第39部分(第4/7 頁)

e　Rose　party；”　Nate　told　the　doorman。

The　doorman　nodded　and　waved　them　through　to　the　elevator　bank　on　the　other　side　of　the　palatial　marble　lobby。　A　large　Christmas　tree　was　set　up　in　the　corner　and　the　air　smelled　like　pine　and　nutmeg。

Jenny　caught　her　breath；　trying　to　hold　in　her　excitement。　She　and　Nate　lived　in　a　ramshackle　two…story　house　in　Providence。　He　was　at　Brown；　she　was　at　RISD；　and　everything　almost　seemed　too　good　to　be　true；　beyond　her　wildest　high　school　daydreams。　But　going　to　a　fancy　pre…Christmas　dinner　thrown　by　a　New　York　society　hostess　proved　that　their　relationship　existed　beyond　Providence；　that　they　were　really　and　truly　together。

After　leaving　Newport　last　Christmas；　they’d　sailed　to　Mt。　Desert　Island　and　camped　out　in　Nate’s　family’s　gorgeous　unwinterized　summer　home。　They　toasted　the　New　Year　on　a　blanket　in　front　of　the　fire。　It　was　impossibly　romantic。　Then；　her　last　semester　at　Waverly　they’d　talked　every　night　on　the　phone。　They　spent　the　summer　sailing　and　house　hunting　in　Providence。　So　far；　living　together　had　been　amazing。　She　loved　waking　up　to　Nate。　She　loved　brewing　an　extra…large　pot　of　coffee　and　pouring　a　travel　mug　for　him　so　he　could　drink　it　during　his　9　a。m。　poli…sci　class。　She　loved　texting　him　in　between　portraiture　and　her　Art　in　New　Media　class；　and　she　loved　attempting　to　make　dinner　for　them；　even　though　most　of　the　time　they　wound　up　just　ordering　in　and　eating　in　bed。

The　elevator　glided　up　to　the　top　floor；　and　they　followed　the　merry　voices　and　jazzy　sound　of　Miles　Davis　to　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　Nate　pushed　it　open　and　Jenny　breathed　in　again。　In　a　New　York　in　History　and　Literature　class　she’d　taken　last　year　at　Waverly；　they’d　discussed　the　importance　of　the　Four　Hundre