Secrets of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway Read Free Book Online Page A

the president of Mexico on her last state visit to the country. Dad followed, looking fly injeans, a bespoke fitted shirt, and snakeskin cowboy boots. Sauntering next to him, speaking with animation was—
    â€œOmigod! It’s Cin’Qua!” Hannah about lost her cool when she laid eyes on the hip-hop star wearing several layers of baggy gangsta clothes and about twenty pounds of gold chains. George trailed Cin’Qua, her eyes sweeping the room in Secret Service overdrive. I’d gotten her assigned to Cin’Qua for tonight since Max told me he was her favorite singer. Who knew Little Miss Pixie liked hip-hop? It also meant that I wouldn’t be tripping over her all night.
    Mom headed over to me. “Is it showtime yet, honey? Hi there, Agent Jackson. Hannah.”
    â€œMadam President.” Max morphed into his professional Secret Service persona. The president’s arrival meant that he had to get back to work. To me, he said formally, “Good luck tonight, Morgan.”
    â€œThanks, Max.”
    I watched him head to the security checkpoint station downstairs at the base of the grand staircase and squelched a wistful expression.
    Meanwhile, my super-cool bud Hannah was fan-girling out over meeting the rap singer. “I’ve downloaded all your albums,” she squeaked. “It’s an honor to meet you in person.”
    â€œYo,” came Cin’Qua’s reply.
    Hannah continued to gaze at Cin’Qua in adoration. “Yo,” she repeated dreamily.
    He edged away. “Maybe I should start my sound checks,” he said to Dad and George.
    â€œGood idea,” Dad replied, amused. “I’ll show you the stage.” George cleared the way to the balcony in hyper-professional mode. Hannah followed them at a discreet distance. OMG, she mouthed at me.
    I turned to Mom. “It’s almost time for the guests to arrive.” I gave her a hug. “Thanks for doing this. I know it’s a big time-suck.”
    â€œNo problem, sweetie. It’ll be fun showing your classmates around the White House. If they can tear themselves away from jamming to ‘Shake That.’”
    â€œHow do you know that song?”
    â€œI haven’t been living in a cave for the last six months, honey. I get briefed on pop culture.”
    She threw an awkward gangsta sign, and I busted up. Sometimes my mom could be so cool.
    One of the event management junior staffers approached. “Guests are arriving, Morgan.”
    I turned eagerly to the doorway, ready to be a good hostess….
    Then Brittany Whittaker glided in.
    Gag. Whittaker would be the first to arrive. Figures.
    She’d poured her slender body into a zipper-fronted white jumpsuit that made her look insanely stacked, and she towered over me in four-inch platform wedges. Her eyes zoomed around the room until they landed on my mom. Instantly she tottered over to us.
    Stationed in a discreet but visible corner of the room, Mom’s head agent, Parker, pressed the com on his lapel. Mom shook her head at him. I knew that Mom had issued a special order to drop Brittany from the Watch List kept by the Secret Service against possible threats to the president. “I couldn’t let her go through life with that hanging over her head,” Mom had said when I told her I wanted to keep the White House a Brittany-free environment. “She learned her lesson.”
    â€œPresident Abbott,” Brittany began with a fake-humble smile. “It’s such an honor to be here. And what a lovely shade of brown you’re wearing. It really sets off your coloring.” Her eyes darted to me in my colorful print dress. “Sometimes subtlety works best in fashion, don’t you think?”
    â€œWhat a lovely compliment, Brittany. Thank you. And don’t worry, I’m not holding any press conferences tonight.”
    Mom! Oh snap !
    â€œI want to apologize again for what happened. I thought,