Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

"There you are," Noelle said, flipping her thick, dark mane of hair over her shoulder as Ariana slipped into

her chair. Noelle was, as always, wearing her signature black-a sleek satin Adam Eve dress that showed off

all her curves. "I was beginning to think you'd nicked a bottle of Dash's contraband Gristal and gone

streaking through the streets of Easton."

Noelle took a sip of champagne from her crystal flute-the

champagne Dash had paid off the waiters to serve their table in lieu of sparkling cider, since alcohol was

prohibited at school functions-and then took a bite of a chocolate-covered strawberry. Noelle was Ariana's

best friend at Easton. They balanced each other well. Noelle was more brazen and confident, where Ariana

was more r

eserved and cautious. During their hazing period at Billings, Noelle had helped Ariana through

more than one crisis of confidence, while Ariana had helped Noelle refrain from telling off the older sisters on

more than one occasion. She was sure that neither of them would have made it through initiation without the

other.

"Noelle, streaking is so gauche," Ariana admonished as she took a seat beside Daniel. She smoothed her

white, layered Alberta Ferretti dress over her knees and wrapped her hands around the seat of her raw silk-

covered chair. "I was just taking it all in. The social committee did an incredible job."

"I swear, if you start rhapsodizing about the engraving on the silverware, I will kill you." Noelle groaned and

slipped a silver monogrammed flask from her beaded Marc Jacobs clutch.

"I think it's cute when you go all poetic," Daniel said, draping his arm across the back of Ariana's chair.

Ariana looked up at his chiseled profile, his auburn hair, his ridiculously long lashes, and felt for the millionth

time the triumph of having a boyfriend like him. They'd been a couple for more than a year, and she still

marveled that he had chosen her over all the other girls at Easton. "And Noelle ..." He tipped his champagne

flute toward her. "If you kill my girlfriend, you can kiss Dash good-bye."

"It's Christmas. There will be no killing on my watch," Ariana said.

"Buzzkill." Noelle offered the flask to Dash, but he waved it off.

"I have an early day tomorrow," he said, checking his thick silver watch. He ran his hands through his wavy

blond hair and blew out a sigh. "I have to be in Boston at six a.m. to meet my father."

"Six a.m.? You are a saint, Dash McCafferty," Paige Ryan said as Noelle handed her the flask instead.

Dash blushed, even with Noelle watching. Paige just had that kind of power over people. Her great-great-

grandmother Jessica Billings had founded Billings House more than eighty years ago. Paige, with her auburn