Fortune & Fame: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray, Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page A

Lester balked. “What kind of sense does that make when I’m right here?”
    “It makes a lot of sense because that’s how we stars roll,” Rachel tweaked his cheek before zipping her overnight kit. “Besides, Oprah is paying for it.”
    He laughed. “Oh, Oprah is paying for it?”
    “Oprah, OWN, whatever. We’re not footing the bill.”
    “Okay, babe.” It was then that Lester noticed a package on the bed, next to a stack of flyers. “What’s this?” He looked at the package, then at Rachel. “Addressed to Mary?”
    “Just some pictures of Lewis.” Rachel shrugged nonchalantly.
    He looked at her in admiration. “I think it’s great how you continue sending her pictures.”
    “Well, of course I don’t want her getting any ideas, but as a mother, I’d want to see my child. Even if it was just a picture.” Rachel had wrestled with that decision, especially because she couldn’t stand that tramp, Mary. But Lewis couldn’t help it that he was a product of that slug. And at the end of the day, Mary was essentially going to rot in prison, so Rachel saw no harm in sending her photos.
    “Have I ever told you how awesome you are?” Lester asked.
    “Not nearly enough.” She kissed him, and then made her way over to the walk-in closet to get a pair of shoes she’d forgotten.
    When she walked back out, Lester had picked up a flyer and was reading it. “ ‘Stay tuned for The First Lady, coming soon to OWN.’ Wow, they’ve gotten flyers printed already?”
    Rachel leaned over and examined the flyer. “You like?” Itwas a picture of her standing in front of Harpo Studios. Well, she wasn’t actually in front of the studio. She’d just had it Photoshopped in the background but her graphic designer had done such an awesome job, it looked like she was right there.
    “That’s just a little something I had printed,” she said.
    “So, you had these printed?” Lester asked.
    “Yes. You like?”
    “How are you going to have something printed on your own?”
    A mischievous grin spread across Rachel’s face. “I just emailed one to Jasmine.”
    Lester shook his head. “Why would you do that?”
    “Because since we’re halfway cool now, I wanted her to hear about the show from me.” Rachel expected to have heard from Jasmine by now. Everyone was talking about the Access Hollywood interview, but Jasmine still hadn’t reached out to her.
    Lester turned his lips up. “Really, Rachel? You’re sending her a flyer?”
    “Okay, there’s a part of me that wanted to make sure she knew,” Rachel admitted. “I wish I could be there to see the look on her face.” Rachel laughed.
    Lester dropped the flyer back on the bed. “You guys have some kind of friendship. And I hope you don’t get in trouble when they see it.”
    Rachel put her purse strap over her shoulder, grabbed her carry-on, slid her sunglasses on, and said, “I keep trying to tell you, baby, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Now, grab my suitcases, I’m ready to roll!”

Chapter
SEVEN
Natasia
    L adies and gentlemen, as we begin to make our final approach into Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, please bring your seat backs into the full upright position.”
    With her eyes still closed, Natasia pressed the button in the console next to her seat and eased herself upright. Those words had come much too soon. How could two hours have passed so quickly?
    Her plan had been to get on this plane, find her seat in first class, and then sleep from wheels up to wheels down. But she hadn’t been able to sleep a minute of the two-hour flight. Sleep had treated her like the enemy and had stayed away, just like it had all the nights since she’d been in New York.
    She sighed and shook her head as that New York scene once again played in her mind.
    Ambushed!
    That was the only way to describe how Natasia had felt. The ambush- er had become the ambush- ee . And Natasia didn’t appreciate being on the other side of someone’s