d up to his potential in school。 And it was all because he’d given up chicks。 They’re bad for you； he told himself now。 But Jenny seemed so simple and pure； and Nate couldn’t imagine her being bad for anyone。 He took a tentative step toward her。
“So； I guess this is Blair’s mom’s dress； right？” Jenny asked； shrugging her milky white shoulders。
He reached up and brushed an errant curl off Jenny’s shoulders； then quickly yanked his hand back to his side。
So much for staying strong。
Jenny giggled and tilted her face toward his。 He pressed his lips against hers； slowly at first； then more urgently。
“Nate；” Jenny murmured。 She felt his hand on her bare upper back； right above where the zipper had stopped on the dress。 She wondered if he could feel how quickly her heart was beating in her chest。 The stubble from his chin tickled her face。 Her fingers fluttered up behind his head； to pull him closer。
Suddenly； Nate pulled away。 “Do you hear that？” He cocked his hand in a way that reminded Jenny of a golden retriever。 Jenny listened。 She could hear the twins’ wavering toddler voices singing an off…key rendition of “Frère Jacques” from downstairs。
“Sounds like the twins are up。 We should…” Nate trailed off； shrugging。
“Yeah；” Jenny agreed； disappointed。 “I should change；” she added sheepishly。 She reached behind her； fumbling for the zipper。
“Can I help？” Nate reached for the zipper and eased it down； gently allowing his fingers to brush against the soft skin of her bare back。 He’d forgotten how soft girls’ skin was。
“Thanks。” Jenny crossed her arms tightly over her chest to make sure the dress didn’t fall down。 She suddenly felt shy。
“I’ll give you some privacy；” he offered； and stepped back into the bathroom。 He closed the door and she quickly stepped out of the dress。 She made her way over to the wardrobe； but before she could set the heavy dress inside； her foot caught on the leg of the mirror。 It toppled to the ground with a crash。 Fuck。
“You okay？” Nate called； popping his head around the door。
“Everything’s fine！” She yelped。 The mirror hadn’t broken； but it was lying on its side。 She hastily set it upright； threw the dress back on the bed； then sprinted down the attic stairs and back to the tiny guest room； her heart pounding from adrenaline。
Not to mention infatuation。
crushes cover for each other
Blair heard a loud crash from the attic and woke up with a start。 Sun was streaming through the east…facing windows of the guest bedroom and Chuck was breathing easily beside her； oblivious to the noise。
Blair cocked her head and heard the sound of loud footsteps right above her。 Immediately； she remembered how many houseguests were under the roof。 How Serena and Nate had crashed what was supposed to be a normal； sane holiday vacation。
Doesn’t she know by now that doesn’t exist？
She threw on a silky peach Cosabella robe； double…knotted it over her cami and boy shorts； and stomped toward the attic stairs。
“Hello？” she called； an edge to her voice as she stomped up the rickety attic stairs。 If Nate was up here with Serena… well； Blair didn’t even know what the fuck she’d do if she found them together。 And if Serena and her gross pseudo…intellectual boyfriend were doing anything up here； she’d still be annoyed。 Just the fact that Serena was in the house pissed her off。 What part of her speech last winter had made Serena think it was a good idea to follow her to Newport？
Blair swung open the door； ready to tell whoever was up there to get the fuck out。 But it was just Nate； standing near the large antique wardrobe in the corner； holding what looked like her mom’s wedding dress out in front of him。
“Oh； hey；” Nate said； turning around to face Blair。
“What the hell？” Blair demanded angrily。 This was one scenario she hadn’t anticipated。 Had Nate been trying on her mom’s dress？
“Sorry； I was just looking around。 Remember how we used to play hide…and…seek up here？” Nate asked innocently。
Blair softened slightly。 Nate might be insensitive and have idiotic lapses of judgment； but he definitely wasn’t a cross…dresser。 “I thought I heard a noise。” She folded her arms over her chest。
“I accidentally bumped into the mirror。 It’s fine； though。” He gestured toward her great…grandmother Cornelia’s gold mirror in the corner。
“What are you doing with my mom’s wedding dress？” Blair asked pointedly。
“Sorry。” Nate racked his brain； trying to e up with an excuse that didn’t sound too idiotic。 He’d wanted to clean up after Jenny。 Blair would rip Jenny’s sweet little curls from her head if she knew she’d been up here； snooping and trying on Blair’s mom’s old stuff。
And kissing him？
“I was just… reminiscing；” Nate said finally。 “This house brings up a lot of memories。”
“It does for me； too；” Blair admitted。 She sat down on one of the large steamer trunks； hugged her legs to her chest； and stared at the dress； which Nate had placed over his rumpled sheets。 She used to play dress…up with her mom’s clothes until well into high school。 She’d even worn this very dress and imagined walking down the aisle at St。 Patrick’s； with Nate waiting for her at the altar。
“You would look beautiful in it；” Nate mused。 In the picture in his mind； he substituted Jenny’s sloping curves for Blair’s sharp collarbones。
Blair smiled despite herself。 “I always thought I’d marry you wearing this；” she said honestly。 “We’d get married in St。 Patrick’s…。”
“And honeymoon in Capri；” Nate finished。
Blair laughed。 It was genuine； and the sound surprised her。 “We were so young。”
“I’m glad you and Chuck are happy；” Nate said softly。 He remembered the awful； wild look in Blair’s eyes last year at that hotel room； when he’d accidentally ruined her relationship with her Yale boyfriend。 She deserved to be with a good guy。
“I hope you’re happy too；” she offered。 She knew Deep Springs had done a lot for both Nate and Chuck； but something in Nate’s green eyes still looked lost。 It made her want to smooth his hair and hold his hand and climb back under the sheets on the sleigh bed and—
“I should go find Chuck； actually；” Blair said； standing up abruptly。
“Good；” Nate said quickly。 “I mean； I have to take a shower。”
Blair padded downstairs； wondering why her brain had to be such a dangerous place。 What was she doing fantasizing about Nate when she had Chuck—Chuck； who made her feel like a princess； and never； ever fucked with her—just down the hall？ It was infuriating。
Blair paused at the top of the stairs as she heard Serena’s voice mingling with the twins’ high…pitched； French…accented lisps。 What the fuck？ She descended into the kitchen。 Serena sat with the twins at the large round wooden kitchen table。 A jar of peanut butter； a jar of jelly； and a red box of graham crackers sat in front of them。
“Blair！” Serena called joyfully。
“Bear！” Both twins yelled； their faces sticky with peanut butter。
“Hi；” Blair said stiffly。
“Did you sleep well？” Serena asked hopefully。 She hadn’t slept well herself； and had spent most of the night listening to Dan’s even breath and feeling guilty about intruding on Blair。 Finally； she’d gotten up early and had been playing with the twins for hours。
Blair stalked over to the coffeemaker on the counter； ignoring Serena’s inane question。 The stainless steel carafe was empty and cold。 “No coffee？”
“The twins wanted tea this morning。” Serena shrugged playfully。
“Ha；” Blair replied sarcastically； and pulled a bag of espresso beans from the freezer。 She poured the bag into a coffee grinder and noisily ground the coffee； not caring if anyone was still asleep。 It was time to wake up and get the fuck out。
Good morning； sunshine！
Blair finished grinding the coffee and the electronic whir gave way to Serena’s patient voice。
“Okay； Pauline； now crumble the graham crackers really hard；” Serena told the little girl。 Pauline’s face was scrunched in concentration as she squeezed a Ziploc bag filled with graham cracker squares。
“What can I do？” Pierre piped up； his expression full of naked adoration。