创客小说网

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第42部分（第1页）

a　long　time。　Moxie　would　be　talking　in　full　sentences　by　then。　What　if　she　didn’t　even　remember　Vanessa？

“Should　I　go？”　she　asked　in　a　small　voice　she　didn’t　quite　recognize　as　her　own。

Ruby　pursed　her　lips　together　as　she　sat　down　next　to　Piotr。　“Well；　I　met　Piotr　when　I　left　for　that　SugarDaddy　foreign　tour。　I　was　scared　too；　but　it　all　worked　out　so　totally　well。”

“Same　for　me；”　Piotr　said　in　his　still　heavily　accented　English。　“I　came　to　the　U。S。　because　I　fell　in　love。”

“Like　that’s　the　only　reason？　You　also　said　you　couldn’t　wait　to　try　New　York　City　pizza。”　Ruby　shot　Piotr　a　skeptical　look。　“Vanessa；　you’re　twenty…one。　You　need　to　get　out　and　see　the　world！”　Ruby　said　in　her　big…sister　voice。

Vanessa　nodded　slowly。　She’d　lived　in　New　York　for　the　past　seven　years　of　her　life。　A　change　would　be　good。　But　all　she　could　think　about　was　how　far　Indonesia　was　from　Iowa…。

Here　we　go　again。

on　the　street　where　b　lives

Blair　surveyed　the　brightly　colored　wooden　block　tower　she’d　built　in　the　center　of　Yale’s　nursery　and　nodded　in　satisfaction。　The　Waldorf…Rose　family　had　always　opened　presents　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　right　now　Tyler　was　in　his　room；　setting　up　a　bunch　of　DJ　equipment　he’d　gotten；　Aaron　had　taken　the　train　to　Scarsdale　to　visit　his　mom　and　friends　from　high　school；　Cyrus　and　Eleanor　were　grossly　feeding　each　other　eggs　at　the　breakfast　table；　and　Blair　was　happy　to　be　hanging　out　with　Yale。

“Yale；　over　here！”　she　cajoled。　Her　sister　sat　in　the　corner；　setting　up　her　stuffed　animals　in　an　elaborate　pile。　She　had　determined　that　none　of　the　other　stuffed　toys　liked　the　giraffe；　so　she’d　relegated　it　to　the　far　corner　of　the　room。

It　starts　early。

Blair’s　cell　buzzed；　skittering　on　the　hardwood　floor。　She　glanced　down　at　the　display。　Chuck。　His　flight　had　probably　just　landed；　and　Blair　couldn’t　wait　to　see　him。

“Hello？”　she　asked。

“I　want　to　talk！”　Yale　demanded；　reaching　for　the　phone。

“No；”　Blair　snapped；　yanking　the　phone　from　Yale’s　little　hand。　“Hey；”　she　said　sweetly　as　she　settled　into　the　pink　glider　by　the　dormer　window　in　the　corner。

“Merry　Christmas；　gorgeous；”　Chuck　said。

“Are　you　back？”　Blair　asked　eagerly。　After　so　much　time　apart；　she　was　looking　forward　to　an　uninterrupted　month　together。

“I’m　at　the　Village　apartment；”　Chuck　said；　referring　to　the　Cornelia　Street　one…bedroom　his　parents　had　bought　him　for　his　twenty…first　birthday。　He’d　barely　lived　in　it　at　all；　since　he　was　at　Oxford　all　year　and　they’d　spent　most　of　last　summer　in　the　south　of　France。　“Can　you　e　over？　There’s　something　I　want　you　to　see；”　he　added　mysteriously。

“Yale；　go　find　Tyler；”　Blair　manded；　leaving　the　nursery　and　heading　next　door　to　the　guest　room　where　she’d　been　staying。　“See　you　soon；”　she　said　into　the　phone　before　hanging　up。

Once　Blair　emerged　showered；　shaved；　and　wearing　a　black　silk　Theory　high…necked　silk　dress　that　was　just　the　right　bination　of　nice　and　naughty；　she　took　the　elevator　to　the　lobby　and　had　the　doorman　catch　one　of　the　many　empty　cabs　that　was　sailing　down　Central　Park　West。

The　city　looked　beautiful；　like　the　front　of　a　holiday　card。　Snow　was　beginning　to　fall；　but　the　sun　was　shining　brightly　and　reflecting　the　light　off　all　of　the　Midtown　skyscrapers。　Blair　sighed　happily。　She　loved　New　York　in　the　winter。　Anyone　could　love　the　city　in　the　summer；　when　cafés　set　up　tables　outside　and　you　could　spend　hours　sitting　on　the　steps　of　the　Met　drinking　iced　coffees。　But　in　the　winter；　you　had　to　seek　out　the　things　that　made　New　York　magical：　steak　frites　at　Le　Refuge；　cuddling　into　a　warm　Searle　peacoat；　your　hand　intertwined　with　an　adorable　boy’s。

“Thanks；”　Blair　said　when　the　cab　turned　off　Sixth　Avenue　and　onto　Cornelia　Street。　Cornelia　was　Blair’s　middle　name。　It　felt　like　destiny。

She　stood　in　front　of　the　five…story　brick　building　and　pressed　buzzer　number　two；　stamping　her　feet　against　the　cold。　Chuck　buzzed　her　in　and　she　quickly　ran　up　the　steps；　surprised　to　see　him　standing　in　front　of　the　black　apartment　door。

“Hi！”　Blair　threw　her　arms　around　his　broad　shoulders。　He　wore　a　pair　of　khakis　and　a　dark　blue　button…down；　and　his　hair　was　a　little　longer　than　it　had　been　at　Thanksgiving。

“Merry　Christmas；”　Chuck　breathed。　He　kissed　her　and　Blair　eagerly　kissed　him　back。　“Your　present’s　inside。　It’s　a　surprise；”　he　breathed　into　her　ear。　It　was　then　that　she　realized　Chuck　was　tying　a　blindfold　over　her　eyes。

Now　that’s　what　I　call　a　Christmas　present。

Blair　readjusted　the　blindfold　so　it　wouldn’t　flatten　her　hair。　Chuck　placed　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　directed　her　inside。　Blair　heard　the　pop　of　a　champagne　cork。　Was　that　the　surprise？