第12部分(第5/7 頁)

ay　she　and　Pete　could　be　together　when　she　and　Nate　had　always　been　destined　for　each　other。　Pete　had　been　a　charming　distraction；　but　he　wasn’t　her　leading　man。

Blair　turned　off　the　TV　and　glanced　down　at　her　Rolex。　It　was　almost　eight。　Nate　should　be　back　from　Le　Cirque；　where　he’d　been　forced　to　attend　dinner　with　his　parents　before　they　went　off　to　the　opera。　And　Serena　probably　wouldn’t　be　back　from　rehearsal　for　hours。

She　dialed　Nate’s　number。　“Are　you　home　yet？”　she　demanded。

“Yeah；　my　parents　actually—”

“Great。　I’ll　be　over　in　ten　minutes；”　Blair　said。　She　was　having　a　serious　Nate　craving；　especially　now　that　there　was　nothing　to　keep　them　apart。

She　rummaged　through　Serena’s　closet　and　found　a　long　Dries　van　Noten　black　tunic　that　looked　like　it　had　never　been　worn。　Knowing　Serena；　it　probably　hadn’t。　She　pulled　it　on　over　a　pair　of　gray　Wolford　stockings；　then　eased　her　feet　into　her　slouchy　black　Frye　boots。　She　pulled　on　a　gray　beret；　slung　her　large　Lanvin　hobo　bag　over　her　shoulder；　and　ran　out。

Snow　was　beginning　to　fall；　and　Blair　wished　she’d　worn　a　coat　as　she　walked　the　familiar　path　from　Serena’s　limestone　building　on　Eighty…third　and　Fifth　to　Nate’s　stately　town　house　on　Eighty…second　and　Park。　Blair　gingerly　picked　her　way　up　the　icy　steps　and　pressed　the　button　for　Nate’s　room；　relieved　that　he　had　his　own　private　doorbell。

The　buzzer　rang　to　allow　her　in；　and　Blair　gingerly　pushed　the　door　open；　inhaling　the　entryway’s　familiar　scent　of　floor　polish　and　lilacs。　Everything—the　Van　Gogh　above　the　mantle；　the　austere　chandelier　in　the　main　dining　room；　the　white　marble　kitchen—looked　exactly　like　it　had　since　she’d　first　started　ing　to　Nate’s　house　when　she　was　five。　She　took　the　stairs　two　at　a　tim