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“You taste nice；” Blair breathed； letting her body relax into Pete’s muscular arms。 She shrugged off her black Loro Piana cashmere cardigan so she was wearing only her peach Cosabella tank top。
It was funny how things worked out。 When she arrived at Yale four months ago； Blair discovered that her incessantly perky roommate； Alana Hoffman； sang a cappella。 All the time。 Blair would wake up to Alana singing “Son of a Preacher Man” to her collection of Gund teddy bears。 Avoiding her room； Blair spent a lot of time in the library； where Pete was writing a paper for his magical realism class。 Blair hadn’t been able to so much as look at a guy ever since Nate Archibald； her high school boyfriend and the supposed love of her life； chose not to e to Yale with her； leaving her high and dry at Grand Central Station to head to college alone。 But that day； spotting Pete’s adorably rugged stubble； the half…smile he always wore； and the intense concentration in his dark blue eyes as he bent over his worn paperback book； Blair felt for the first time that there could be life after Nate。 She and Pete had exchanged flirty glances； and finally he invited her for coffee。
They’d been inseparable ever since。 In fact； since Thanks…giving； Blair had been practically living with Pete—and his five gin…swilling； athletic roommates—in a fortably shabby Chapel Street town house。 At first； Blair had been nervous about living with so many guys； but she sort of liked having instantaneous brothers； and most of the time being the only girl in the room。 Especially when they gave her free rein of the upstairs bathroom and didn’t mind helping her with stats homework。
It was amazing how easy everything could be with Pete。 For the first time in Blair’s eighteen years； her life made sense。 She loved her pre…law classes； lived in a house of boys who adored her； had a loving； handsome boyfriend； and had even found a surrogate family in the Carlsons。
One that didn’t use the word merger。
For the past few days； they’d spent every waking hour with the family： Pete’s former U。S。 senator dad； Chappy； his Boston debutante mom； Jane； his three older brothers； their wives； and assorted cherubic nephews and nieces whom Blair couldn’t even try to keep straight。 It sounded like a nightmare； but it was actually heavenly。 Mr。 Carlson was barrel…chested and red…faced and told corny jokes in a way that made everyone crack up； and his mom would randomly recite Anne Sexton poetry at the dinner table without being drunk。 The brothers were good…looking； friendly； and smart； their wives were polished and weling； and even the kids were polite。 So far； it had been a perfect holiday。
And it was about to get even better。 To celebrate the New Year； Chappy had booked the entire family at an exclusive five…star resort in Costa Rica。 Obviously； Blair could do without the rain forest adventure part； but she’d heard the beaches were pristine； the sun was hot； and the villas had the most incredible mattresses。
Just then； there was a knock at the door。 “You kids decent？” Pete’s older brother Jason called as he entered。 He had the same lanky frame as Pete。 Tall； strawberry blond； and handsome； all four of the Carlson brothers—Everett； Randy； Jason； and Pete—looked like they could be quadruplets； even though there was a two…year age difference between each of them。 A second…year law student at UPenn； Jason was the second youngest of the Carlson brothers。 He was adorable； and Blair would’ve had a crush on him if she wasn’t dating Pete。
At least she has a backup。
“We’re playing charades。 Carlson Christmas tradition。 Your presence has been requested。”
“Do we have to？” Blair suppressed a groan。 It was cute in theory； but they’d played charades； Pictionary； and Scrabble the last three days。 Blair was extremely petitive； and it was exhausting simultaneously trying to win and to not appear like all she cared about was winning。
Maybe they should shake it up with some Truth or Dare。
“And guess who’s requested you on his team again？” Jason smirked； flashing Blair the trademark white…toothed Carlson smile。 “Our dad loves you！”
“Yay！” Blair replied encouragingly； mustering her enthusiasm。 She followed Pete through the wide arching hallway that led to the kitchen。 The whole house was a contradiction： The walls were rough wood； but the polished wood floors were covered in antique Turkish carpets。 In the kitchen； a large wood stove hunkered in the corner opposite two massive Sub…Zero refrigerators。 Several overstuffed yellow chairs sat in front of a large dormer window； each one containing a different member of the family。 Chappy； in a cream…colored cable…knit Aran Islands sweater； stood in front of the whole group； calling them to order。
“Scout！” he called gleefully as he spotted Blair and Pete。
“Hi； Mr。 Carlson。” Blair smiled warmly as Chappy clapped her on the shoulder。
“I already claimed you； so back off； boys；” he announced jovially to Pete’s brothers； who all smiled politely back at her； even though Everett didn’t bother to look up from his iPhone。 “I’m telling you； Scout； I don’t know how I’m going to manage without you next week；” Chappy continued。
“Oh； well； I’m sure we can play on the beach or something；” Blair said。 She blushed。 The phrase sounded totally inappropriate when she said it out loud。 “Play charades on the beach；” she clarified quickly。
“Yeah； but what’ll I do without my favorite teammate？” Chappy shook his head sorrowfully。 “No offense； Jane； but you cheat。”
“I do cheat； I’ll be the first to admit it。” Jane Carlson had wheat blond hair cut in a sensible bob and was tall； with an athletic frame。 She was wearing the same style sweater as her husband。 “I’m glad you’re on the straight and narrow。” She winked at Blair。
But Blair was still stuck on the part of Chappy’s sentence that implied she wouldn’t be in Costa Rica with them。 She’d bought five new Eres bikinis for the occasion。 They made the most of the five pounds she’d gained from the gross food she’d been forced to eat on Yale’s meal plan。 “Without me？” Blair blurted stupidly。
“I mean； I’d bring you along； but we’ve got a saying in the Carlson family…” Chappy began； his blue eyes shining； as if he were about to deliver a stump speech。 “I believe； when it es to vacations； in the ‘no ring； no bring’ rule。”
“It’s the Carlson curse。” Jason sighed； elbowing Blair in the ribs sympathetically。 She stepped away。 While it was true Blair had never officially been invited to Costa Rica； she’d been invited for Christmas； for God’s sake。 Wasn’t that even more exclusive than a beach holiday？ And why not invite her？ After all； she’d brought Nate on her family vacations for years and it wasn’t like she’d been married to him。
Except in her dreams。
“Blair； we love you and we want you in our family for years to e； but I need to be a stickler on this；” Chappy explained sympathetically； as if she were one of his constituents； arguing over some impossibly arcane rule。 “I’ve raised four boys； and while they’ve behaved around you； honestly； these gentlemen cause more theatrics when it es to ladies than the Yale School of Drama；” he finished； shaking his head。
“Maybe you could get together with your girlfriends and have a girls’ adventure！” Pete’s sister…in…law Sarah piped up from the corner of the room； stroking her Lilly Pulitzer–patterned eight…months…pregnant belly。 “I remember when I heard the Carlson rule； I had a great time with the Theta girls。 We went to Cancún！”A look of happy reminiscence crossed Sarah’s lightly tanned； heart…shaped face。
“You did？” Randy asked； shooting a look at Sarah。 “I didn’t know that。”
“Sorry； son！” Chappy clapped Pete on the back。 “Sorry； Scout！”
Blair narrowed her eyes at a painting that hung over the fireplace； of a ship in what looked like an exceptionally violent storm。 What a boring； random piece of art to hang in a house。 Suddenly she hated her stupid nickname。 Scout？
Out would have been more appropriate。
“Blair； I’m sorry；” Pete said simply。 “I thought you understood…。”
“What？ I knew I wasn’t ing；” Blair lied； smiling fakely。 Her stomach was churning wildly。 For a brief second； she wanted to excuse herself； run to the second…floor bathroom； and puke everything she’d eaten for the past five days。
“Blair； darling； here’s your hot chocolate。 I made sure to put some extra marshmallows in there。” Jane pushed the steaming ceramic mug into Blair’s hands。 “Won’t you sit down？” She gestured to one of the fortable overstuffed forest green chairs。
“Thanks。” Blair nodded。 She squared her shoulders and turned to the waiting Carlson clan。 No way was she going to let the Brady Bunch see her sweat。 “You all ready to play？” She forced herself to smile； a plan already forming。
“Maybe I will have a wild girls’ weekend；” she whispered in Pete’s ear。 “I haven’t been to New York all year； except those two weekends with you； and those don’t count； since we never even left the hotel。” His face fell as he no doubt pictured all the raucous fun she’d be having without him。 Blair raised an eyebrow challengingly。 Afte