with her for the past four months。
Nate felt his heart breaking in two as proud tears rolled down Blair’s beautiful cheeks。 He wanted to kiss her again and again until everything was better。 Instead； he sat beside her and placed his hand tentatively over hers。
“I’ll never leave you again。 Blair。 I love you。” Nate’s stomach knotted； willing her to echo his feelings。
“I love you too；” Blair said finally； another tear trickling down her cheek。 She wasn’t sure why she was still crying。 She was just so relieved and happy and homesick and excited； all at once。 Nate gently wiped the tear away with his index finger。
Blair leaned in and kissed him； hard。 “I love you；” she said again。
Together； they lay down so they were facing each other。 The strap of Blair’s dress was falling down her shoulder。 He reached out and eased it down； so Blair’s skin was exposed。 They didn’t need to talk anymore。 All they needed was each other。
Just then； a loud buzz emanated from Blair’s Chloé clutch where it had been hastily tossed on the wood floor。
“Let’s ignore that；” Blair said； reaching toward the waistband of Nate’s khakis。 She wasn’t mad at him anymore。 What he’d done last summer didn’t even matter anymore。 All that mattered was this—them； together。
breakfast of champions
Please answer the phone； Serena whispered as she dialed Blair’s number on New Year’s morning。 It was 10 a。m。 and she’d been up since seven； feeling guilty about abandoning Blair last night。 She wasn’t sure how to interpret Blair’s e…mail。 It wasn’t bitchy； exactly。
Not exactly。
But what could she have done？ It wasn’t like she could leave Thaddeus alone with his homophobic ditz of a date。 She’d only been able to leave after Carilee passed out on Thaddeus’s bed after one too many amaretto sours。 It had proved impossible to get a cab； so she’d gone back up to the party and begged Ira to let her use his town car。 Finally； she’d gotten to Chuck’s party。 It was crawling with L’école and Seaton Arms underclassmen she’d never met before； all eager to hang out with her。 But no sign of Blair。
Knowing Blair； she’d probably gotten a suite and was watching an Audrey Hepburn marathon and hating her life—and maybe even Serena。 She felt guiltier each time she thought about it。
Hi； you’ve reached Blair Waldorf…。 Serena threw the phone on her bed in frustration。
Just then； the inter buzzer to the apartment rang。 Serena sprang up and buzzed Blair in。
She raced back to her bedroom； plucked a pair of black Stella McCartney for Adidas yoga pants off the floor； and yanked them over her Cosabella boy shorts； padding to the door on her size nine bare feet。
“Hey Booger Braids！” Serena called the kindergarten…age endearment down the hall； not caring what her neighbors might think about her inappropriate greeting。 “Sorry I missed you last night。”
Blair rounded the corner of the elevator bank into the hallway。 But she wasn’t alone。
“Look who I found！” Blair announced； feeling a slight thrill of pleasure at the look of shocked surprise on Serena’s face。
“Natie？” Serena said weakly； letting her arms fall slack against her body as she leaned against the doorframe for support。 How was Nate here？ How were he and Blair here； together？ Blair’s hair was damp and tousled around her small； pretty face。 Nate’s expression was dazed and happy； like he was in a dream he didn’t want to wake up from。
Suddenly； everything came horribly together。 Blair and Nate were here with each other because they’d been with each other。 Blair had spent the night at Nate’s。 No wonder she was in such a good mood。
Serena sighed； trying to will her bad feelings away。 This fall she’d tagged along to a yoga class with Alysia； where the instructor told them to think of their minds as an endless blue sky； and any negative thoughts as little rain clouds that would eventually go away。 She would not let her rain clouds ruin her reunion with her two best friends。 “Blair； I am so sorry about last night！”
“Oh； it doesn’t matter。” Blair shrugged； as if she hadn’t been cursing out Serena for the entire night prior to meeting Nate。
Nate licked his lips nervously as he glanced between Serena and Blair。 Serena had that sexy； just…rolled…out…of…bed look。 Blair wore jeans and an old navy blue Ralph Lauren sweater of his。 He loved the way his sweater hung off Blair’s frame； reminding him of how small she was pared to him。 They were both beautiful。 But Blair was his girl。
For now； at least。
“It’s great to see you； Serena；” Nate said awkwardly； offering his adorable； lopsided smile。 Serena felt her stomach twist in jealousy。 Let it go。 She imagined her angry storm cloud thoughts disappearing to reveal a blue sky。
“I don’t know about you guys； but I’m starving。 Let’s go out！” she announced brightly； sounding like an overcaffeinated camp counselor。
Or a jealous best friend？
The cab pulled up to Serendipity on Sixtieth and Third； which was equally famous for its retro…kitschy Tiffany glass lampshade decor as it was for its high…calorie desserts。 Once they were seated； Serena glanced down at the cracked hexagonal floor tiles so she wouldn’t have to watch Blair and Nate gazing adoringly at each other。 She didn’t get it。 Didn’t Blair have a boyfriend？ And wasn’t Nate supposed to be off sailing the world still？
“So； Nate； where the hell have you been？” she asked。 She poked the ice cubes in her water glass down with her straw as if she were trying to drown them。
“All over。” Nate shrugged unfortably。 He’d been everywhere； from sailing around Latin America to exploring the Pacific Northwest； but he didn’t know where to start。 Besides； no matter where he was； he’d been thinking about both of them。 But he couldn’t say that to Serena in front of Blair。 Serena’s navy blue eyes gleamed； and she looked like she wanted him to talk for hours。 But he didn’t know what else to say。 “We sailed without a navigation system。 It was really cool；” he added vaguely。
The waiter； a chipper man who had way too much energy for New Year’s Day morning； approached the table。 “Happy New Year！” he practically shouted； causing droplets of spit to rain on the table。 “Now； where are you folks from？”
“I’ll have the eggs Benedict and coffee and he’ll have scrambled eggs and bacon that’s just a little crispy；” Blair said； ignoring the waiter’s inane question。 How embarrassing to be taken as tourists。 Then again； this was a tourist trap。 Sure； they used to e here all the time when they were little and split a frozen hot chocolate while their nannies gossiped over coffee。 But that was years ago。 Didn’t Serena realize they weren’t kids anymore？
Serena smiled tightly。 “I’ll have coffee。 And toast；” she said； brushing away the menu。 She didn’t have much of an appetite。
“You’re not eating？ That’s no fun！” Blair wrinkled her nose。 “She’ll have chocolate chip pancakes。 With extra whipped cream；” she announced。
“Sure thing； captain！” The waiter dorkily saluted her。 Blair rolled her eyes。
“So are you back for good？” Serena asked； turning to Nate。 He looked gaunt and more careworn than she remembered。 She wanted to call the waiter back and order extra pancakes and sausages and eggs for Nate； then feed them to him until he regained his strength。
Nate shrugged。 “Maybe I’ll borrow the Charlotte and do some sailing；” he said。 The boat was docked in Newport； Rhode Island； for the winter。 He hadn’t really thought about what he was going to do with the rest of his life。 Chips was still in Florida； and Nate doubted he was going to set sail again anytime soon。 And now that he knew Blair didn’t hate him； he didn’t really want to go anywhere。 “I could train for the America’s Cup；” he added。 That would be pretty cool。 He could sail up and down the East Coast during the week； see Blair on the weekends； and maybe catch up with Serena for coffee on Monday mornings。 It would be perfect。
Blair’s eyes lit up as if she’d just had the best idea in the world。 It was a look Serena recognized all too well。
Uh…oh。
“e to Yale！” Blair cried。 “They have a sailing team。”
“Could I do that？” Nate wonde