I Will Always Love You (26 page)

“Yes, I’m sure.” Jenny smiled at him softly, invitingly. She eased her camisole straps all the way down her shoulders. “I
just wanted you to know.”

Nate nodded and blew the candle out. Then he took Jenny—sweet, uncomplicated, sexy Jenny—in his strong, capable arms.

That’s one way to end a year.

You know how in Jane Austen novels, the most scandalous things always happened in the country, never in town? Well, we may
be more than a century away and an ocean apart, but the same thing happens here. Say what you will about city living, but
something about the one-with-the-elements, outdoorsy lifestyle seems to bring out the frisky in everyone. Is there anything
more romantic than cuddling by the fireside and kisses by candlelight?

Statistics say the average woman kisses twenty-nine men before she gets married. But my friends and I have never been average,
and we’re a loooong way from getting married. Whether you keep track with scratches on the bedpost or notches on your lipstick
case, every girl has her list of conquests. According to my sources, one girl is about to begin her way-more-than-kissed list
with none other than N. Godspeed, sweetie. We are all dying little deaths back in town.

q: Dear Gossip Girl,

I’m at my family’s boring vacation house in Newport, which is even more boring than usual because the power went out. I was
stargazing with my telescope and my view landed on this couple getting totally hot and heavy in the attic across the bay.
The shadows are ridiculous. Do you know who they are?

—voyeur

a: Dear V,

If it’s the couple I’m thinking of, they already have a history of overexposure on the Internet. I’ll spare them any more.
And, by the way, it’s more than creepy that you’re watching.

—GG

As you’ve learned by now, home for the holidays may be a catchy phrase, but it’s hardly where you want to spend your entire break. You should always have an emergency crash
pad lined up, devoid of annoying relatives or whiny younger siblings. What to do when the Tribeca Star, W Union Square, and
the Hudson are all full? Here’s the need-to-know for holiday house-crashing.

Give freely. They thought they were done opening their presents, so please your hosts-to-be by bringing a bottle of wine and
a tray of Citarella holiday cookies. You’re practically guaranteed the guest bedroom.

Show up during the witching hour. You know that time around four o’clock when it’s already dark, even though it feels like
you’ve only been up for a few hours? It’s too late to do anything productive, but too early to go out. Show up when boredom’s
at its peak, and your hosts will be thrilled to see you.

Play the poor-me card. I don’t usually advocate whining, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If you truly have
nowhere to go, let your hosts know exactly why. Honesty can go a long way in finding you a place to stay.

Finally, once you’re settled, remember the three rules of being a great guest: Don’t hook up on the host’s bed unless it’s
with the host, don’t puke in their planters, and, whatever you do, don’t overstay your welcome.

You know you love me,

gossip girl

the ghosts of christmas past

Blair woke up with a start and impatiently pushed Chuck’s arm off her. She used to think it was cute that he threw his arms
over her in his sleep, as if trapping her in a hug, but right now it felt suffocating. The bedside lamp was on, meaning the
electricity must have come back in the middle of the night. Outside, the snow had tapered into flurries. That meant there
was nothing keeping Serena and Nate here anymore.

She rose from the grand four-poster bed and threw on an old pair of Habitual jeans and a Cacharel black cardigan, not bothering
to shower. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and stomped toward the door. She needed coffee and carbs, and to make sure
nothing looked amiss in Nate’s attic bedroom.

“Morning, gorgeous.” Chuck sat up, looking sleepy and satisfied. “Happy New Year’s Eve Day!” He climbed out of bed, wearing
Calvin Klein boxers that hung low on his hips. “I have a present for you,” he murmured, rifling through his Tumi leather suitcase.

“But why? Christmas is over,” Blair pointed out. Chuck had already given her a pair of sapphire earrings, and they’d made
plans to go skiing in Switzerland in January.

“I know, but I wanted to give you something else. More like an anniversary present. I remember how sad you were around this
time last year. This year, I want you to be happy.” Chuck smiled, and Blair couldn’t help but soften. “Here you go.” He handed
her an orange box with an Hermès ribbon around it.

Blair pulled the ribbon open. Inside were two enamel bangle bracelets, each one printed with hieroglyphic designs.

“It’s to remind you of our first real date,” Chuck said softly. He’d taken her to London, to the British Museum, where they’d
wandered through the Egyptian Wing, then headed out to a cute little wine bar, where they’d talked for hours. After missing
the last bus back to Oxford, they’d checked into a Bloomsbury boutique hotel. Chuck had given her the bed, insisting it was
better if he slept on the floor.

“Thanks.” Blair shoved the bracelets onto her wrist and gave Chuck a peck on the cheek. But how could she be happy this New
Year’s when everyone she’d been trying to get away from had decided to follow her here? She glanced out the window, where snowflakes were picking up in speed and
intensity. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“What’s wrong?” Chuck gently rested his hand on her arm.

“Nothing!” Blair snapped. “I need some coffee.”

And a personality makeover?

Serena combed her long blond hair back and pulled on a black Marc Jacobs sweater that had been Blair’s in high school. She
gently closed the door to the guest room, where Dan was still sleeping, and headed toward the stairs. She’d tossed and turned
all night, sure she could hear giggles coming from Nate’s bedroom.

“Giles and I slept right through the storm! We didn’t realize the power had gone out until we woke up to find all the lights
in the house on. I hope you slept okay. You look a little tired, Bear.” Serena stiffened when she heard Harold Waldorf’s pleasant,
lawyerly voice drift up the stairs.

“I didn’t sleep very well,” Blair grumbled.

“I can always change room arrangements when your friends leave, so you can get your beauty sleep,” Harold offered.

“They’re not my friends,” Blair muttered. “I don’t know why they’re here. I thought it would be a relaxing holiday with just
the family, and I have to read Ulysses, and I can’t do anything when I’m so stressed out. Look, Daddy, do you think I’m breaking out?”

“Morning!” Serena said loudly as she clattered down the stairs.

“Serena,” Harold boomed jovially. “Coffee?”

“Yes please.” A bowl of fresh pumpkin spelt scones, courtesy of Giles, sat on the counter. Serena took one, plunging her thumb
into the flaky pastry.

“Hi,” Blair said icily.

“Hi,” Serena responded, taking a buttery bite. “I like your bracelets.”

“Thanks. My boyfriend gave them to me,” Blair said pointedly. “Speaking of, where’s yours?” And when are you all leaving? she wanted to add.

“He’s still sleeping.” An awkward silence fell over the kitchen as Serena tried to search for clues about whether or not Blair
and Nate had been together last night. It was hard to tell. Blair seemed edgy and bad-tempered, but that didn’t mean anything.
She was often edgy and bad-tempered.

“How are your parents?” Harold asked politely, breaking the silence as he settled on a chair opposite Serena.

“They’re great. Right now, they’re in St. Barts for New Year’s. My brother, Erik, is getting married next year, so they’ve
been really busy with plans.” Serena nodded happily. Erik had met his fiancée when he went to Australia for his junior year
abroad, and they’d been inseparable since. The only downside to the wedding was the floor-length lilac taffeta dress she’d
be obligated to wear as a bridesmaid.

Blair resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Who cared? And why was Serena up so early? Had she sneaked back into Nate’s room?

“What time are you leaving?” Blair asked rudely.

Serena felt like she’d been slapped. Apparently, their truce had ended.

And the cold war is back on.

“Blair!” Harold chided. “The snow is still coming down. It’s New Year’s Eve Day. You kids are free to stay as long as you
like,” he said, glancing out the window.

Serena followed his gaze. The flurries from earlier this morning were now large, swirling flakes. She and Dan were supposed
to be back in New York this evening for Rufus’s infamous New Year’s Eve flambé party, but now it looked like they would be
forced to stay another night. She was as trapped as the animals at the Central Park Zoo.

And about to fall prey to a lioness.

heartbreak hotel

Vanessa woke up with a start on New Year’s Eve Day. She turned over and stretched, realizing that she was alone in bed. Since
he’d gotten back, her and Hollis’s sleep schedules had been so off, it felt as though they were roommates rather than a couple
sharing a bed.

She got out of bed and sleepily padded down the winding staircase into the living room. She sniffed the air, surprised not
to smell any muffins baking or eggs frying. Hollis loved cooking breakfast, and Vanessa had gotten used to waking up to a
feast. She smiled happily at Hollis, sitting shirtless at the counter in a pair of flannel pajama pants and the same type
of thick, woolly socks he’d given to Vanessa.

“Happy New Year! Glidilegt Nytt Ar. Isn’t that how you say it in Icelandic?” She’d looked up the pronunciation on the Internet, sure that the phone was the only
way they’d communicate on the holiday. She skipped down the stairs and plunked down on the chair opposite him. But Hollis
was busy squinting down at his iPhone.

Finally, he looked up, his gaze icy. “How’s Dan?”

A shiver of fear ran up her spine. Hollis was reading the texts on her phone. “Dan and I were texting last night. While you were out,” she said coldly. She wasn’t going to be made to feel guilty
when she hadn’t done anything.

“Just texting? ‘Depends who I’m meeting on the roof?’” he said in a mocking tone. “No wonder you didn’t come out with my friends. You wanted to go meet up with Dan.”

“What? No!” Vanessa screeched, her voice echoing in her ears. This was ridiculous. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Last night she’d eaten half a tub of Ciao Bella on the couch with her feet under Norma. Which was pretty much how she spent
all her time these days. For the last year, she’d been stupidly devoted to Hollis. She’d put her whole life on hold for him.

“What else am I supposed to think?” Hollis asked in exasperation. Norma emitted a low-pitched whine from the floor, as if
to say she didn’t want any part of this. “You didn’t want to go out last night, you didn’t even try to be friendly with the
Streetscape people—it’s like you don’t even care….” Hollis shook his head ruefully. “Long distance sucks, I know that. But
it wasn’t like I was in Iceland for fun. I was working. You of all people should appreciate that.”

Vanessa blinked back angry tears. Outside, the city was blanketed in snow, quiet and cold. “You’ve been with the film people
all the time; then you just come home and expect me to be your personal assistant,” she retorted. “I didn’t want to go out
because I was fucking exhausted from picking up after you.”

“Really? Really, Vanessa?” Hollis snorted. “Guess you weren’t too tired to text Dan all night. How come you never texted me
like that?” The hurt was evident in his voice.

Vanessa shook her head. At one point in her life, Dan had meant more to her than anyone ever had. He’d been her best friend,
her confidant, the only person in the world who knew her better than she knew herself. Even though they hadn’t spoken for
two years, she knew he still understood her.

But it seemed too impossible to try to explain her relationship with Dan. To explain any part of what she was feeling right
now. It was as if she and Hollis had lost their ability to communicate a long time ago but were only just now realizing it.

She gazed at his balled-up socks under the coffee table, which he never put in the hamper. Hurt and anger and confusion bubbled
up inside of her. Suddenly, she felt exhausted. “Look, this isn’t working,” Vanessa found herself saying, her voice breaking.
“But I want you to know I wasn’t cheating.”

“I’m going to go,” Hollis said. He stood and headed up the spiral stairs to their sleeping loft. “Spend a few days away. Clear
my head.”

“No, it’s your apartment. Don’t be ridiculous. I just need a few minutes to pack.”

Upstairs, she threw her things into a huge army green duffel. She had nowhere to go. Ruby and Piotr’s extended family were
having a New Year’s Eve goat roast that she didn’t want to crash. There was too much snow on the ground to get a bus to Vermont
to her parents’. She suddenly found herself thinking of the Upper West Side and Rufus’s flambé.

Maybe there was someplace she could go, after all.

a lot can go wrong in the cold light of day

Jenny felt like she was about to explode from the secret of what had happened last night. She didn’t want to sit too close
to Nate, in case anyone might suspect anything, so she’d watched Two for the Road and My Fair Lady sitting on an uncomfortable leather ottoman. Now, the sun was beginning to set, Blair was about to put in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Jenny wasn’t sure if she could stand watching another romantic movie in the dark.

“Want to play a game?” she asked, kneeling down before the glass-fronted cabinet of games in the corner of the den. The snow
had let up, and she wondered if they’d all head back to New York. She hoped they’d stay just one more night, even if it was New Year’s Eve and she was supposed to go to a party in the city with Tinsley, one of her friends from Waverly. But she didn’t
want to go to a party. All she wanted to do was sneak back up to Nate’s attic bedroom again.

“Let me see.” Serena stood behind Jenny, peering at the games. “Oooh, Clue! Remember how your nanny taught us to play this
and you were terrified Colonel Mustard was coming to get you?” she called over to Nate. He smiled slightly.

Serena set up the board. “Can I be Miss Scarlet?” she asked.

“I don’t see why not. You always get what you want,” Blair said under her breath from the corner. She was so over this snowbound adventure. All she wanted was a quiet New Year’s Eve with her boyfriend, where they toasted their calm,
peaceful lives, and planned their Gstaad skiing vacation. Was that too much to ask?

“Who do you want to be?” Jenny asked Blair as she took the Mrs. Peacock piece.

“I don’t care,” Blair said tersely. Everyone was acting strangely today. Serena and Dan were barely talking, Jenny seemed
jumpier than usual, Nate was spacey and quiet, and Chuck was trying to make everyone get along. Harold and Giles had wisely
spent most of the day playing outside with the twins, as if they sensed drama on the horizon and wanted no part of it. “I’ll
be Mrs. White,” she said finally, sneaking a glance at her white gold Rolex. Four o’clock. Too early to lie and say she was
going to bed, even if it was practically dark outside. They began halfheartedly playing.

Serena rolled the dice. “Six. Right behind Blair,” she noted as she moved her game piece. Maybe she and Dan could get on the
road after this game, and take their chances with the snow.

“Of course you’re following me,” Blair muttered. Just like Serena had followed her to Yale. Just like Serena had followed
her to Newport. She imagined them in their fifties, Blair having to move from home to home to keep away from Serena.

“A little self-centered, Mrs. White?” Serena asked. Her tone was light, but she was deadly serious. What was Blair’s problem?