store in Hampton Bays。 No word on whether he was stocking up for a romantic sunset barbecue
on the beach or just drowning his sorrows。 Given the shenanigans at the Breakfast at Fred？s wrap
party； probably the latter。V andD together （but not like you think） at the corner bodega at
Ninety…second and Amsterdam； foraging for supplies for their munal home。 They？re such an
old married couple？all toilet…paper shopping； no sex。K andI at the Union Square Whole Foods；
obliviously bumping their shopping baskets into all the other customers while their black town car
waited outside。 Word to the wise； girls： you might be stocking up on watercress； rice cakes； and
unflavored seltzer water to take to the Hamptons； but when you help yourself to five （or six or
seven） of the truffle samples； you？ve blown your bikini…butt diet。 Still； those things are good。C
reemerging from a weeklong hiatus from the social scene。 Turns out he？s been ensconced in his
favorite rooftop suite at the new Boatdeck Hotel on Gansevoort Street 。 。 。 and he wasn？t alone： a
certain brassy blonde whose roots appear to have grown at least half an inch was right by his side。
Remember her？ I knowN does。
It？s going to be a sultry； bustling July； people； but you know I never rest。 You？ll always know
who？s ing； who？s going； who？s crashing the hottest parties on Gin Lane； Further Lane； and all
those tacky Hamptons nightclubs； and who？s sneaking around under the cool cover of night。 After
all； I？m everywhere。 Well； everywhere that？s anywhere； anyway。
You know you love me。
gossip girl
when it es to the hamptons； v？s a total virgin
？Here we are！？ announced Ms。 Morgan as she navigated her cream…colored Mercedes into a
circular pale…pink crushed…seashell driveway。
Finally。 After a grueling four hours stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway； they had
finally arrived at the James…Morgan…Grossmans？ gray…shingled nouveau…Victorian Amagansett
mansion。 Vanessa stepped anxiously out of the car； feeling the foreign crunch of the seashells
under her feet。 The sky overhead was turning a dusky sunset pink； and the air smelled like a far…off
barbecue and freshly mown grass。 She felt a sudden wave of relief？maybe getting out of the city
really was just what she needed。
Ms。 Morgan stepped ahead of her； pushing the heavy antiquered front door open。 The boys
scrambled inside； jostling Vanessa； who was smiling goofily at nothing in particular。 Not that
Vanessa cared about these things； or usually even noticed； but she couldn？t help but gape at； well；
all of it。 The double…height windows framing the front entryway。 The preppy blue…and…white
nautical…striped bins filled with beach supplies just inside the front door。 The massive living room
spilling out in front of her。 The inviting turquoise pool just beyond it。 It was all so unlike her？but
then again； every…thing that was like her had totally sucked lately。 Maybe she should embrace the
easy； sunny life that was right here； right in front of her？ Maybe all that dark thinking wasn？t
helping anything？
Vanessa followed the boys into the massive kitchen； where Ms。 Morgan was checking the notes
the maid； gardener； and pool boy had left behind。 Everything was so 。 。 。 taken care of。 Vanessa
could just see the hot summer days ahead of her： ReadingThe New Yorker poolside； occasionally
stopping to photograph its glistening surface in black and white。 She？d trot inside and fix herself a
smoked gouda sandwich from the stocked kitchen； then eat it while wandering the perimeter of the
well…manicured property； enjoying the peace and quiet。
Home； sweet home。
？Mommmmmeeeeee； we？re hunnnnggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry；？ Edgar whined； snapping Vanessa out
of her reverie。 Oh right；them。
？Vanessa will fix you something。？ Ms。 Morgan smiled and patted his head； without bothering to
glance at her。
？Right。 Sure。？ Vanessa set down her black army…navy duffel bag on the polished blond…wood
floor and opened the heavy stainless…steel fridge。 Inside were piles of fresh produce； containers of
orzo salad； and curried salmon filets garnished with yellow currants。 Where were the cold leftover
chicken nuggets； or at least the PB and J？
Behind her； Edgar and Nils began a wrestling match in the middle of the floor。 Vanessa usually
let them do this； hoping they would tire themselves out like the puppies she？d once filmed at the
Union Square dog run。 She？d been hoping to catch a dogfight or see one of those rat…eating hawks
the city had released swoop down to pick up a Chihuahua； but had been forced to settle for puggle
playtime instead。 She figured that eventually the boys would flop onto their backs like the dogs；
their tongues hanging out to the side； panting。
？Boys！？ Ms。 Morgan barked； and then smoothed her knife…pleated khakis。 Her ivory tank top
was trimmed with a thick brown satin sash。 Looking at her weirdly taut face and defined
cheekbones； it was hard to tell if she was thirty…two or fifty…five。 ？You can head upstairs to get
ready for dinner。？
She turned back to Vanessa； the wooden heels of her huarache sandal wedges clacking on the
floor。 ？Vanessa； we？ll be having the salmon filets； and if you could just throw together a little
fresh salad； maybe a dill…yogurt sauce for the fish？ That would be lovely。？
Wait。 Throw together？ What did Vanessa look like； the 。 。 。 the 。。。
Help？Oh。 Right。 Except she？d never cooked anything but boiled ziti with jarred Ragu in her life。
？You got it；？ Vanessa told her as she started searching for dill in the produce drawer。 Upstairs she
could hear the boys making explosion noises and then screaming。 She turned around to hold up a
pile of leafy herbs？was this dill？ cilantro？ crab…fucking…grass？？when she was met with a
frightening sight。
Ms。 Morgan？s pale； skinny； dimpled ass。 Oh。 My。 God。 Vanessa quickly swiveled around again。
Even with the refrigerated air hitting her in the face； she could feel her cheeks burning。 Loudly
clearing her throat？had Ms。 Morgan just forgotten she was there or what？？she turned back；
holding the herbs directly in front of her face。
She peeked out from behind the greens only to see her employer； arms akimbo； standing in only
her wooden huarache sandals； a sheer applered thong； and a lacy black bra。
？Something wrong？？ she asked。
？Um； no； of course not。？ Vanessa began a sudden； uncharacteristic cuticle examination。 Her
hands sure were rough！ But she couldn？t help sneaking a sidelong glance as Ms。 Morgan；
liberated woman of the twenty…first century； tugged off her bra and let it fall； oh…so…casually； onto
the arm of a kitchen chair。
Vanessa willed herself to look her boss in the face。 ？Um； could you excuse me for a second？ I？d
like to put my things in my room。？ Shehad to get out of there。
？Top of the third staircase。？ Ms。 Morgan started rooting around in her monogrammed canvas
boat bag； presumably for something to wear。
Let？s hope so！
Vanessa threw her army…navy…store duffel over her shoulder and took the wide wooden staircase
two steps at a time。 She tried to shake the image of Ms。 Morgan？s thong from he