Page 53 of Daddy's Princess

My mom laughs. “Fine, fine. Then you must call me Eloise.”

Britney gives her a winning smile. One of the fakest smiles that I’ve seen, though my mom doesn’t seem to notice. “Okay, Eloise, if you insist.”

“I was just showing Oliver your drawings. They are simply breathtaking. Don’t you think, darling?”

It doesn’t matter that I’m thirty-five years old, my mom has called me her ‘darling boy’ my entire life. I doubt that’s going to ever change. “I have to admit they are quite good. Ms. Chamberson, I am curious if you’ve got this kind of talent, why have you not shown this kind of potential in your other projects?”

Britney looks at the ground as if in shame, though her body language is slightly off. It’s like she’s play-acting at being ashamed, rather than actually being ashamed. “I’m really sorry that I disappointed you.”

My mom wraps her arm around Britney. “There, there, dear, it’s okay. It’s not easy when you’re tasked with finishing up someone else’s work. It can be intimidating.”

“It really is.”

I sift through the pictures laid out on my desk again, stopping on the one that depicts an old woman. It’s phenomenal. Maybe one of the best drawings I’ve ever seen. “Can you tell me the inspiration behind this one?”

Britney moves around the desk until she’s standing directly beside me, then she leans over enough that her shirt gapes slightly. “I never got to meet either of my grandmother’s; they were both gone before I was born… I always imagined what it would be like to have a grandma.”

She’s saying the perfect words, but they don’t ring true. I can’t quite put my finger on why, though. I flip through several more pages and stop on one of the charcoal drawings. This one is a close up of a man and woman kissing. It’s so detailed it looks as if you could put your hand into the drawing and touch the couple.

“I need to go make a quick call. Silly me, I left my phone down in the car. I’ll be right back,” my mom says.

“We will be just fine, Eloise,” Britney says, giving me a salacious look. “Won’t we, Oliver?”

I’m about to correct her because I don’t want her using my first name, but my mom interrupts before I get the chance. “Great! Keep showing him your beautiful artwork.”

I watch my mom’s back as she strides away, dread filling my veins at being left alone with Britney. I don’t trust her.

Surprisingly, Britney is on her best behavior. We go through almost every drawing. She tells me the inspiration behind each one… some of her stories fit with the images, but others feel slightly off.

“Tell me about this one.” I point to the kissing couple.

She leans in closer, putting her hand on my upper arm. “Or I could show you…”

Her lips are on mine for half a second. Because that’s how long it takes me to push her back. I stand so fast my chair crashes to the ground behind me.

“What the fuck was that?”

Britney smiles at me, reaching to the top button of her shirt. “I thought that was obvious. You deserve a real woman. Not some little girl playing dress up in her mommy’s clothes.”

I grab her wrists and pull them away from her shirt before she can undo any more buttons. “Ms. Chamberson, you’re fired.”

She gapes at me for a moment before yanking her hands out of my grip. “We’ll see about that. If I go, those pictures go with me.” She points to the drawings spread across my desk. “How will dear ol’ mom feel about her favorite new illustrator being fired before she even officially gets the job?”

“I’d say dear ol’ mom would tell you not to let the door hit you on your plastic ass on the way out,” my mom says from the doorway.

Britney turns toward her voice with wide eyes. “Eloise, I’m so sorry. Oliver, he came on to me, and when I told him no, he tried to fire me.”

My mom claps her hands. “That was an Oscar-worthy performance, really, but I heard the whole thing. Besides, why would Oliver want a plastic Barbie doll wannabe when he has a real woman already?”

Britney stomps her foot. Literally stomps her foot like a child. She doesn’t have a chance to speak again because security appears a moment later. I raise an eyebrow at my mom. She gives a little shrug.

“I might’ve texted Lois while I was eavesdropping on your little conversation.”

“Get your hands off me!” Britney jerks out of Lois’ hands and storms out of the office.

“I’ll make sure she makes it out of the building and get her security clearance revoked. Anything else I can do for you, ma’am?” Lois smiles kindly at my mother, and she blushes.

“Um, no. That’s all. Thank you, Lois.”

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