第20部分(第4/7 頁)

stone　apartment

buildings　lining　Fifth　Avenue。　To　his　right；　he　could　just　see　the　corner　of　Blair？s　Seventy…second

Street　apartment　building。　Up　in　the　penthouse；　Blair？s　Russian　Blue　cat；　Kitty　Minky；　was

probably　lying　stretched　out　on　Blair？s　rose…colored　bedspread；　eagerly　waiting　for　Blair　to　e

home　and　scratch　him　under　the　chin　with　her　coral…pink　nails。　Impulsively；　Nate　pushed　the

buttons　on　his　phone　to　speed…dial　Blair？s　cell　phone。　It　rang　six　times　before　she　finally　picked

up。

？Hello？？　Blair　answered　in　a　clipped　voice。　She　was　seated　in　Garren？s　new　East　Fifty…seventh

Street　salon；　which　was　decorated　like　a　Turkish　harem？s　lair。　Gauzy　pink…and…yellow　silk　scarves

hung　from　the　ceiling；　and　huge　pink…and…yellow…upholstered　pillows　were　tossed　at　random

around　the　salon　for　clients　to　lounge　on　and　sip　Turkish　coffee　while　they　waited　for　their

appointments。　In　front　of　every　stylist？s　station　was　an　enormous　gilt…framed　mirror。　Gianni；

Blair？s　new　hairdresser；　had　just　finished　bing　out　her　freshly　washed　and　conditioned　locks。

With　her　cell　phone　pressed　against　her　damp　ear；　Blair　stared　at　her　reflection　in　the　mirror。　The

critical　moment　was　here：　Did　she　dare　go　short？

？Hey。　It？s　me；　Nate；？　she　heard　an　old　familiar　voice　murmur　in　her　ear。

Blair　was　too　stunned　to　answer。　They　hadn？t　spoken　since　New　Year？s　Eve；　and　even　then　the

conversation　had　ended　badly。　What　was　Nate　doing　calling　hernow　？

？Nate？？　Blair　replied；　half…impatiently；　half…curiously。　？Is　this　really　important；　because　I　can？t

really　talk。　It？s　kind　of　avery　bad　time。？

？Nah；　it？s　not　important；？　Nate　responded　as　he　tried　to　e　up　with　a　reasona