"Shanna Swendson - Damsel under Stress" - читать интересную книгу автора (Swendson Shanna)

time. You really could have used a helping hand or two, couldnтАЩt you?тАЭ

I cringed at her description of what I assumed was my dating history. A lot of other peopleтАЩs dating
histories would also have had to be in that book, though, for it to be that fat. My relationship history
wouldnтАЩt have required much more than an index card. тАЬThatтАЩs putting it mildly. So you can see why IтАЩm
confused. If you werenтАЩt around all those years when almost every man I met acted like I was his little
sister or thought I was too boring and nice, then I donтАЩt see why youтАЩre here now.тАЭ

тАЬWe donтАЩt waste time with the little things. We only step in when destiny is at stake, when it matters in
the grand scheme of the universe whether or not you find your fated true love.тАЭ

тАЬFated true loveтАЭ sounded like something out of the worst kind of romance novels. It also sounded like
something out of my wildest fantasies. Fate sure would make finding Mr. Right and knowing he was Mr.
Right a lot easier. If Owen and I really were meant to be together, then I could relax about whether or
not a super-powerful wizard could stay interested in someone like me. Then a doubt struck me. тАЬUm, we
are talking about Owen Palmer here, arenтАЩt we?тАЭ It would have been just my luck if sheтАЩd shown up at
this particular time to hook me up with someone entirely different.

She consulted her book again, flipping through pages and making little humming noises to herself as
she did so. At last she said, тАЬMost definitely. And, my, he seems to have needed even more help than
you did with his past romances. HeтАЩs awfully shy, isnтАЩt he? But then, we only work for women. The men
are on their own.тАЭ She gave a tittering laugh. тАЬAfter all, you donтАЩt hear much about Prince Charming
getting any help from a fairy godmother, only Cinderella.тАЭ

тАЬYeah, but isnтАЩt Cinderella aтАФтАЭ I almost said тАЬa fairy tale,тАЭ but then wondered if that might be
considered offensive. тАЬтАФfiction?тАЭ

She raised one eyebrow above the frame of her glasses, giving her face an even more lopsided
appearance as the glasses dangled precariously off one side of her nose. тАЬThen how would you explain
the fact that almost every human culture has some variation of the classic Cinderella story?тАЭ She sniffed
disdainfully. тАЬThat was one of my biggest triumphs. I even won an award.тАЭ She fished around her
neckline until she hooked a finger on a golden chain, then pulled on the chain to raise a star-shaped medal
from somewhere deep within the layers of clothes. тАЬSee? My claim to fame.тАЭ

тАЬVery nice,тАЭ I said, even though the medal was so tarnished it may have been an award for best apple
pie at the county fair, for all I could tell. I tried to remember all the fairy tales IтАЩd read and
heardтАФbeyond the Disney versions. тАЬBut arenтАЩt there also a lot of stories about fairies helping out
good-hearted younger sons on quests?тАЭ

тАЬThose are fairies, not fairy godmothers,тАЭ she said with an exasperated sigh, like she got that question
a lot. тАЬThere is a significant difference, you know. We have our own kind of magic, very specific powers
and all that. Now, about your case.тАЭ

I heard the door open and turned to look, hoping it wouldnтАЩt be Owen, not yet. Fortunately, it wasnтАЩt.
HeтАЩd picked a very good time to break his punctuality habit. The last thing I wanted was for him to catch
me consulting a fairy godmother. It would give him the totally wrong impression. I turned back to
Ethelinda. тАЬNot that I donтАЩt appreciate the offer, but I really donтАЩt think I need help right now. IтАЩd like to
try to work things out on my own.тАЭ

Her glasses fell off her face, bouncing once on their cord against her ample chest. She looked