Page 51 (2/2)

It y, and reminded Liz why she loved all of this so much She hadn’t even realized howat the paper over the summer felt like isolation coht to the table

Slowly, as tian to leave her shoulders She stared off, absent to Hayden’s description of all the divisions and heralding in the new prospects

"And with the ca to continue to head that division underfor her?"

Liz’s head snapped up at that She knew that she orking on the ca with anyone In fact, she hadn’t even really planned to consult Hayden on it She liked the niche she had carved out for herself

Two hands went up, and Hayden asked the students to stand and give their names and year so he could add the

"Tristan King, freshure out what to make of these new recruits How best to use them This was now her new task

"Savannah Maxwell, freshman," another voice said across the room from her

Liz froze, her heart in her throat No She hadn’t even seen Savannah in the room Had she been that out of it that she hadn’t even paid attention?

Her eyes slowly drifted to Savannah, who looked sofeatures, confident, thin, beautiful…intily so She stared back at Liz with an unreadable expression, and Liz wondered whether Savannah could see right through her

She couldn’t ith Savannah Liz couldn’t spend tinize her? Would she know that she had followed her brother, been to his galas, written nasty articles about him…and more, much more?

"Perfect," Hayden said with a ss about Brady Maxwell Or at least, he thought he did "Welco divisions and talked briefly about things she had heard year after year--conduct, journalisiarism, etc They were all necessary, but she didn’t need to hear the to our firstPleaseIf anyone hasn’t been assigned a division or wishes to change, please coreat year," Hayden said, closing the

Her new team members, Tristan and Savannah, picked their way across the room to stand in front of Liz Tristan shifted uncouy in pressed khakis and a polo, with short, meticulously combed dark hair and pasty skin Savannah looked unfazed as she stood awaiting instructions Knowing her brother, Liz expected nothing else

"Well, welcome to the team," Liz said aardly, since she hadn’t been aware she would have her own tea with a professor in the journalism department on a research project with other newspapers, and she is allowingwith her"

Liz went on to highlight what she had already been covering and what she wanted to continue to work on She broke soned them both tasks

Tristan took feverish notes and Savannah just stood there and s the conversation As soon as she was finished, Tristan zipped off to begin his project, leaving her all alone with Savannah, who had barely said anything

"Thank you for allowing ns," Savannah said finally

"We’re always very welco to students’ interests," Liz replied plainly

"I just hope that your feelings toward my brother don’t interfere in our work relationship" Her voice was cal about her tone spoke volumes She was much too like her brothers

Liz didn’t kno much Savannah knew, but whatever it as probably s toward politicians have no place in journalis that lesson all su to say, considering all she had gone through with Brady this summer, but she didn’t knohat else to say If Savannah knew only about the articles, then the co else

"I agree I’ that lesson in the next severalher features "I just wanted to clear the air between us before we started working closely"

"Don’t worry about it," Liz said aardly, wanting to end this conversation "We’ll keep personal matters out of it You’re just Savannah and I’m just Liz" She stuck her hand out and Savannah took it "Pleasure to et started onher hand "See you torabbed her bag off of the ground and hurriedly exited the newspaper before Hayden could find her She couldn’t deal right now She was going to have to ith Savannah Maxwell all semester An ever-present reminder of the secrets she had to hold

She felt her phone vibrate as she passed through the doors to the Union and out into the oppressive August heat

Private number

Great Of course, Brady would call now

"Hey," she answered with a sigh

"Hey I’ve been in et out of," Brady said

It wasn’t an apology Just a reason for not answering Probably a good one, but she hardly had the energy for it

"I just got out of afor me"

"What?" he asked sharply She had clearly thrown hi and said she wanted to work on cauess what? She noorks for er out of her voice