Paradise Lost (Private 9)

into the overhead compartment. I was, thank God, a newly reminted Billings Girl after yesterday's successful vote, but I certainly didn't look the part. I wondered exactly how hot I'd be when I stepped off the plane.

Tiffany laughed at Noelle. "Look at the ego on this one!" She accepted a flute of champagne from the flight attendant and curled up her long legs onto her seat. I passed on my glass. No alcohol for me. Not for a while. "Gome on, Noelle! It's your first Dash-less Christmas in forever. You have to play."

My heart took a nosedive that, luckily, had nothing to do with the plane doing something funky. Dashless?

"Okay, I'm confused," I said as the flight attendant deposited a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries on the table between me and Tiffany. "A, what is the Upton Game? And B, Noelle . . . since when are you Dash-less? I thought you guys got back together."

Noelle took a long sip from her champagne glass, and then placed it down on the table at her side. "Not anymore."

I attempted to swallow. "You broke up? What happened?"

Noelle shot Tiffany a look, and Tiff focused her gaze out the window. "Honestly? It seems that once you've seen your boyfriend hook up with one of your best friends, it becomes rather hard to kiss him without thinking of where his lips have been," Noelle answered.

My face burned. I was the best friend. I had ruined Noelle's relationship with Dash. For good. "Noelle--"

"So, the Upton Game!" Noelle said loudly, brightly, slapping her hands down on her lap.

19

She wasn't going to talk to me about Dash. I guess I could understand that. But I felt a sting in my chest nonetheless. Our friendship had changed, and not in a good way.

"Yes, let's fill in Reed." Tiffany reached for a chocolate-covered strawberry and bit into it.

"Okay. Tiffany and I have been going down to St. Barths ever since we were in strollers." Noelle paused for a moment, and I knew that she was thinking about how she hadn't been able to go last year because of Thomas's trial. "And we're not the only ones. There's a whole group of us."

"Like Gage," I supplied. Unfortunately.

"Gage, Kiran, Paige, and Daniel Ryan, Weston Bright, the Hathaways--"

"Poppy Simon--"

"Of Simon International," Tiffany put in, passing the tray of strawberries to me. I selected one and took a bite. Its flavors exploded in my mouth. Much better than the dry pretzels on my last flight. "Her family owns this sick chain of hotels all over the world, including one on the island. We hang out there a lot."

"Poppy is outrageous," Noelle added. "I'm interested to see what you think of her." She leaned back and narrowed her eyes. "

Who else... oh, Dash," she said through her teeth in a tone that forbade any further questioning. "And, of course, Upton Giles."

She shot Tiffany a sly look, and Tiffany swooned dramatically. She fanned at her neck, opening her white collared shirt wide. "Oh, Upton Giles .. .," she sighed.

20

"You got that right."

Noelle leaned forward, and they clinked glasses.

"Who's Upton Giles?" I asked.

Noelle took a breath, swigged her champagne, and turned to us. "Upton Giles is the single hottest male specimen ever to walk the earth."

Noelle was not one for over exaggeration. If she said the guy was drop-dead, he was drop-dead. I immediately thought of Josh, who had yet to call me, text me, or e-mail me. I wondered if he knew I was headed to St. Barths. He had to have heard it through Gage or "Weston or someone, right? I pulled out my iPhone to quickly check for messages. There was nothing.

My heart twinged, and I put down the phone. Moving on, Reed, remember? You're moving on.

I looked at Noelle. "So . . . Upton Giles is the object of the Upton Game?"

"Exactly," Noelle replied.

Tiffany cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. "Every year, all the girls in the crew compete for Upton's . . . affection," Tiffany explained.