小说园

第14部分（第2页）

interested　in；　I　needed　to；　you　know；　I　wanted　to　document　the　creative　process；　like　the　ideas

behind；　and　what　goes　into；　I　mean；　the　whole　story　of？？

Bailey　leapt　out　of　his　seat　and　stood；　trembling；　staring　at　Vanessa。　？Just　tell　me。　I　need　to

know。。。。　Did　you？　You　didn？t。　I　mean；　you　didn？tfilm　in　here；　did　you？？

？Uh；　no？？

Nice　save。

？These　sketches　are　top　secret！　Oh　my　dear。　My　good…ness　me。　Do　you　know　what　would　happen

if　they　got　out？　Do　you　know　that　there　are　people　who　would　pay　。。。well；　I　don？t　know　what；　but

they　would　pay　dearly　for　a　glimpse；　for　just　ahint　of　what　I　have　planned　for　the　ing　seasons。

I　simply　can？t　risk　the　petition。？　He　looked　like　he　was　about　to　faint。　？Oh　my　。　。　。？

？Bailey；　I　promise　you；　I　wasn？t　going　to　sell　your　secrets　or　anything　like　that。　I？m　just　a

filmmaker；　you　know；　and　I　thought　this　would　be　a　great　subject　for　a　documentary。？　Vanessa

smiled　at　him　hopefully。　A　lime…colored　macaw　landed　on　his　shoulder；　and　he　batted　it

away。　？Maybe　I　should　go　。　。　。？　Vanessa　suggested；　suddenly　concerned　that　Bailey　would　demand

she　turn　over　all　the　film　she？d　shot　over　the　past　couple　of　days。

？Yes；　off　to　your　room。？　Bailey　looked　like　he　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。　？I　need　a　moment　to

collect　my　thoughts。We？ll　discuss　what？s　to　be　done　about　your　misbehavior　at　dinner。？

？Right。？　Vanessa　frowned。　Was　hereally　sending　her　to　her　room？　That　hadn？t　happened　to

her　。　。　。　well；　ever。　No　one　had　ever　sent　Vanessa　Abrams　to　her　room！　She？d　go　to　her　room　all

right；　she？d　go　to　her　room　and　pack。　Documentary　or　no；　she？d　had　about　enough　of　the

Hamptons　and　Bailey？s　absurdities　to　last　her　a　lifetime。　As　for　dinner；　well；　if　all　went　well；　by

that　time　she？d　be　safely　on　a　train　headed　back　to　the　city　and　the　only　place　she　really　felt　at

home　anymore：　Dan　Humphrey？s　apartment。

Home　is　where　the　heart　is！

those　three　little　words

？How　about　a　refill？？

Blair　shook　her　head　and　pointed　at　her　ears　to　indicate　that　she　couldn？t　really　hear　Nate　over

the　roar　of　the　party；　which　had　gotten　considerably　livelier　as　the　day　wound　down。　The　afternoon

sun　was　still　high　overhead；　but　the　revelers　were　hot　and　hungry　and　drunk。　Erik　had

thought…fully　ignited　the　enormous　gas　grill　and　dispatched　those　guests　still　sober　enough　to　drive

to　the　grocery　store。　That　distinctly　summertime　smell　of　barbecue　wafted　through　the　air；　giving

Blair　a　head　rush。

Or　maybe　it　was　the　four　Bloody　Marys。

Nate　leaned　down　and　whispered　in　her　ear。　？I　said；　I？m　going　in　for　a　refill。You　want

something？？

His　hot　breath　tickled　her　neck；　and　she　closed　her　eyes　to　keep　the　room　steady。　？I？ll　take　a

glass　of　water。？

？Easy。？　Nate　took　her　arm；　led　her　into　the　library；　and　sat　her　down　on　the　worn　brown　suede