Cheated (Mr. Control Freak)

V. HE TOTALLY WANTS YOU

My hands were shaking from nervous energy and excitement as I neared the door, belonging to the beautiful mansion. The moment I have been waiting for had finally arrived. I pressed a finger into the doorbell and drew in a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

The large door opened and I entered, looking around for someone to direct me to where I was supposed to be.

"This way miss." A tall man with snow white hair, dressed in a nicely tailored, black suit announced.

I nodded and followed the butler up the marble staircase and into a cream colored room. Sitting five feet away from me was Poppy Papanov.

"You're late." She spoke after I had stood there, for God knows how long, awe struck.

"Sorry. I'm spanish, it's in my genes to be late." I joked, trying to lighten the currently tense mood.

However, Poppy didn't laugh, she didn't even crack a smile.

"I want a natural look, please make sure you contour my face correctly." She told me, looking in the mirror of her vanity. I nodded and quickly got to work.

Normally, I preferred client sessions over working on the movie sets because they felt more personal, but when I worked with her on the set, she was much less uptight.

I finished up quickly and moved aside so Poppy could see her reflection. I smiled at her hopefully, waiting for a reaction.

"I knew I made a good decision choosing you. You can leave now, Alfred will pay you." She smiled slightly and dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

My jaw dropped, I worked so hard on this woman's face and she couldn't even say a direct thank you. After Alfred paid me, I left the house feeling slightly disappointed.

Do remember when you were a kid and you wanted something so bad and when you finally got it, you were extremely let down? That's sort of how I'm feeling right now. Sometimes I think it's best that certain dreams stay just that, a dream, at least then, there's nothing to ruin it.

***

By the end of this movie I better have great calves. I was assigned to a sci-fi movie, and as much as I like doing special effects makeup, it takes so damn long. I have to wake up at an inhumanely early hour to basically paint someone's face for six hours straight. Like I'm not a morning person, I'm a night owl. Thankfully, it's Thursday so the week will be over soon enough.

I dropped my purse by the door and threw my keys on the coffee table. Home sweet home, all the peace and quiet I could ever want, I thought, collapsing on the couch.

My eyelids had just connected when my phone decided to ring abnormally loud.

What could Max possibly want from me right now! I thought picking it up.

"Que pasa?" I answered.

"Nothing much, just wondering if you could do a favor for your best friend."

Of course he was asking for something. Why can't people just call or text to say hi anymore?

"Since when are we best friends and what do you want?"

"I need you to go to this gala with me on Saturday, my date cancelled" he explained, "and before you tell me to ask Natasha, we both know the answer to that."

I laughed because that was exactly what I was thinking.

"What time? Because I need to do a clients face."

"Around eight but it's fine if you're a little late."

"You owe me one, Codwell."

"Of course."