underwear to shreds。 His normally pale face was tan； and his dark； short dreadlocks were streaked
with copper； like he？d been living on a beach all summer。 Aaron was annoying； but at least he
didn？t look anything like his dad； Cyrus； who was the most revolting human specimen of a
stepfather Blair had ever encountered。
？Daddy； are you still there？？
？I？m here； Blair…Bear？and I？ll try。 But no promises； okay？ I want you to be realistic about the
situation。 If it？s meant to be； it？s meant to be。？ The babies started wailing again； and her dad
offered a quick ？Love you； see you in a few days！？ before signing off。
Oh； it was meant to be； all right；Blair thought as she tossed her phone down on the bed。 You
couldn？t stop destiny？and she and Nate weredestined to be together forever。
？Thanks for the friendly wele； Sis。？ Aaron grinned and leaned up against Mookie； throwing
his arm around the dog？s neck in a half nelson。 Good。 Maybe he？d strangle the thing by accident。
Mookie offered him a wet lick across his face。
？Oh； right。 Wele back；？ she said irritably。 ？And I told you to stop calling me that。 Just
because my mom married your dad doesn？t mean I？m your sister。？ ？Uh； no offense； Sis； but that？s
exactly what it means。？ Aaron smoothed down Mookie？s gross； slobbery fur with one hand and
chuckled。
？Whatever。？ Blair inspected her French manicure； which was now chipped。 As if she needed one
more fucked up thing in her life。
Poor baby！
？So； you getting psyched for Yale？？ Aaron asked； lying back on the floor。 Mookie promptly got
up and sat on his chest； obscuring his face so that all Blair could see was his dreadlocks； and
Mookie？s grinning； drooling muzzle。 It was like they？d bee one giant dog…dreadlock monster。
Before Blair could answer； Aaron？s muffled voice continued。 ？Remember when I drove you up for
your interview； and we stayed at that gross motel？？ ？Oh God？how could I forget？？ Blair laughed
bitterly。 At the time； she？d thought her luck couldn？t get any worse。 After a night of drinking too
much beer and eating too much junk food from their motel vending machine； she？d overslept for
her Yale interview； which had wound up being a total disaster。 Now that she was into Yale； she
could look back and laugh。 If she hadn？t gotten in； Aaron wouldn？t be alive now to remind her of
the story。 ？Anyway； how was your road trip？ Pick up any interesting； homicidal hitchhikers？？ He
laughed。 ？No hitchhikers。 It was good？I pretty much didn？t want to e back。 But I guess I
should probably pack up a few things before I leave for Harvard。？ ？Yeah； before the movers e
and we bee homeless；？ Blair added angrily。 She kicked the trunk at the foot of her bed for
emphasis。
？Well； I guess that tells me how you？re feeling about the move。？ Aaron inched a little farther
away； as if afraid she was going to kick him next。 ？What； are you worried you？ll miss all the good
sales at Barneys？？ ？Yeah； actually。？ Blair crossed her arms over her chest。
He nodded his dreadlocked head sympathetically and took another puff from his herbal cigarette；
which smelled like boiled broccoli and Lysol。 ？So； how？s everybody been while I was gone？？ His
voice was muffled by Mookie； who was practically sitting on his face at this point。 ？How？s
Vanessa？？ ？Can you move that disgusting mutt so I can see you？？ Blair pulled her newly long hair
back into a ponytail。 Aaron shoved Mookie off of his chest。 The dog whimpered and slid
reluctantly onto the floor。
？So； how？s Vanessa？？ He asked again； sitting up and crossing his legs Indian style。 ？Is she
ing to the Met party？？ ？I think so。？ Blair picked up a nail file from the floor and began
furiously filing away at her ring finger。 ？But she？ll be ing from her sister？s wedding in
Brooklyn； so she？ll probably get there late。Why do you care anyway？？ ？Who said I care？？ Aaron
raised one eyebrow and grinned mischievously。 ？Maybe I？m just curious。？ True love never lies；
part deux？
summertime； and the living？s easy 。 。 。
？Your lemonade； Miss van der Woodsen。？
A crisp； British…accented voice woke Serena from her light slumber。 She looked up to see a
handsome waiter leaning over her； a gleaming silver tray with a tall； frosted glass of lemonade
balanced perfectly on one hand。 The turquoise water of the SoHo House pool sparkled behind him；
casting a tint of blue on his entirely white uniform。
Serena sat up in her deck chair； tying up the straps of her white； barely there Marni bikini so that
she wouldn？t flash him by accident。
That？s one way to tip！
？Thank you。？ She smiled； pushing her white Chanel sunglasses to the top of her head。 This was
the life。
？Please let me know if you desire anything else；？ the waiter offered with a polite little bow
before leaving。
Serena smiled to herself as she leaned back on her pristine white deck chair； taking in the scene
around her。 The entire poolside area was furnished in white； with white lounge chairs； oversize
white umbrellas； and white monogrammed SoHo
House towels。 The stylish guests had taken it upon themselves to match the scenery； clad entirely
in white bikinis； wraps； and linen pants。 The pool was strikingly turquoise against the bright white；
and the tops of Manhattan？s Financial District skyscrapers glittered in the distance。
She sighed； feeling the hot August sun warm every inch of her smooth skin。 This really was the
life。 After their press conference at the Soho House on Tuesday； Ken Mogul had handed Serena
and Thad the jet…black key cards to the penthouse and let them know the room was rented for a
week。 Since Thad had his own apartment in the city； he？d told her she could stay in the room the
whole time if she wanted to。 Serena preferred to stay in her own room at home？her parents were
hardly ever home； though they wouldn？t exactly approve of her living in a hotel room on her
own？but access to the exclusive； Meatpacking District； members…only rooftop pool came with the
card； and she certainly wasn？t going to say no to that。 The only thing missing was someone
special to enjoy it with。
She picked up her cell and dialed a number she knew as well as her own。
？Hey stranger。？ Nate picked up on the first ring； his slightly sleepy voice sending shivers up her
spine。 She pictured him still lazing in bed； no shirt on； just waking up from a dream？about her； of
course。
？Hey yourself。？ She grinned into the phone。 ？What are you up to right now？？
Twenty minutes later Nate bounded out onto the deck of the SoHo House pool； his brown leather
flip…flops thwacking against the stone tiles； oblivious to the ogling female eyes that were fixed on
his perfect body。 In his green Billabong swim trunks and faded gray T…shirt； Nate was the only
person on the entire roof deck not wearing white。
？Hey。？ He smiled widely as he reached her deck chair； his golden brown hair falling into his eyes。
A shiver of nervous goose bumps spread over her skin。 He sank down into the chair beside
her。 ？You look 。 。 。 fortable。？ ？Cheerio； old chap；？ Serena responded in a playful； mock…British
accent； and held up the black key card； marked with only four letters？SHPH。 ？Soho House
Penthouse；？ she explained with a flirtatious wink。
Nate reached for the card to get a closer look； but she playfully swatted his hand away。
He shrugged and took off his shirt； settling into the plush white lounge…chair cushion。 ？Your
British accent sounds faker than Madonna？s。？ He picked up her glass of lemonade and took a long
swig； smacking his lips in satisfaction as he put the half…empty glass back down。
？First you insult my accent； and then you drink my lemonade？ You？re in for it； buddy。？ She
stood and grabbed his arm； dragging him toward the pool。 They tumbled over the edge and hit the
water with a loud splash； narrowly missing an Elizabeth Taylor look…alike in a white one…piece
swimsuit and matching head turban doing water calisthenics in the shallow end。 Maybe it
reallywas Elizabeth Taylor。
？Excuse me。？ The woman scowled； moving away from Serena and Nate as they stood in the
water dripping and panting。
Serena took a deep breath and plunged underneath the surface of the water。 For as long as she
could remember； she？d loved being underwater； the whole world drowned out； only the sound of
gently rushing water in her ears。 She opened her eyes； the chlorine stinging them slightly； and saw
Nate underwater right in front of her； his green eyes wide open too。 His hair was standing straight
up； and he waved his hand； a liquid ？hello？ escaping his lips with a rush of bubbles。
She giggled； nearly choking； and suddenly thought of the games of Marco Polo she and Nate and
Blair had played when they were younger。 Nate would always cheat； shouting ？Marco！？ and then
opening his eyes for a moment to see where they were。 Then he？d grab the girls with huge
splashing lunges； pretending he？d just found them by accident。 Nate never seemed to care which
girl he caught； he？d just grab whomever was in front of him and held on。 Serena closed her eyes；
the sting of the chlorine now too much to bear； and shot up to the surface。
Nate sidestroked into the shallow end and hopped up onto the edge of the pool； letting his legs
dangle in the water。 Serena looked so peaceful floating on her back in the calm water； her blond
hair forming a halo around her head； an angelic smile on her face。Being with Serena was so much
less stressful than being with Blair。 Immediately he thought of his last； highly stressful interaction
with Blair； whom he？d been avoiding since the day before yesterday； when she？d thrown her
shoes at him。
Blair had left him hundreds of voice mails； but Nate thought he should wait to speak with her
until she？d had a little more time to cool off。
Just not in this particular pool。
He knew that Blair was angry； but he also knew that she？d eventually forgive him； just like she
always did。 He could still visit her at Yale on the weekends。 And Serena would be here with him in
New York。 He？d always thought he？d have to choose between the two girls； but now it seemed he
could have them both。 That was pretty ballsy； if he did say so himself。
Serena opened one eye and discovered Nate staring at her。 With a rush of water； she stood up； her
wet hair falling down her back in a slick mass。 Winding it around her hand； she squeezed the water
out and then tied her hair into a neat knot。 Her swimsuit straps had fallen down again； and she
hitched them up before anything embarrassing happened。
Not that it？s anything Nate hasn？t seen before。 。 。 。
？Impressive。？ He smiled； kicking a little water up at her with one golden foot。 ？Um； putting your
hair up without a barrette or whatever；？ he stammered； turning pink。 ？Not the
swimsuit…almost…falling…off part。 Not that I？d mind that；？ he added。
？Really now？？ she hopped up on the ledge beside him； her hair promptly falling out of its
not…so…secure bun and draping messily over her shoulders。 ？Because along with that key card
es a very beautiful； veryempty hotel suite。？ She inched a little closer to him on the pool ledge。
Nate grinned； the