Ambition (Private 7)

know what to make of me. They both just stared. "Reed Brennan," Hunter said. Even through all the misery and posturing, it killed me

the way he said my full name. So. Hot. "Knew you'd come around." "I know a good offer when I see one," I replied smoothly.

Hunter's smile widened. West looked grim for a moment, thinking, probably, that I had blown him off because I liked Hunter, but then

he and Trey started up their own private conversation. He hadn't texted me yet, as he had promised, and I supposed he wouldn't now.

Oh well. I could only deal with one high-profile conquest at a time anyway.

Hunter produced his BlackBerry from his pocket. He slid it across to me, then folded his hands on the table. "Give me your digits."

I picked it up, leaning my elbows on the table so that the Black- Berry would be more visible, and slowly typed in my numbers. It was

at that moment that Josh got up and stormed out of the dining hall, leaving Ivy all alone. One gulp of guilt. Just one. That was all I al-

lowed myself. And after that, I just felt good. Really good. Maybe it's wrong, but I did. Josh was canoodling with the enemy. And af-

ter all, I'm only human.

* * *

That afternoon after class, I walked back to Billings to change for my final soccer game of the season, my head bent as I hungrily

read Vanity Fair--the novel, not the magazine--which was the new assignment for English class. I had read the book before and hated

it. Now I couldn't for the life of me remember why. It was a good thing that people had started to dodge out of my way wherever I

went, like we all used to do as freshmen back at Croton High when the seniors appeared in the hall. Otherwise I would have been

blindly mowing people over. "Reed! Reed! Wait up!"

I ripped myself out of Becky Sharpe's world and back into my own. Students peppered the walks and the doorways of dorms, chat-

ting before club meetings and practices and study sessions. I was halfway across the quad, between the class building and Billings, and

had been about to trip over a stone bench. Good thing whoever was calling me had stopped me.

"Hey!" Jason Darlington jogged up to me, his cheeks ruddy from the cold and exertion. His shaggy, reddish-brown hair fell perfect-

ly in place, the bangs almost covering his blue eyes. Jason was cute in that innocuous Disney Channel way. He had, in fact, been a

child actor, but had nev

er hit the big time. "How do you walk so fast and read at the same time?" he asked with a smile. "Special tal-

ent," I replied. "What's up? Did you miss the English assignment?" "Nah, I was just curious why you agreed to go out with Hunter

Braden," Jason said, tossing his bangs back. They fell right back into place. "You deserve better." Okay, presumptuous. How did this

guy know what I deserved? But still, I realized he was complimenting me, so I let it go. "I mean, did you notice that the only pronoun

in his vocabulary is I?" Jason joked. I laughed. "He does have a bit of a self-confidence issue. In that he has too much." "Exactly," Ja-

son said, exhibiting some adorable dimples. "So forget about him and go out with me instead. I promise I've heard of the word you."

Okay, was it just me, or had three cute, popular guys just asked me out in the space of three days? Even for a Billings Girl, this was

pushing it. I narrowed my eyes, recalling that Jason was number three on our eligible-bachelor list, right after Hunter and Dominic.