Serena van der Woodsen。 He had loved Bree。 And he had loved Vanessa most of all。
Right： the girl who looks like a boy。
Was it possible that he was gay and that everyone but him had known it all along？ Was he one of
those obviously gay little boys who like to have tea parties with their stuffed animals and carry
their mothers？ old cast…off purses to school？
Sighing as he placed the vase on the floor by his bed； Dan looked up at his Dad； who was lost in
thought。 ？So； you were telling me about the skinny…dipping and the literary discussion。？ Dan
paused。 ？Was that like； um； normal？ For your literary conversations to end up 。 。 。 with you； like；
naked with some other guy？？
？Normal！？ Rufus laughed heartily。 ？Believe me； when it es to literature there？s nothing more
normal。 Passion。 Fire。 When you？re young； you？re just filled with it。 It？s got to play out
somehow。？
Dan nodded； brow furrowed。 ？So you？re saying that； in your experience； it？s not unmon for
a literary salon to turn into a naked same…sex orgy？？
？More mon than you think； sonny。？ Rufus ruffled his son？s mussed bed…head
affectionately。 ？Too bad times have changed。？
Yeah； too bad。
s and b peek into the fun…house mirror
？Hello？ Hello？？ Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen swept into the sparsely decorated
foyer of Bailey Winter？s East Hampton midcentury…modern retreat。 Outside the hydrangeas were
blooming； the pollen was flying； and the temperature was rising； but inside it felt cool； clean； and
crisp。 Blair dropped her salmon…pink leather Tod？s carryall onto the zebrawood floor and called
out again； ？Hellooooo？？
？Anybody home？？ Serena pushed her vintage wood…paneled Chanel sunglasses on top of her
head。 She was used to houses full of antiques； but if she had a summer house； she？d want it to
look just like this？sleek； clean； and antiqueless。
？You？re here； you？re here； you？re here！？ The couturier to the jet set glided down the polished
ebony staircase like an oversize toddler on Christmas morning； clapping his hands delightedly and
shouting over the chorus of yelps from the five pugs following in his wake。
Blair sped three air kisses with the designer and noticed； for the first time； that he was so
short his head was exactly level with her chin。 After providing the costumes forBreakfast at Fred？s；
the teen remake of the Audrey Hepburn classicBreakfast at Tiffany？s starring none other than
Blair？s oldest and best friend； Serena； Bailey had invited Blair and Serena to be his muses at his
Georgica Pond estate for the summer。 They would inspire his new line； Summer/Winter by Bailey
Winter； a one…show…only collection of his most exciting summer and winter looks。
？Thank you so much for having us；？ Blair purred as the five little dogs sniffed enthusiastically at
her pale pink South of the Highway？polished toes； clad that day in？of course？ white linen Bailey
Winter espadrilles。
？Don？t be shy！？ the designer cried over Blair？s right shoulder； startling Serena； who was still
standing on the threshold； taking in the scene。 ？e here and give me a big kissie…poo
immediately！？
Serena followed Blair？s example； depositing her hunter green Herm？s canvas tote on the
well…polished floor and embracing the diminutive designer。 The pugs swirled around her； rubbing
their fat； drool…dripping jowls against her already…tanned legs。
？Oh my goodness； behave！？ Bailey scolded the dogs； though they paid no attention； wagging
their tiny blond rumps crazily。 ？Girls； let me introduce you。 These are Azzedine； Coco； Crist？bal；
Gianni； and Madame Gr？s。？ He nodded to his five bug…eyed dogs。 ？Kiddies； these are the girls：
Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen； my new muses。 Play nice！？
？Should I get the bags？？ inquired a deep voice with a vaguely German accent。 Blair turned to see
a lanky； floppy…haired boy enter the room from the sunlight…flooded hallway that led to the back of
the house。 Blair could see an almost…black infinity…edge swimming pool through the
floor…to…ceiling windows behind him。 The boy was wearing a threadbare orange T…shirt that barely
covered his caramel…colored biceps； and tattered olive cargo shorts that hung below his knees。
Where had she seen him before？ In an Abercrombie catalog？ In his underwear on a billboard in
Times Square？
In her dreams？
？Oh hel…looooo；Stefan；？ Bailey squealed。 ？The girls will stay in the pool house。？
？Certainly。？ Stefan grinned； grabbing Blair？s and Serena？s abandoned bags。
？We？ve got more in the car；？ Blair informed him； admiring the way his biceps flexed as he
negotiated her overstuffed carryall。
？Naughty girl！？ Bailey stage…whispered； catching Blair？s eye。 He placed a well…tanned if slightly
orange arm around her shoulders； giving her a squeeze。 ？He？s a treat； isn？t he？？
Blair nodded enthusiastically； although the sight of Stefan？s taut arms and sun…kissed hair made
her think of the one…time/maybe…still love of her life； Nate Archibald。 The sun always seemed to
work magic on Nate？s body。 He could be wearing a nerdy polo from back in ninth grade and the
dorky pressed Brooks Brothers khaki Bermuda shorts his mom always bought for him； but with a
tan he still looked ridiculously hot。
Pulling up to Bailey？s concrete…and…glass house a few minutes ago； Blair hadn？t been able to
help but surreptitiously scan the neighboring driveways for sight of Nate？s car。 His family always
summered in Maine； but she？d heard he was staying at their new Hamptons beach house while he
worked for his coach。 She？d never been there； but it was around here some…where。 Not that she？d
really thought about it or anything。
Sure she hasn？t。
It was the last summer vacation of her entire life？ yes； college would have summer vacations； too；
but Blair expected they would be filled with important internships at fashion magazines；
archeological digs in the desert of Mumbai； or ？anthropological？ research in the south of France。
In a mere eight weeks she？d pack her new bisque…colored BMW （a graduation present from her
globe…trotting and gay but still…sweet dad） and drive to New Haven to begin her life as a Yalie。
Until then； she was determined to make the most of her life as a fashion muse。 She？d spend her
days sipping limoncello and chilled vodka by the pool and her nights kneading Stefan？s arm
muscles。 Or searching for Nate。 Or not searching for Nate。Whatever。
？Your house is beautiful。？
The sound of Serena？s voice snapped Blair out of her reverie； and she stopped admiring Stefan？s
shapely arms and studied her best friend； who was sitting on the floor surrounded by Bailey？s
dogs； smiling happily。 She wore a long white cotton spaghetti…strap Marni dress with purple
crochet trim。 On anyone else it would have looked horribly hippie Aunt Moonbeam from San
Francisco； but of course it looked pletely ravishing on Serena。
？I？m glad my humble abode meets Serena van der Woodsen？s exacting standards；？ Bailey
replied。
Six bedrooms； seven baths； aviary； pool house； helipad； and tennis court： humble abode； indeed。
Serena cradled Coco in her arms and kissed her adorably deformed…looking face。 The pug
wheezed and snorted happily。 Serena hadn？t rolled around on the floor with a dog since she？d
dated Blair？s stepbrother； Aaron。 His dog； Mookie； had drooled all over Blair？s bedroom and
scared Kitty Minky； Blair？s cat； into peeing everywhere； but Serena had a soft spot for him
anyway。 She wondered if Bailey would let Coco sleep with her in the guest house at night； like a
real…life teddy bear。
？Someone？s taken a shine to you； eh； Coco？？ Bailey cooed； tickling the dog under her furry chin
as though she were a hairy little baby。 ？e； e。 I？ll give you the grand tour。？
Blair frowned at the four other dogs； all staring at her expectantly。 The last thing she wanted was
some mutt drooling all over her linen Calypso tunic。
？This way； girls。？ Bailey beckoned； leading the five dogs and two girls like a flock of ducks
down the cavernous hall…way and into the main part of the house。 The hall was lined with
wall…size Ellsworth Kelly red circle paintings that Bl