Free Secrets of the Sisterhood (The Cinderella Society, Episode 1) by Kay Cassidy Page A

section. Sadly, they were all empty except for brief overviews.
    Gaby peeked her head out of her office, and I guiltily dropped the pages hoping she hadn’t seen me trying to skip ahead.
    “If you guys need anything,” she said, “I’ll be in here for the rest of the day. Since tomorrow’s your first full Alpha class, try to get through the Welcome section and the other overviews before then so you’re ready to dive into phase one of your makeover.”
    The magic word had finally been uttered.
    Visions of potential gorgeousness and Sarah Jane-caliber popularity toyed with my focus. We might have to learn about the Sisterhood first, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t dream about what came next. I was surrounded by the In crowd, held a top-secret guide to fabulousness in my hands, and had the junior prom queen playing fairy godmother for my very own ultimate life makeover. It had all the makings of a full-blown fairy tale.
    Except that everything about our mission prickled the hairs on my neck.
    The Cindys might veer into Makeoverland, but the Sisterhood was a force to be reckoned with. Unlike the movies, we weren’t battling evil villains in a far-off land. Our villains were right here at home. And I would’ve bet my cherished Kate Spade purse that Lexy was as Wicked as they came. Which meant Lexy and I were destined for more run-ins, whether I wanted them or not.
    Lexy might’ve bested me so far, but I was ready to test Gaby’s theory that the Cindys could help me do battle with Lexy and win.

Chapter Twelve

    Sundays are my favorite days to work at Mosaic.
    I love catering to the laid-back crowd that always seems to congregate there after church. Mom and Dad are early risers, so we go to first service and then I head to the store with Nan while Dad takes Mom to brunch to indulge her latest craving—currently French toast and blueberry syrup. Which is a huge improvement over her craving phase of sweet pickles and cinnamon toast. Together . I couldn’t even be in the same room with her when I heard the pop of the pickles jar.
    Pregnancy is so weird.
    On the weekends, most of our business tends to be in the store for Nan’s custom tea blends. Nan is a master herbalist, so people flock to Mosaic from all over to try her herbal blends for everything from sore throats to indigestion. Nan’s a tree hugger from way back, so anything that helps people stay healthy naturally makes her happy.
    Mayor Shellenbarger—everyone calls him Shel—helped Nan set up a Web site about a year ago so people could order online. Her teas are crazy in-demand on the Internet now. That’s the only reason she can afford to hire employees. Like moi .
    Local business is pretty slow during the week. Mostly filling online orders. But Nan likes that locals come into the store just to chill in the little café. She calls Mosaic a gathering place. It’s where stay-at-home moms come to decompress over steaming cups of chai while their kids are at school. Where retirees come to read the paper or catch up with Nan, sipping oolong tea with ginseng.
    Even with a hopping online business in the back room, the vibe in the store is really relaxing and inclusive. The kind of place that makes you feel at home the second you walk in the door.
    Picture the polar opposite of high school. You get the idea.
    Nan was in the back packaging up a huge order for a wellness resort in San Diego, so my job was rebuilding the pyramid of her best-selling sampler boxes and making sure the glass jars were all well stocked with loose tea.
    I was refilling a tall jar by the cash register with Nan’s mandarin orange memory boost blend when the door chimed with another customer. The one I’d been hoping to see.
    She stepped in, saw me, and turned to make a quick exit.
    “Hi, Heather!”
    New Kid Rule #1: If you wave at someone and use her name, only a jerk will completely ignore you.
    True fact. Most people at least grunt a greeting in return. Nan says using someone’s