Ambition (Private 7)

I noticed for the first time that her bangs were no longer pink. Instead, her blond hair was streaked with royal blue.

"Do tell," Noelle said, looking up at me as she tore off a chunk of her bagel. "We should hold the fund-raiser in New York," I an-

nounced. The Billings Girls murmured in excitement and tired eyes brightened all around our two tables. My heart fluttered with

pride. "Most of the Easton alumni live there or close by, so why not bring the party to the money?" I suggested. "Absolument!" Sabine

exclaimed. "I have always wanted to visit New York!" "It's perfect," Tiffany chimed in. "And we should definitely do it before

Thanksgiving," I added as I took my seat across from Noelle. "Before everyone starts jetting off on their holiday vacations."

"Reed, you are so brill," Portia said with a smile. "But that's less than three weeks," Missy, or Miss Negative, put in from behind

me. All I wanted to do was turn around and yank on her braid, but it was way too kindergarten. "We can pull it off," Noelle told her.

"My mom and I organized my dad's fiftieth in less than a week. We always forget his birthday until the last minute," she added,

rolling her eyes. "And he's such a baby if he doesn't get his party."

I smirked. I had never met Noelle's parents, but I imagined her father as a Daddy Warbucks type, all bluster and bravado. So some-

how, thinking of him getting pouty over a party amused me. "Reed Brennan," a silky male voice said at my side. I looked up into the

stunning blue eyes of Hunter Braden, the number one most sought after guy on the Easton campus. Every single girl at my table minus

Noelle blushed at the very sight of him. His tousled blond hair, chiseled cheekbones, and rumpled-prep style had been splashed over

all of New York's favorite rags at the end of last year when he'd briefly dated a certain hotel magnate's daughter and disappeared with

her for several days to some remote island I had never heard of. Ever since, all the gossip on campus had been about whom he'd date

next. "Hunter," I replied as coolly as possible, even though I could feel my face overheating. Even my broken heart was not immune

to his gorgeousness and charm. He was wearing a wrinkled Ralph Lauren oxford in light blue, with a yellow and navy striped tie casu-

ally loosened around his neck--and pulling the look off like nobody's business. Two books were hooked in his fingers at his side. No

one had ever seen Hunter with anything so prosaic as a book bag.

"I want to take you out," he said with an almost irresistible smile. "This weekend." Someone behind me literally gasped. Noelle's

eyes widened across the table. I was so stunned I couldn't even speak. Then Vienna kicked my shin so hard I saw stars. Damn pointed-

toe boots. "Um." Ow. "That's really nice, but... can I let you know later?" I feared the pain Vienna might inflict upon me if I gave him

an outright no. Besides, it never hurts to play hard-to-get, right? Hunter appeared confused. Most likely no one had ever done anything

but blurt an emphatic yes to one of his offers. "Excuse me?" he said. "Well, it's just..." I just broke up with the love of my life. I wasn't

sure I was ready to start dating. Especially not someone like Hunter Braden. Somehow I knew the experience of going out with him

would be overwhelming even if I wasn't on the rebound.

"I have so much to do right now with the fund-raiser and everything.... I just have to... check my schedule," I rambled. "Thanks for

asking, though." I could feel the poisonous looks of every one of my friends boring into my skin from all angles. How dare I put off

Hunter Braden? Hunter, however, simply smiled. "You check that schedule of yours." He took a couple steps backward and spread his