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card； and she certainly wasn？t going to say no to that。 The only thing missing was someone
special to enjoy it with。
She picked up her cell and dialed a number she knew as well as her own。
？Hey stranger。？ Nate picked up on the first ring； his slightly sleepy voice sending shivers up her
spine。 She pictured him still lazing in bed； no shirt on； just waking up from a dream？about her； of
course。
？Hey yourself。？ She grinned into the phone。 ？What are you up to right now？？
Twenty minutes later Nate bounded out onto the deck of the SoHo House pool； his brown leather
flip…flops thwacking against the stone tiles； oblivious to the ogling female eyes that were fixed on
his perfect body。 In his green Billabong swim trunks and faded gray T…shirt； Nate was the only
person on the entire roof deck not wearing white。
？Hey。？ He smiled widely as he reached her deck chair； his golden brown hair falling into his eyes。
A shiver of nervous goose bumps spread over her skin。 He sank down into the chair beside
her。 ？You look 。 。 。 fortable。？ ？Cheerio； old chap；？ Serena responded in a playful； mock…British
accent； and held up the black key card； marked with only four letters？SHPH。 ？Soho House
Penthouse；？ she explained with a flirtatious wink。
Nate reached for the card to get a closer look； but she playfully swatted his hand away。
He shrugged and took off his shirt； settling into the plush white lounge…chair cushion。 ？Your
British accent sounds faker than Madonna？s。？ He picked up her glass of lemonade and took a long
swig； smacking his lips in satisfaction as he put the half…empty glass back down。
？First you insult my accent； and then you drink my lemonade？ You？re in for it； buddy。？ She
stood and grabbed his arm； dragging him toward the pool。 They tumbled over the edge and hit the
water with a loud splash； narrowly missing an Elizabeth Taylor look…alike in a white one…piece
swimsuit and matching head turban doing water calisthenics in the shallow end。 Maybe it
reallywas Elizabeth Taylor。
？Excuse me。？ The woman scowled； moving away from Serena and Nate as they stood in the
water dripping and panting。
Serena took a deep breath and plunged underneath the surface of the water。 For as long as she
could remember； she？d loved being underwater； the whole world drowned out； only the sound of
gently rushing water in her ears。 She opened her eyes； the chlorine stinging them slightly； and saw
Nate underwater right in front of her； his green eyes wide open too。 His hair was standing straight
up； and he waved his hand； a liquid ？hello？ escaping his lips with a rush of bubbles。
She giggled； nearly choking； and suddenly thought of the games of Marco Polo she and Nate and
Blair had played when they were younger。 Nate would always cheat； shouting ？Marco！？ and then
opening his eyes for a moment to see where they were。 Then he？d grab the girls with huge
splashing lunges； pretending he？d just found them by accident。 Nate never seemed to care which
girl he caught； he？d just grab whomever was in front of him and held on。 Serena closed her eyes；
the sting of the chlorine now too much to bear； and shot up to the surface。
Nate sidestroked into the shallow end and hopped up onto the edge of the pool； letting his legs
dangle in the water。 Serena looked so peaceful floating on her back in the calm water； her blond
hair forming a halo around her head； an angelic smile on her face。Being with Serena was so much
less stressful than being with Blair。 Immediately he thought of his last； highly stressful interaction
with Blair； whom he？d been avoiding since the day before yesterday； when she？d thrown her
shoes at him。
Blair had left him hundreds of voice mails； but Nate thought he should wait to speak with her
until she？d had a little more time to cool off。
Just not in this particular pool。
He knew that Blair was angry； but he also knew that she？d eventually forgive him； just like she
always did。 He could still visit her at Yale on the weekends。 And Serena would be here with him in
New York。 He？d always thought he？d have to choose between the two girls； but now it seemed he
could have them both。 That was pretty ballsy； if he did say so himself。
Serena opened one eye and discovered Nate staring at her。 With a rush of water； she stood up； her
wet hair falling down her back in a slick mass。 Winding it around her hand； she squeezed the water
out and then tied her hair into a neat knot。 Her swimsuit straps had fallen down again； and she
hitched them up before anything embarrassing happened。
Not that it？s anything Nate hasn？t seen before。 。 。 。
？Impressive。？ He smiled； kicking a little water up at her with one golden foot。 ？Um； putting your
hair up without a barrette or whatever；？ he stammered； turning pink。 ？Not the
swimsuit…almost…falling…off part。 Not that I？d mind that；？ he added。
？Really now？？ she hopped up on the ledge beside him； her hair promptly falling out of its
not…so…secure bun and draping messily over her shoulders。 ？Because along with that key card
es a very beautiful； veryempty hotel suite。？ She inched a little closer to him on the pool ledge。
Nate grinned； the sun bouncing off the water and making his green eyes glitter even more than
usual。 He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a voice behind them。
？Serena van der Woodsen！？ a syrupy； high…pitched voice exclaimed。 They both turned to see
Bailey Winter； all five feet of the famous designer； dressed in a white linen suit； a hot pink
handkerchief in his pocket and an enormous pair of white sunglasses perched on his head。 His
houseboy； Stefan； was behind him； manning the leashes of Bailey？s five pugs。 ？You remember
Stefan；？ he chirped with a wave behind him。 ？And of course you remember Azzedine； Coco；
Cristobal； Gianni； and Madame Gres。？ He tittered； gesturing at the dogs。
How couldanyone forget？
？Of course！？ Serena jumped up and gave Bailey a damp hug。 ？It？s so good to see you！？ she
exclaimed affectionately。
After Bailey had designed the costumes forBreakfast at Fred？s； he？d invited Serena and Blair to
be live…in muses at his East Hampton summer home。 Their stay had had its share of problems；
mainly due to a pair of skinny Eastern European models determined to make their life there a
living hell。 In a horrendous scene at one of Bailey？s famous parties； they？d ruined his furniture；
horrified the guests； and then run out of the party？and away from the Hamptons？without so much
as a goodbye。 Serena had felt so guilty for leaving on such bad terms that she？d written Bailey a
note later on in the summer； apologizing for their behavior and thanking him for their stay。 He？d
written back saying that he couldn？t possibly hold a grudge against someone so lovely and
talented； and that she was wele any time。
？What are you doing back in the city？？ She grabbed a white towel and wrapped it around her
midriff。
The little man folded up his sunglasses and put them into his pocket。 ？The Hamptons get so dull
at the end of the summer。 All the fun？s here in the city！？ He waved his petite hands in the air。 ？You
certainly are at the center of all the action？I can？t believe my little Serena is being a big； big
movie star！？ He shrieked and grabbed her hands。 ？I just went to a screening ofBreakfast at Fred？s ；
and of course the costumes areto die for ； if I do say so myself； but you； my dear； are the icing on
the German chocolate cake！？ he added； pinching Stefan？s toned behind； apropos of nothing。
Liz Taylor was lounging on a deck chair a few feet away with a little white Chihuahua curled at
her feet。 She looked up from her copy of ItalianVogue ； and her dog jumped down to sniff
Cristobal？s butt curiously。
That？s one way to say hello。
？Serena van der Woodsen； fromBreakfast at Fred？s ？？ the woman demanded loudly in an
imperious Spanish accent。 So she wasn？t Liz Taylor after all。 ？I thought you looked familiar。 I
absolutelyadored that movie。 。 。 。？ A crowd began to form around Serena。 Suddenly it hit Nate that
she was starring in a big…time film； and that she was about to bee really famous； a movie star。
He wondered if from now on it was going to be like this all the time； getting stopped on the street；
mobbed by fans； paparazzi following them everywhere。 Serena smiled shyly as she autographed
someone？s towel。 He could already see the gossip columns； wondering why the acplished
young starlet was hanging out with a loser still stuck in high school。 Not that he cared what other
people thought； but still。 It would be 。 。 。 weird。 He ran his fingers through his hair； wishing he had
a joint with him； and then remembered that he did？in the pocket of his now…soaking shorts。 Oops。
He picked up his towel and started to dry off。 Then he heard his phone？s muffled ring and found
it underneath his T…shirt。 He flipped it open； grateful for something to do besides watching Serena
and feeling dumb and useless。 ？Hello？？ ？Long time no see。 What are you up to right now？？
Blair？s voice surprised him。 She sounded downright chipper； and not angry at all。
？Hey 。 。 。 ；？ he mumbled； wandering to the