appropriate； considering she was about to have a hot…and…heavy liaison with her lover in a
sumptuous hotel suite。 Where was Nate anyway？ A cab away from his house to the Plaza would
only take seven minutes。 If she were Nate； she'd have made it in five。 She dialed his cell without
even looking at the buttons on her phone； but there was no answer。 Maybe he was showering and
putting on his very sexy black Calvin Klein boxers in preparation for their rendezvous； she mused。
Or maybe not。
Blair stood up； removed her robe； and dimmed the lights。 Then she spread a little caviar on one of
the toast points and stood watching herself in the over…sized gilt…framed dressing mirror as she ate
it。 On the TV screen behind her； 〃Baby〃 was trying to look innocent after spending all night
having big sweaty sex with Patrick Swayze； the dance instructor at the summer resort where her
family was vacationing。 Baby's dad was so seriously pissed off at her； Blair wondered fleetingly
how her own dad would feel if he knew she'd moved into a hotel suite just so she could have a
little privacy with Nate。 Not that her gay； French…chateau…living；
pastel…argyle…socks…and…baby…blue…Gucci…sunglasses…wearing dad and Baby's responsible doctor
dad in 'Dirty Dancing' had anything in mon。 She dialed Nate once again and when he didn't
answer； she made herself another caviar toast point sandwich and called her dad's number in
southern France； where he'＇d been living since he and Eleanor split up over his gayness almost
two years ago。
〃Bear？ Is everything okay？ Did you hear from those fuck…head at Yale yet？ Are you in？ Her father
demanded as soon as he heard her voice。
Blair could picture him perfectly； naked except for a pair of royal blue silk boxers shorts； his
sleeping lover… Francois or Eduard or whatever his name was … snoring softly beside him。 Harold
Waldorf； Esq。 used to be managing partner at a major corporate law firm； married to society
hostess Eleanor and living in a penthouse with his two lovely children； Blair and Tyler。 Now he
bottled his own wine from the vineyards surrounding his chateau； shopped at cute French
boutiques that catered exclusively to tanned gay men； and swam laps in his pool while his tanned
gay lovers attended him with fresh towels and glasses of cognac。
It was a luxe life； indeed。
〃Guess where I Am？〃 Blair boasted in the same tone she'd used to talk to Serena。 In fact； talking to
her dad was exactly like talking to one of her girlfriends。 He didn't mind that it was almost two in
the morning in France and she had totally woken him up。
〃Paris？〃 her dad asked hopefully。 〃I'll send a car for you。 You'll be here in an hour。〃
〃No； Dad；〃 Blair whined； although she honestly wouldn't have minded being in Paris … as long as
she could bring Nate and her suite at the Plaza with her。 〃I'm at the Plaza。 I'm living here now。 In a
suite。〃
〃You go girl！〃 her dad exclaimed。 〃I guess the penthouse might be a little crowded with the new
baby and all。〃
In the background Blair heard the sound of him pouring something into a glass。 He was so into his
latest batch of white wine； he probably kept a bottle chilling next to the bed exactly for occasions
like this。
In 'Dirty Dancing' Land； Baby's bitchy sister was performing in a stupid talent show； wearing a
bikini top that was way to small for her。 Blair muted the TV； spread another blob of caviar on a
toast point； lit a cigarette and sighed dramatically。 〃It's just that I'm almost graduating and I need
space… you know； to do my work and think about next year and。。。〃
All of a sudden she had a very clear image of herself as a sort of reclusive Greta Garbo… like
movie star who rarely left her hotel room； municating with the outside world only through the
roles she decided to play。 The staff would pick through her trash and steal her clothes； and tourists
would stand on Central Park South opposite the hotel； just waiting to catch a glimpse of her。 She'd
be the talk of the town。
As if she wasn't already。
〃Oh； I'll bet your working；〃 her dad scoffed between sips of whatever it was that he was drinking。
〃I bet that hunky boyfriend of yours is massaging your feet as we speak。〃
If only。
Blair giggled and scarfed down another caviar sandwich between drags on her Merit Ultra Light。
〃Actually Nate's on his way over；〃 she admitted。 She contemplated the bottle of champagne she'd
ordered； still chilling in its silver…plated ice bucket。 Nate wouldn't mind if she opened the bottle
and had one tiny glass before he arrived； would he？
Or course not。
〃I thought as much；〃 her dad replied knowingly。 〃But you deserve it sweetie。 You deserve to have
it all。〃
As if she didn't already know that。
Blair grabbed the bottle of champagne and held it between her bare knees； expertly untwisting the
wire keeper from around the cork and then inching the cork out of the bottle's neck；
slowly。。。slowly。。。 until。。。
Pop！
〃Oh。 My。 God。 You are totally having a party！〃 her father exclaimed。 〃On a school night？〃 he
added； pretending to be horrified； as if he were a strict parent who actually cared about things like
that。 〃Let me talk to that hunky boyfriend of yours right now。〃
Blair filled the champagne flute； guzzled the entire contents； and then refilled it。 On screen Patrick
Swayze was face…to…face with Baby's dad。 〃Nobody puts baby in a corner；〃 Blair mouthed the
words； even though the TV had been muted。 It was the cheesiest movie； but she still fantasized
about Nate defending her in such a determined； angry way。 Nate was seriously hot when he was
angry； which was just about。。。 never。
It's hard to get riled up when your stoned all the time。
〃I told you； Dad；〃 Blair corrected； 〃Nate's not here yet。〃 She gritted her teeth and took another
gulp of the champagne。 Although who knew what was taking him so goddamned long。 〃Anyway〃…
she pouted her lips for the mirror or the camera or whatever happened to be spying on her through
a telescope from the treetops in Central Park… 〃if I deserve to have it all； then how e stupid
Yale hasn't let me in yet？〃
〃Oh； Bear；〃 her dad sighed in his manly…but…motherly voice that made both men and women fall in
love with him instantly。 〃They will； dammit。 They will let you in。〃
Blair reached for another toast point and discovered she'd eaten them all。 Over the phone she
heard someone mumble something in sleepy French。
〃look； sugar bear； it's late。 I have to go。〃 Her dad spoke over the mumbling。 〃You're okay though；
right？ You just enjoy yourself。〃
Blair looked askance at the half…empty bottle of champagne and the crumbs of caviar scattered on
the white china plate。 'Dirty Dancing' had ended。 〃Good night； Dad；〃 she replied； feeling a little
sad。 She hung up and dialed Nate's cell phone again。 No answer。 She dialed his house line。 No
answer； just his admiral dad in the answering machine； reading from the actual instructions the
machine came with that no normal person ever used： 〃You have reached the Archibald residence。
Please leave a brief message and we will return your call as soo