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“Okay； miss。 We’re located at—“
“I know where you are；” Blair said quickly as she stepped into the first cab that pulled up； stealing it from a harried…looking woman in a chinchilla coat。 Blair felt guilty for a moment； but this was an emergency。
“Fifty…seventh and Fifth；” she said quickly as the cab peeled away from the curb。 Maybe Nate had just said his parents were ing home so he could stage an elaborate surprise for her； to show her how truly sorry he was for running away last summer。 And a surprise was so sweet—she loved surprises； especially when she knew about them。
Naturally。
Blair’s heart thudded in anticipation as the cab turned onto Fifth。 Outside； the stately doorman buildings of the Upper East Side gradually gave way to the brightly colored window displays of high…end shops。 Garlands of greenery were wrapped around streetlamps and light displays were lit up across the avenue。 Blair felt like it was Christmas and her birthday and the Barneys warehouse sale rolled into one。
“Here’s fine；” Blair said as the cab idled in traffic on Fifty…ninth Street。 She could walk a few blocks。 She handed the driver a ten from her Prada wallet and slipped out the door。
She paused in front of the limestone corner building that housed Tiffany & Co。
A dapper doorman in a three…piece suit pushed the revolving door； and she entered； enjoying the feeling of her Sigerson Morrison boots sinking into the plush carpet。 The iconic store was filled with tourists eagerly gawking at the merchandise under thick glass counters。 Ordinarily； the bustle would have annoyed her； but she didn’t mind today。 She liked how everything in the store felt so alive and exciting； as if anything could happen。 She marched over to a customer service desk in the left corner of the room。
“Hello； I’m Blair Waldorf；” she announced to the tiny man behind the counter。 He wore a pink striped French cuffed shirt and a red tie。 His robin’s egg blue name tag read FREDDIE。 “I believe you called me。”
“Of course； Miss Waldorf！” he shrieked。 He glanced meaningfully over at the beige couches in the corner。 Blair followed his gaze； expecting to see Nate。 An overweight guy wearing a pink baseball cap on his bald head stood beside two women arguing with each other in French； and a handsome guy in shorts sat with his back to them。
Blair knew only one guy who wore cargo shorts in the winter； as if he simply wasn’t affected by the cold。 And she’d sort of forgotten that he existed。
“Scout！” Pete looked up and grinned devilishly as he sauntered toward her。 It was as if he’d just spotted her across the dining hall。
“Hi；” Blair said weakly。 It wasn’t like she’d forgotten about Pete； exactly； but he certainly hadn’t been front and center on her radar。
“But what about Costa Rica？” Blair asked； confused。 Pete was supposed to be there for another week。
He shrugged and smiled。 “I couldn’t do it。 I needed to be with you。 So I got to thinking…” Pete smiled as he reached into the pocket of his cargo shorts； removed a blue box； and held it out to her。
“What？” Blair asked； a wave of dizziness hitting her。
“Open it。” Pete pushed the box into her hands。 Fingers trembling； she opened the Tiffany blue cardboard box to find a small black velvet jewelry box。 Blair’s heart careened through her chest to the floor。
Was he proposing？ At Tiffany？ She’d imagined this was how she’d get engaged a million times。 But in all her fantasies； it wasn’t Pete asking her。 It was Nate。
She pried open the hinged lid of the box。 There； sitting on a bed of blue satin； was a white gold ring。 It was circled by tiny pink sapphires that captured the light。
“Is this…” Blair began； her fingers trembling。
“It’s not an engagement ring；” Pete explained hurriedly； reading the shocked expression on Blair’s face。 “At least not yet。 But I do want you to e on Carlson vacations。 I feel like this sort of answers my dad’s ‘no ring； no bring’ rule； don’t you？” he asked with an adorably lopsided smile。
Around them； tourists craned their necks to see what was going on。 One paunchy man had even pulled out his camera phone and was filming the whole incident。 Blair wanted to yell at everyone to go away。 She gazed into Pete’s ocean blue eyes； unsure of what to do。 She knew she didn’t want to touch the ring。 She couldn’t。
“Thanks；” she began weakly； forcing a smile at the customers surrounding her。 Four years ago； Nate had bought her an ugly gold heart on a plain black cord。 She’d hated the necklace。 She loved this ring。 But somehow； it wasn’t to be。
She shut the jewelry box with a deliberate snap。 “I can’t。” Her voice broke on the last word。 “I just can’t。” Then she turned and walked out the revolving door； not looking back to see the heartbroken look on his face。
Breakup at Tiffany’s？
it’s not acting if it’s the truth
“Cut； cut； cut！” Ken Mogul yelled； his bloodshot blue eyes bugging from his head。 He threw his bullhorn down； where it clattered on the soundstage。
It was the last week of filming Coffee at the Palace； the much…anticipated sequel to Breakfast at Fred’s。 They were on a set in Queens designed to look like a large New York City hotel penthouse that opened onto a rooftop garden。 Thaddeus placed his hands on Serena’s tanned shoulders protectively。 They’d worked long enough with Ken as a director to know that once he started throwing things； he rarely stopped with one object。
As long as he doesn’t move on to the talent； they’ll be fine。
“Serena； for fuck’s sake； you’re supposed to be Holly。 Goddamn Holly who’s in love with her goddamn husband but is tormented by the memory of her goddamn ex…lover； whom she’s supposed to be fucking seeing in five minutes for coffee。 Where the holy fucking hell is the passion？” Ken screamed； his freckled face turning as red as his curly shoulder…length hair。
“Sorry；” Serena sighed； pulling anxiously on the sleeve of her vintage black and white wool Givenchy dress。 It had been a long morning。 Really； it had been a long week。 Nate had hardly said two words to Serena at brunch the other day。 And the only words Blair had said to her since then were about Nate。
“Okay。 Let’s start all over again。 Take！” Ken screamed loudly； his voice cracking up an octave。
“I love you。” Serena concentrated on Thad’s large； wide…set； I’m pletely gay eyes。 “There’s never been anyone else。 My dreams didn’t lie。 Even when I sleep next to you； I dream about you。”
“CUT！” Ken shrieked angrily。 “You sound like you’re talking to your goddamn guinea pig。 Who the fuck cares if you love him？ I don’t。 Anyone？ Anyone on set？” One timid； owlish…looking assistant raised her hand。 Ken held up his clipboard as if he were going to throw it。 “Great。 Fucking Mousy Girl over there will net our film ten dollars。 Off my set！” he yelled theatrically as the terrified…looking assistant scampered away。 Ken cradled his head in his hands and sighed。
“You okay？” Thad whispered。 Serena nodded； but she could feel beads of anxious sweat creep down her spine。 She took a seat on a peach jacquard–covered wingback chair in the corner。 A makeup assistant immediately scurried up and dabbed powder on her forehead。
“Okay；” Thaddeus whispered。 “I think you know me too well。 Forget about me and just pretend you’re talking to the love of your life。 Listen； this is how I would say it if I were talking to Serge。” Thad turned toward Serena and closed his eyes。
“There’s never been anyone else；” Thad began dramatically； opening his eyes once more and gazing at Serena； as if he wasn’t sure if she were real or a figment of his imagination。 “My dreams didn’t lie。 Even when I sleep next to you； I dream about you。”
Serena pulled her hair into a tight ponytail at the crown of her head。 It was sweet of him to try to help； but it was useless。 “I don’t love anyone that way；” she cut him off。 In this scene； Holly was supposed to recognize that the only person she really loved was her husband。 That； no matter what； and no matter how many stupid things he did； he was the only person who could ever make her feel happy and plete。
She sighed and leaned back into the wingback chair。 She wished she； and not her alter ego； Holly； was face…to…face with the man of her dreams。 She wished the wind was blowing through her hair and that she was holding a real drink instead of a seltzer mixed with food coloring。 She wished she was out on a sailboat； in the middle of the deep navy ocean； under the wide blue sky； with him。
She wished she was with Nate。
Serena felt a sob rise in her throat。
“Don’t worry about the scene for right now。 Is everything okay？” Thaddeus asked in concern as he perched on the arm of her chair。
“Okay； princesses； teatime’s over。 Let’s work。 My sanity’s at stake。” Ken rolled his eyes。
Serena stood up； crossed toward the camera； and blinked at what was supposed to be the Hudson River in front of her。 She imagined Nate； far away； on a sailboat； a tiny dot in the middle of the ocean。 She turned her head； her chin grazing her tanned； bare shoulder。 “I love you。 I always have。” She brushed a lock of hair out of Thaddeus’s eyes； the way she