D. Bricker is a bright spot in my day! I’ve been a fan since
Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida
. Her stories are clever, and she creates characters you can’t help caring about.
ANNIE JONES,
bestselling author
If the Shoe Fits
is a delightful retelling of a classic fairy tale as only Sandra D. Bricker can write it. With her trademark humor, Bricker weaves the laugh-out-loud story of romance gone awry—as they often do—and weaves in the truth that Happily Ever After is often closer than we realized.
BETH K. VOGT,
author of
Wish You Were Here
and
Catch a Falling Star
If the Shoe Fits
is a hilarious romp from the first fender-bender to the very end. The characters leapt off the page and into my heart, making me laugh and, at the same time, wondering when they would wise up and fall in love already! When they did, well, it was definitely worth the wait. The shoe? It definitely fit! Do not miss this one!
KATHLEEN Y’BARBO,
bestselling author of
Flora’s Wish
If the Shoe Fits
—written by the queen of romantic comedy, Sandra D. Bricker—is a rollicking good tale of a girl who’s looking for her Prince Charming. If you love to laugh, if you sigh over good love stories, then you’ve got a treat waiting for you. Novel Rocket and I give it a high recommendation.
ANE MULLIGAN,
senior editor, Novel Rocket
If the Shoe Fits
turns the story of Cinderella on its head in Sandra D. Bricker’s fun new romantic comedy. Bricker does a great job of telling a fast-paced story that offers laughs as well as faith, and a whole lotta heart.
LINDA S. CLARE,
novelist (whose alter ego,
Miss Writerly Cranky-pants
, “gripes so you don’t have to”)
Romantic, witty, and charming. You’re going to fall in love with
If the Shoe Fits
! This modern-day fairy tale will have you laughing, sighing, and dreaming of Happily Ever Afters.
ANITA HIGMAN,
award-winning author of thirty-two books
If the Shoe Fits
is the perfect blend of romance, humor, and heart. One heroine who wants the storybook Happily Ever After and one hero who needs the courage to face I Love You, and you have a recipe for love triumphing over a friendship too important to risk. Sprinkle in a delightful cast of supporting characters, and you have a romance you’ll delight to read.
CARA PUTMAN,
award-winning author
For Rachelle, Marian, and Barbara.
You three wear the whole cheerleader thing so well!
And special thanks to
Deb and Michele at River North.
© 2013 by
SANDRA D. BRICKER
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group.
Edited by Cheryl Dunlop Molin
Interior design: Ragont Design
Cover design: DogEared Design, LLC
Cover images: iStock 15363933, 4431227, 3379029
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bricker, Sandra D.
If the shoe fits / Sandra D. Bricker.
pages cm
Summary: “Julianne used to believe in fairy tales; she’s been watching for Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed ever since the day her mother read her Cinderella for the first time. But she’s never come close to finding the perfect man–instead she’s always tripping over her childhood best friend, Will. And who finds her Prince Charming on a 10-speed bicycle on the other side of the cul de sac? She and Will are attorneys now, and they’ve joined up in private practice in a beautiful Cincinnati office building that overlooks the Ohio River. And then one day Julianne is on her way to court, and runs right smack dab into Prince Charming. But when she looks again, all she finds is a metaphoric sign she is certain came straight from heaven: The Prince’s toolbox has fallen off the back of his truck, and a work boot along with it. What better way for God to grab the attention of a Cinderella-in-training than to show her a glass slipper … errrr, work boot? … waiting to be reunited with its owner? So she sets out to track down the mysterious Prince Charming. He’s the most gorgeous guy she’s ever seen … and a caring animal rescuer, too. Surely he must be the soul mate God has prepared her for. But, Julianne’s prince is starting to look less and less charming all the time”– Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-8024-0628-6 (pbk.)
1. Women lawyers–Fiction. 2. Cincinnati (Ohio)–Fiction. I. Title.
PS3602.R53I3 2013
813’.6–dc23
2012044784
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Once upon a time, in an enchanting village called Cincinnati, a beautiful fair-haired princess went in search of her prince. She searched high and low for the one who’d been set aside just for her
.
And right about the time that temptation persuaded her to abandon all hope of finding him …
“Hang on!” Julianne
shouted at the cell phone already in flight and hurtling toward the empty passenger seat of her white PT Cruiser. “Ooooh, hang on, Will!”
She pumped the brakes frantically, clutching the steering wheel so that her fingers ached, and virtually ignoring the stream of diet Coke running from the overturned paper cup in her lap. Speeding toward the rear bumper of the sport utility in front of her, she squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the impact.
When her car jerked to a violent stop, Julianne cautiously opened one eye and then the other.
“Jules? What’s going on? Jules? Are you all right?”
Julianne looked down to find the cell phone teetering in the half-filled bowl of water on the floor of the car. A bug-eyed goldfish swam around it in wide, frantic circles.
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” she said and cringed, gently lifting the phone from the water and shaking it drip-dry. “I’ll bet that was scary for you, huh?”
“Jules? … Talk to me.”
“Oh,” she said with a start, crinkling her nose as she held the damp instrument to her ear. “Will. Sorry. Some guy up ahead of me slammed on his brakes and nearly caused a three-car pileup, with me as the caboose!”
“Did anyone get hit?”
“No. It seems like we all narrowly escaped the impa—”
Before she could complete the thought, squealing tires traversed into grinding steel and shattering glass, falling to silence after one final
thud!
from somewhere behind her.
The monotonous clank of her windshield wipers drew Julianne from her state of shock. She pushed the button to lower her car window and poked her head out into the rain.
“What’s going on?” Will’s muffled voice called out to her.
