es a very beautiful； veryempty hotel suite。？ She inched a little closer to him on the pool ledge。
Nate grinned； the sun bouncing off the water and making his green eyes glitter even more than
usual。 He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a voice behind them。
？Serena van der Woodsen！？ a syrupy； high…pitched voice exclaimed。 They both turned to see
Bailey Winter； all five feet of the famous designer； dressed in a white linen suit； a hot pink
handkerchief in his pocket and an enormous pair of white sunglasses perched on his head。 His
houseboy； Stefan； was behind him； manning the leashes of Bailey？s five pugs。 ？You remember
Stefan；？ he chirped with a wave behind him。 ？And of course you remember Azzedine； Coco；
Cristobal； Gianni； and Madame Gres。？ He tittered； gesturing at the dogs。
How couldanyone forget？
？Of course！？ Serena jumped up and gave Bailey a damp hug。 ？It？s so good to see you！？ she
exclaimed affectionately。
After Bailey had designed the costumes forBreakfast at Fred？s； he？d invited Serena and Blair to
be live…in muses at his East Hampton summer home。 Their stay had had its share of problems；
mainly due to a pair of skinny Eastern European models determined to make their life there a
living hell。 In a horrendous scene at one of Bailey？s famous parties； they？d ruined his furniture；
horrified the guests； and then run out of the party？and away from the Hamptons？without so much
as a goodbye。 Serena had felt so guilty for leaving on such bad terms that she？d written Bailey a
note later on in the summer； apologizing for their behavior and thanking him for their stay。 He？d
written back saying that he couldn？t possibly hold a grudge against someone so lovely and
talented； and that she was wele any time。
？What are you doing back in the city？？ She grabbed a white towel and wrapped it around her
midriff。
The little man folded up his sunglasses and put them into his pocket。 ？The Hamptons get so dull
at the end of the summer。 All the fun？s here in the city！？ He waved his petite hands in the air。 ？You
certainly are at the center of all the action？I can？t believe my little Serena is being a big； big
movie star！？ He shrieked and grabbed her hands。 ？I just went to a screening ofBreakfast at Fred？s ；
and of course the costumes areto die for ； if I do say so myself； but you； my dear； are the icing on
the German chocolate cake！？ he added； pinching Stefan？s toned behind； apropos of nothing。
Liz Taylor was lounging on a deck chair a few feet away with a little white Chihuahua curled at
her feet。 She looked up from her copy of ItalianVogue ； and her dog jumped down to sniff
Cristobal？s butt curiously。
That？s one way to say hello。
？Serena van der Woodsen； fromBreakfast at Fred？s ？？ the woman demanded loudly in an
imperious Spanish accent。 So she wasn？t Liz Taylor after all。 ？I thought you looked familiar。 I
absolutelyadored that movie。 。 。 。？ A crowd began to form around Serena。 Suddenly it hit Nate that
she was starring in a big…time film； and that she was about to bee really famous； a movie star。
He wondered if from now on it was going to be like this all the time； getting stopped on the street；
mobbed by fans； paparazzi following them everywhere。 Serena smiled shyly as she autographed
someone？s towel。 He could already see the gossip columns； wondering why the acplished
young starlet was hanging out with a loser still stuck in high school。 Not that he cared what other
people thought； but still。 It would be 。 。 。 weird。 He ran his fingers through his hair； wishing he had
a joint with him； and then remembered that he did？in the pocket of his now…soaking shorts。 Oops。
He picked up his towel and started to dry off。 Then he heard his phone？s muffled ring and found
it underneath his T…shirt。 He flipped it open； grateful for something to do besides watching Serena
and feeling dumb and useless。 ？Hello？？ ？Long time no see。 What are you up to right now？？
Blair？s voice surprised him。 She sounded downright chipper； and not angry at all。
？Hey 。 。 。 ；？ he mumbled； wandering to the very edge of the roof。 The city was sprawled out
beneath him； the low town houses of the Meatpacking District giving way to new Chelsea condos
and the midtown high…rises beyond。
Serena noticed him wander away and hoped he was talking to Blair； perhaps calmly explaining
that he and Serena would both be staying in the city this year 。 。 。together 。 Of course she felt
slightly guilty stealing Nate away； but once Blair was happily ensconced at Yale？her dream
school？she？d forget all about them。
？Thank you soo much。？ The Spanish woman？s voice broke into her thoughts。 She proudly waved
her autographed ItalianVogue 。 ？Binky and I are such fans。 Aren？t we； Binky？？ She swept up the
tiny dog with one arm。 Binky strained in her arms； reaching for Cristobal？s wiggling and
whimpering form at his owner？s feet。
？Of course。？ Serena nodded。 ？My pleasure。？ Bailey grabbed her arm and began to whisper in her
ear。 ？You must be my only muse。 I？ll dress you exclusively in my designs； just like Audrey
Hepburn and Givenchy！？ But Serena barely heard him； distracted by the sight of Nate putting his
T…shirt back on。 He waved； mouthing； ？I？ll talk to you later；？ as he backed toward the exit。 She
sighed。 So much for taking advantage of her hotel suite。
That？s okay？they have the rest of their lives to spend together。 Don？t they？
b can barely contain herself
Nate rounded the corner of Nineteenth Street and crossed Sixth Avenue； without waiting for the
walk signal。 The Container Store loomed up ahead； its huge display windows and royal blue
awnings a little too showy for a store that sold plastic storage bins and shower racks。 Nate pushed
through the glass doors and into the enormous store； taking in the high ceilings and fake
Romanesque columns。 He searched for a familiar chestnut…brown head of hair as he strode down
the wide central path； glancing down endless aisles with labels like SHELVING； CLEANING；
HOME OFFICE； KITCHEN； and BATH。 The store was heavily air…conditioned； and he could feel
goose bumps forming all over his still…damp body。 He？d felt bad running out on Serena like that；
but he？d been so relieved when Blair had called and invited him to e dorm…room shopping。
She sounded almost normal？a thousand times calmer than she？d been when he？d last seen her？and
he wanted to take advantage of her being in a good mood。 At least she couldn？t kill him in such a
public place。
Don？t be so sure？that girl loves to make a scene。
Finally he spotted her； looking radiant in a sea…green cotton sundress？not the most practical outfit
for dorm room shopping； but then Blair was never practical。 Her hair was a little longer than he
last remembered it； and streaked with strands of gold。 He blinked； wondering if the chlorine had
done something to his eyes。 She was standing by a desk that advertised custom…made closets；
arguing with a harried…looking salesgirl in a dark blue apron that read CONTAIN YOURSELF！ A
long line of people stood behind her； shuffling their feet impatiently and checking their watches。
Of course； Blair could have cared less。
Of course。
Her little brother Tyler and stepbrother； Aaron； were with her； piles of oddly shaped bins stacked
at their feet as they waited for Blair； their faces slack with boredom。 Tyler pulled a set of plastic
clips out of the packaging and stuck them all over his clothing； clipping the last one over the
bridge of his nose。 Aaron was reading a book covered in ribbed cardboard； one of the display
books that stores used to make the living room displays look lived…in。 Nate had always assumed
those books were blank inside。 Given the glazed look in Aaron？s eyes； maybe they were。
？Hey guys；？ Nate called over to them。 Aaron and Tyler looked up and smiled relieved smiles。
Now that Nate was there； they could be excused from Her Highness？s service。
？Oh； good； you？re here；？ Blair observed。 ？One sec。？ She turned back to the salesgirl。 ？Thanks
for yourhelp ；？ she snapped icily； stepping away from the desk。
？They？re all morons；？ she announced loudly when she got closer to Nate。 ？They won？t design a
special storage system for my dorm？s closet just because I don？t have the exact dimensions。 Isn？t
that； like； what they get paid for？？ She rolled her eyes and turned to Aaron and Tyler。 ？Well； what
are you two waiting for？？ They sighed and grabbed the piles of stuff from off the floor； following
her as she strode purposefully to the back of the store。
Nate lingered behind them； fingering the wet joint still in his pocket。 Blair could be a little scary
when she got into decorating mode； but at least she wasn？t unleashing her； um；energy in his
direction。 He felt sorry for Aaron and Tyler； though。 Aaron had piled everything into a big laundry
basket and was struggling to hold it upright。 ？Hey man。 I saw some carts by the front of the
store？want me to go grab one？？ he offered。
Aaron shook his head； his short dreadlocks knocking back and forth。 ？Sis refuses to use a
shopping cart；？ he told Nate helplessly。
？I heard that；？ Blair snapped without turning around。 ？Shopping carts are for old ladies；？ she
declared； continuing at her manic pace。 She stopped at the kitchen section； touching a steel wine
rack。 She turned and smiled mischievously at the three boys。 ？Besides； who needs a cart when
you？ve got three strapping young men to carry your things for you？？ She raised one perfectly
arched eyebrow； grabbing the wine rack with one hand and placing it on top of Aaron？s mounting
pile。
？This is child abuse；？ Tyler plained from behind a lacquered baby…blue…and…white polka…dot
hatbox； his voice nasal from the clip on his nose。 Tyler？s pageboy helmet of light brown；
stick…straight hair had grown out so that it nearly reached his chin； and his Brooks Brothers khakis
were torn at the knees。 Who knew what he would look like after four years of high school in L。A。？
He placed the hatbox on the floor and grabbed the white wire easy…glide bin on the shelf in front
of him； which was filled with boxes of snacks。 He passed over the Carr？s crackers and Pringles；
pulling out a box of Le Petite ？colier cookies。
？Tyler； those are display items？you know； to show how much you can fit in the bins？？ Blair
scolded； now holding up a set of glass measuring cups。
？He？s hungry。 I should take him home；？ Aaron offered eagerly。 ？I mean； uh； since you and Nate
probably want some alone time and all；？ he added； already putting the overloaded laundry basket
at Nate？s feet。
？Fine。？ Blair sighed； returning the measuring cups to their shelf。 ？Nate and I can handle this
ourselves。？ ？Thanks；？ Aaron nodded quickly。 He grabbed the bag of cookies from Tyler。 ？I？ll
make sure we pay for these。 Later！？ They made a dash for the front of the store； as if they were
trying to outrun a tornado。
Hurricane Blair？
？Hey；？ Nate murmured。 Blair was reading the instructions on a speed mixer。 He was suddenly
aware of howalone they were？and remembered what had happened the last time they？d been alone
together。
At lease she？s wearing so