小说园

第17部分（第3页）

Alaska　two　Augusts　ago　with　his　arm　around　his　dad；　both　smiling　like　losers　and　wearing　dirty

yellow　foul…weather　gear。　That　was　the　best　time　he　and　his　dad　had　ever　had　together。　Fishing　in

the　weird　eleven　o？clock　twilight；　surrounded　by　ghostly　glaciers；　and　sharing　a　flask　of　Scotch　on

their　way　back　into　port。　Then　there　were　the　pictures　of　him　and　Blair。　He　looking　bored　and

sleepy　and　embarrassed；　with　his　head　on　her　rose…colored　pillows；　and　she　looking　crazily

ecstatic；　with　her　cheek　pressed　violently　into　his　ear　as　she　held　her　camera　in　front　of　their　faces

and　snapped　the　pictures　herself。

Then　there　was　the　picture　of　Serena？s　elegant；　tanned　foot　with　the　wordsMiss　you　written　on　it

in　purple　marker　that　she？d　sent　him　last　year　while　she　was　still　up　at　boarding　school。　Nate　had

kept　it；　loving　her　sexy　silver　toe　ring；　and　loving　how　he　knew　it　was　from　her；　even　though　she

hadn？t　sent　it　with　a　note　or　used　a　return　address　or　anything。　He　held　the　photograph　in　his　hands；

trying　to　invoke　that　tingly；　turned…on　feeling　he？d　felt　when　he？d　gotten　it　in　the　mail；　but　now　it

was　just　a　silly　old　photograph　that　didn？t　really　invoke　anything。

He　glanced　at　the　photo　of　him　and　Blair　again；　missing　the　way　they　used　to　kick　around

together　doing　stupid　things；　like　drinking　way　too　many　vodka　tonics　before　a　movie　and　then

running　out　during　the　previews　because　they　couldn？t　stop　laughing。　Her

new…shoe…and…Kiehl？s…cucumber…skin…cream　smell。　The　way　she　was　so　sexy　when　she　was

throwing　a　fit。　He　wanted　her　to　sit　on　his　lap。　He　wanted　her　hands　in　his　pockets。　He　wanted　her

to　call　him　at　seven　o？clock　in　the　morning　on　a　Sunday　because　she　was　hyper　and　couldn？t　wait

for　him　to　wake　up。

He　tossed　the　photos　back　in　the　pirate？s　chest　and　closed　the　lid。　Hanging　on　the　clothes　rail

inside　a　clear　plastic　bag　was　the　moss　green　cashmere　sweater　Blair　had　given　him　last　spring。

The　maid　had　sent　it　to　the　dry　cleaners　so　it　would　be　ready　for　Nate　to　wear　at　Yale　in　the　fall。

Nate　ripped　open　the　bag　and　felt　inside　the　sweater？s　right　sleeve。　No；　maybe　it　was　the　left。　Yes；

there　it　was。　The　tiny　gold　heart　pendant　Blair　had　sewn　inside　it　so　that　he　would　always　be

wearing　her　heart　on　his　sleeve。　Blair　probably　thought　he　hadn？t　noticed　the　heart；　but　he　wore

the　sweater　so　much；　how　could　he　not　have？　He　loved　that　sweater。

Sounds　like　the　love　went　beyond　knitwear。

Tears　began　to　seep　out　of　the　corners　of　Nate？s　green　eyes　as　he　grasped　the　gold　heart　pendant

between　his　thumb　and　forefinger　and　ripped　it　out　of　the　sweater？s　sleeve。　His　phone　rang　before

he　could　decide　what　to　do　next。

Hopefully　nothing　too　rash。

？Hello？？

？It？s　been　a　rocky　year　for　you；　son；？　Coach　Michaels　barked　on　the　other　end　of　the　line。　？I

thought　you　were　over　all　that　drug　nonsense。　Then　you　have　to　go　and　steal　my　damned　Viagra？