Ambition (Private 7)

wait. Said the studios are long overdue for a purging." "Are you sure he's okay with this?" I asked, turning to her. "I know he's usually

pretty busy." "Yeah, but he knows how much Billings means to me, so he's going to clear his weekend," Tiffany said with a shrug of

her slim shoulders. "He even said he'll donate all the film and developing, so his involvement won't cost us a thing." "Wow. This is

amazing," I said, dollar signs floating through my head. "Frederica's donating her time too," Noelle added as the other girls took off

their coats and slung them over various chairs with their bags. "Kiran had major dirt on the woman, so it wasn't exactly difficult to

convince her to go along." "Wait a minute. Kiran's involved? You talked to her?" I asked, nearly breathless at the thought. Kiran

Hayes had been one of my best friends last year before the whole Thomas scandal went down, and I hadn't heard from her since. Sud-

denly I was practically salivating for news. "How is she?"

"She's fine. She's Kiran," Noelle said with a blase wave of her hand. "Living with some male model on the Left Bank... planning

some psychotic birthday bash for herself in Amsterdam or something. The usual." My friends chuckled knowingly, but I couldn't be-

lieve that was all I was getting. The girl had dropped off the face of the earth, except for the occasional appearance in a perfume ad or

magazine spread. Had she finished school? Did she care? Was she still drinking like a fiend, or had she gotten her crap together? Info,

please! "Anyway, Frederica is going to bring along five assistants to make sure everything runs smoothly, and since she owns her own

makeup line, supplies won't be a problem," Noelle said, shrugging out of her cashmere coat. "This is going to be the event of the sea-

son." "Try the year," Portia corrected. "I don't know what to say, you guys," I told them, feeling awed by their abilities, their connec-

tions. "This is going to be incredible." "Well, thank Noelle," Shelby said, tucking her iPhone away and shaking her blond hair back.

"It was all her idea." I glanced at Sabine again. She could have incinerated the entire dining hall with the fire in her eyes.

"Come on. I'm starved," Portia said, grabbing a potato chip off my plate. "Let's motor." As Noelle, Tiffany, Portia, Shelby, and the

Twin Cities scurried off to secure their lunches, I found myself alone with Sabine--and I didn't relish it. I had a feeling I was in for an-

other overly concerned lecture. " Please don't tell me you think Noelle is trying to oust me again," I said, taking a bite of my sandwich.

"Anyone could have come up with that idea." "Yes, but 'anyone' didn't," Sabine said, throwing in some air quotes. I had never seen

her use air quotes before. She was really becoming Americanized. "Noelle did. And she should have at least run it past you before

telling everyone how brilliant she is." "She had to tell Tiffany, at least, so that Tiff could ask her father right away," I replied. "And

besides, who cares who knew first? We were all going to hear it eventually." "It's a matter of respect," Sabine said firmly. "She has no

respect for you."

My mouth went dry and I took a long drink from my water bottle. Unfortunately, Sabine's blunt comment struck a nerve. Noelle

had always been my friend, but she had rarely, if ever, shown any respect for me--well, except for that night when she'd saved my life.

"Aw. Madame President is looking a tad peaked," Ivy Slade said, stopping next to our table with her tray. "Having trouble finding

people who want to help you save the Den of Evil?" I wanted to reply, but not a single comeback came to mind. Ivy grinned at my

hesitation, then laughed in my face and sauntered off toward Josh's table. I watched her go with narrowed eyes, wishing I had some