other ladies-who-lunch, and suddenly I couldn't stop smiling. I felt so honored. So stunned. So floored that they would want me. That they would all want me. This was just what I needed. A united house. The confidence of my friends. A real new beginning. Reed Brennan. President of Billings House.
DESERVED
We barely fit through the front door of Billings with all our bags and packages. Everyone was talking jovially, reviewing their purchases, striking deals over who could borrow what from whom. Clearly retail therapy was a legitimate method of treatment for depression. At least inside the circle. "Reed, you have to stop by and try on that red dress for us again," Shelby demanded. Perhaps the first words she'd ever spoken to me unbidden. Not that I was feeling bitter toward her right then. Right then I was loving everyone. "I think I have a pair of Louboutins that would go perfectly."
"The strappies with the gold? Totally!" Portia agreed. "Why don't we all go back to my room now and we can all show everyone what we bought? " I suggested, not wanting the party to end. I was too high on this freedom from guilt I was feeling. Wanted to keep it at bay. And bonding with the girls was fun. It had been so long since we'd allowed ourselves to have fun. "Fashion show!" Vienna and London sang, throwing their arms up. "Fab idea," Portia said happily. I laughed and turned to Sabine. "Okay, is it just me, or is everyone suddenly my best friend?" I whispered. "This is what happens to women in power," Sabine replied with a laugh, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "Get used to it. You deserve it." My chest swelled with pride, even though it seemed ridiculous that anyone might think I deserved this. But if that was what they really felt, I wasn't about to argue with them. I just wanted to hold on to this. I just wanted to feel this good for as long as possible. We all tromped up the stairs to the top floor together, a mass of flipping hair, swinging shopping bags, and laughter. I was just about to turn and open the door to my room when someone stepped out into the hallway. Stepped out into the hallway from Cheyenne's room.
"There you are! I've been waiting for hours for someone to get back here and help me unpack all my shit!" We all stopped short, slamming into one another, tripping forward. The laughter died. There was no way I was seeing who I thought I was seeing. But there she was. Thick brown hair. Imperious chin. That mischievous glimmer in her eyes. Noelle Lange was back.
* * *
"Noelle! Oh my God! What are you doing here?" After they recovered from their shock, everyone rushed forward, shrieking and shouting questions. Noelle was engulfed by the crowd as they all tried to hug her at once, their bony elbows and designer watches banging together. I, however, was rooted to the spot. As were the rest of the juniors. Constance, Sabine, Astrid, Kiki, Missy, and Lorna. They didn't know Noelle. In fact, most of them probably feared her. But that wasn't why I wasn't moving. I was simply too stunned to control my motor functions. How could she not have told me she was coming back? I'd seen her just last weekend. She had to have known. But she had acted aloof, mentioning all the places she wanted to travel to now that she was off probation. Had she wanted to surprise me, or was this another one of her games? God, I hoped it was the former. Finally, the crowd around Noelle thinned out a bit and she looked right at me. Looked right at me and smirked. "Surprise!" she said. She moved forward through the throng, walked right up to me, and hugged me. It was a real, firm, full-body hug. Not one of those stiff things you give someone you're supposed to like but don't. Her signature scent enveloped me, that slightly spicy, slightly flowery perfume she'd worn for as long as I'd known her. I instantly relaxed.
"Noelle. Why didn't you--" "Tell you? And miss the look on your face right now? Please," Noelle said, flipping her hair over her
DESERVED
We barely fit through the front door of Billings with all our bags and packages. Everyone was talking jovially, reviewing their purchases, striking deals over who could borrow what from whom. Clearly retail therapy was a legitimate method of treatment for depression. At least inside the circle. "Reed, you have to stop by and try on that red dress for us again," Shelby demanded. Perhaps the first words she'd ever spoken to me unbidden. Not that I was feeling bitter toward her right then. Right then I was loving everyone. "I think I have a pair of Louboutins that would go perfectly."
"The strappies with the gold? Totally!" Portia agreed. "Why don't we all go back to my room now and we can all show everyone what we bought? " I suggested, not wanting the party to end. I was too high on this freedom from guilt I was feeling. Wanted to keep it at bay. And bonding with the girls was fun. It had been so long since we'd allowed ourselves to have fun. "Fashion show!" Vienna and London sang, throwing their arms up. "Fab idea," Portia said happily. I laughed and turned to Sabine. "Okay, is it just me, or is everyone suddenly my best friend?" I whispered. "This is what happens to women in power," Sabine replied with a laugh, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "Get used to it. You deserve it." My chest swelled with pride, even though it seemed ridiculous that anyone might think I deserved this. But if that was what they really felt, I wasn't about to argue with them. I just wanted to hold on to this. I just wanted to feel this good for as long as possible. We all tromped up the stairs to the top floor together, a mass of flipping hair, swinging shopping bags, and laughter. I was just about to turn and open the door to my room when someone stepped out into the hallway. Stepped out into the hallway from Cheyenne's room.
"There you are! I've been waiting for hours for someone to get back here and help me unpack all my shit!" We all stopped short, slamming into one another, tripping forward. The laughter died. There was no way I was seeing who I thought I was seeing. But there she was. Thick brown hair. Imperious chin. That mischievous glimmer in her eyes. Noelle Lange was back.
* * *
"Noelle! Oh my God! What are you doing here?" After they recovered from their shock, everyone rushed forward, shrieking and shouting questions. Noelle was engulfed by the crowd as they all tried to hug her at once, their bony elbows and designer watches banging together. I, however, was rooted to the spot. As were the rest of the juniors. Constance, Sabine, Astrid, Kiki, Missy, and Lorna. They didn't know Noelle. In fact, most of them probably feared her. But that wasn't why I wasn't moving. I was simply too stunned to control my motor functions. How could she not have told me she was coming back? I'd seen her just last weekend. She had to have known. But she had acted aloof, mentioning all the places she wanted to travel to now that she was off probation. Had she wanted to surprise me, or was this another one of her games? God, I hoped it was the former. Finally, the crowd around Noelle thinned out a bit and she looked right at me. Looked right at me and smirked. "Surprise!" she said. She moved forward through the throng, walked right up to me, and hugged me. It was a real, firm, full-body hug. Not one of those stiff things you give someone you're supposed to like but don't. Her signature scent enveloped me, that slightly spicy, slightly flowery perfume she'd worn for as long as I'd known her. I instantly relaxed.
"Noelle. Why didn't you--" "Tell you? And miss the look on your face right now? Please," Noelle said, flipping her hair over her
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