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第36部分（第1页）

“I　didn’t　sleep　very　well；”　Blair　grumbled。

“I　can　always　change　room　arrangements　when　your　friends　leave；　so　you　can　get　your　beauty　sleep；”　Harold　offered。

“They’re　not　my　friends；”　Blair　muttered。　“I　don’t　know　why　they’re　here。　I　thought　it　would　be　a　relaxing　holiday　with　just　the　family；　and　I　have　to　read　Ulysses；　and　I　can’t　do　anything　when　I’m　so　stressed　out。　Look；　Daddy；　do　you　think　I’m　breaking　out？”

“Morning！”　Serena　said　loudly　as　she　clattered　down　the　stairs。

“Serena；”　Harold　boomed　jovially。　“Coffee？”

“Yes　please。”　A　bowl　of　fresh　pumpkin　spelt　scones；　courtesy　of　Giles；　sat　on　the　counter。　Serena　took　one；　plunging　her　thumb　into　the　flaky　pastry。

“Hi；”　Blair　said　icily。

“Hi；”　Serena　responded；　taking　a　buttery　bite。　“I　like　your　bracelets。”

“Thanks。　My　boyfriend　gave　them　to　me；”　Blair　said　pointedly。　“Speaking　of；　where’s　yours？”　And　when　are　you　all　leaving？　she　wanted　to　add。

“He’s　still　sleeping。”　An　awkward　silence　fell　over　the　kitchen　as　Serena　tried　to　search　for　clues　about　whether　or　not　Blair　and　Nate　had　been　together　last　night。　It　was　hard　to　tell。　Blair　seemed　edgy　and　bad…tempered；　but　that　didn’t　mean　anything。　She　was　often　edgy　and　bad…tempered。

“How　are　your　parents？”　Harold　asked　politely；　breaking　the　silence　as　he　settled　on　a　chair　opposite　Serena。

“They’re　great。　Right　now；　they’re　in　St。　Barts　for　New　Year’s。　My　brother；　Erik；　is　getting　married　next　year；　so　they’ve　been　really　busy　with　plans。”　Serena　nodded　happily。　Erik　had　met　his　fiancée　when　he　went　to　Australia　for　his　junior　year　abroad；　and　they’d　been　inseparable　since。　The　only　downside　to　the　wedding　was　the　floor…length　lilac　taffeta　dress　she’d　be　obligated　to　wear　as　a　bridesmaid。

Blair　resisted　the　urge　to　roll　her　eyes。　Who　cared？　And　why　was　Serena　up　so　early？　Had　she　sneaked　back　into　Nate’s　room？

“What　time　are　you　leaving？”　Blair　asked　rudely。

Serena　felt　like　she’d　been　slapped。　Apparently；　their　truce　had　ended。

And　the　cold　war　is　back　on。

“Blair！”　Harold　chided。　“The　snow　is　still　ing　down。　It’s　New　Year’s　Eve　Day。　You　kids　are　free　to　stay　as　long　as　you　like；”　he　said；　glancing　out　the　window。

Serena　followed　his　gaze。　The　flurries　from　earlier　this　morning　were　now　large；　swirling　flakes。　She　and　Dan　were　supposed　to　be　back　in　New　York　this　evening　for　Rufus’s　infamous　New　Year’s　Eve　flambé　party；　but　now　it　looked　like　they　would　be　forced　to　stay　another　night。　She　was　as　trapped　as　the　animals　at　the　Central　Park　Zoo。

And　about　to　fall　prey　to　a　lioness。

heartbreak　hotel

Vanessa　woke　up　with　a　start　on　New　Year’s　Eve　Day。　She　turned　over　and　stretched；　realizing　that　she　was　alone　in　bed。　Since　he’d　gotten　back；　her　and　Hollis’s　sleep　schedules　had　been　so　off；　it　felt　as　though　they　were　roommates　rather　than　a　couple　sharing　a　bed。

She　got　out　of　bed　and　sleepily　padded　down　the　winding　staircase　into　the　living　room。　She　sniffed　the　air；　surprised　not　to　smell　any　muffins　baking　or　eggs　frying。　Hollis　loved　cooking　breakfast；　and　Vanessa　had　gotten　used　to　waking　up　to　a　feast。　She　smiled　happily　at　Hollis；　sitting　shirtless　at　the　counter　in　a　pair　of　flannel　pajama　pants　and　the　same　type　of　thick；　woolly　socks　he’d　given　to　Vanessa。

“Happy　New　Year！　Glidilegt　Nytt　Ar。　Isn’t　that　how　you　say　it　in　Icelandic？”　She’d　looked　up　the　pronunciation　on　the　Internet；　sure　that　the　phone　was　the　only　way　they’d　municate　on　the　holiday。　She　skipped　down　the　stairs　and　plunked　down　on　the　chair　opposite　him。　But　Hollis　was　busy　squinting　down　at　his　iPhone。

Finally；　he　looked　up；　his　gaze　icy。　“How’s　Dan？”

A　shiver　of　fear　ran　up　her　spine。　Hollis　was　reading　the　texts　on　her　phone。　“Dan　and　I　were　texting　last　night。　While　you　were　out；”　she　said　coldly。　She　wasn’t　going　to　be　made　to　feel　guilty　when　she　hadn’t　done　anything。

“Just　texting？　‘Depends　who　I’m　meeting　on　the　roof？’”　he　said　in　a　mocking　tone。　“No　wonder　you　didn’t　e　out　with　my　friends。　You　wanted　to　go　meet　up　with　Dan。”

“What？　No！”　Vanessa　screeched；　her　voice　echoing　in　her　ears。　This　was　ridiculous。　Nothing　could　be　further　from　the　truth。　Last　night　she’d　eaten　half　a　tub　of　Ciao　Bella　on　the　couch　with　her　feet　under　Norma。　Which　was　pretty　much　how　she　spent　all　her　time　these　days。　For　the　last　year；　she’d　been　stupidly　devoted　to　Hollis。　She’d　put　her　whole　life　on　hold　for　him。

“What　else　am　I　supposed　to　think？”　Hollis　asked　in　exasperation。　Norma　emitted　a　low…pitched　whine　from　the　floor；　as　if　to　say　she　didn’t　want　any　part　of　this。　“You　didn’t　want　to　go　out　last　night；　you　didn’t　even　try　to　be　friendly　with　the　Streetscape　people—it’s　like　you　don’t　even　care…。”　Hollis　shook　his　head　ruefully。　“Long　distance　sucks；　I　know　that。　But　it　wasn’t　like　I　was　in　Iceland　for　fun。　I　was　working。　You　of　all　people　should　appreciate　that。”

Vanessa　blinked　back　angry　tears。　Outside；　the　city　was　blanketed　in　snow；　quiet　and　cold。　“You’ve　been　with　the　film　people　all　the　time；　then　you　just　e　home　and　expect　me　to　be　your　personal　assistant；”　she　retorted。　“I　didn’t　want　to　go　out　because　I　was　fucking　exhausted　from　picking　up　after　you。”

“Really？　Really；　Vanessa？”　Hollis　snorted。　“Guess　you　weren’t　too　tired　to　text　Dan　all　night。　How　e　you　never　texted　me　like　that？”　The　hurt　was　evident　in　his　voice。