Read Online Holiday Fling by Victoria H. Smith - Free Book Online Page A

in the mirror that morning, and realizing you’re something they’ll never be again. That’s assuming they ever looked like us in the first place, a million years ago.”
    She continued to apply her makeup, indulging in a pouty face.
    “Ugh, you’re so full of crap, sometimes. As hard as it may be to believe, not everyone wants you, or wants to be you.” I knew this wasn’t really true, though. Piper was pretty much a bombshell. Standing at five-foot-nine, she weighed maybe a buck-twenty when soaking wet, and had a half-rock star, half-supermodel look going on that made guys ready to drop their pants a second after laying eyes on her. But I wasn’t about to tell her that. And she could at least be a little more humble about her allure around those of us who weren’t so fortunate.
    I brushed off her comment and continued my research. “How about Astronomy 395 with Helen Wright?”
    “I’m not really into those signs and stuff. I believe people should just live their lives and not be bound by those kinds of generic labels.” She put away her compact, giving me her full attention.
    I forced myself to swallow my laughter as I clicked out of that class and into another one. “I guess that would be a no, then, and I do believe you were referring to astrology , not astronomy. You know? The study of the universe?” Piper wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, and boy did I get a laugh at her expense sometimes.
    Piper frowned as she analyzed my statement, and then shrugged.
    “Whatever. Guys don’t care how smart a girl is when she has other, more … attractive qualities.” She batted her eyelashes; her grin was slyer than a fox.
    I rolled my eyes. She was referring to sex, of course. She always was. We were in college, I got that, but the girl was seriously obsessed with men—several at a time most of the time. I was no angel, by any means—again, we were in college—but at least I could safely say my few notches had been while in committed relationships. I never believed that kind of thing should be jumped into lightly, especially if there weren’t any real feelings involved. But Piper was a big girl. To each her own, I guess.
    Piper grabbed her cup and stood. “Okay, Miss Prude, I’m going to get a refill. Do you want anything?”
    I ignored her jab—voicing my irritation would only make it worse. “No, I’m good.”
    She shrugged and exited toward the counter.
    I continued my search, but it was becoming increasingly apparent that there weren’t any other options if we wanted to stay together. I guess Piper would just have to put up with Pondensky’s looks .
    A familiar smell invaded my nostrils, accompanied by an obnoxious clacking of heels.
    “Well, well, well … If it isn’t Ariel Richmond,” a simpering voice said.
    Ah, now I recognized the smell … eau de bitch.
    I snapped my laptop closed and forced myself to look up at my nemesis. There she stood, with her Louis Vuitton bag on her shoulder, string-bean lips, short, panty-revealing dress, and a skinny frame with so many bones exposed one would have thought she was a walking advertisement for anorexia. Who knew so much evil could be jam-packed under makeup?
    Sitting straight up, I spoke to her in the nicest voice I could muster—which wasn’t very nice at all, but really, trying to be civil to the inhuman seemed like a pointless venture.
    “Hi, Lila. How goes it?”
    Lila lowered herself onto a seat at our table and crossed her freshly Nair ed legs, making sure I saw the Fendi label stamped on the bottom of her shoe.
    “Oh, nothing much. I just came to get an espresso and maybe a scone, but judging by the spread you have there, I’d guess they’re all cleaned out of freshly baked goods today.”
    Oh, wow, a jab at my weight; weight I hadn’t even carried around since freshman year, thank you very much. But the stuck up she-devil couldn’t resist reminding me about it— how original.
    “Very nice, Lila. Did you think that one up all