Only in Your Dreams (Gossip Girl #9)(61)

A distinct possibility.

“Please tell me that’s his sister,” Thaddeus whispered. “Is she wearing teal eye shadow? Wait till I tell Serge when I get back to the hotel.”

Serena studied the new girl. She was indeed wearing blue eye shadow. She was also wearing head-to-toe peach, which was so . .. peach. Her hair was blond and vaguely frosty looking—she looked like Stripper Barbie at the beach.

Stripper Beach Barbie? Now that’s catchy.

“And where did she get that outfit?” Thaddeus gasped bitchily.

Serena didn’t have time to indulge in more catty gossip: Blair was racing toward her, a panicked look on her face that Serena knew all too well.

“Shit,” Serena muttered in a low voice.

“Who. The. Fuck. Is. That?” Blair hissed angrily, pushing through the gawkers and into the narrow kitchenette.

There was no need for Serena to ask who she was talking about.

“Oh, honey,” Thaddeus declared kindly. “She’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“I cannot believe,” Blair snapped, “that Nate had the balls to show up tonight with that trash. Where did he pick her up—the mall?”

Well, there are plenty of those on Long Island.

“Sit,”Thaddeus ordered,patting the countertop.“Relax.”

“Shit!” Blair took his advice and pulled herself up onto the kitchen counter. “I need a drink.”

“Just stick with us,” Thaddeus suggested, leaping onto the counter himself and draping a protective arm over Blair’s bare shoulders.

“I didn’t think it was true.” Chuck Bass squeezed past Serena to join the threesome in the kitchen. “But I guess seeing is believing, huh, ladies?”

“Hey Chuck,” Serena sighed, leaning against the countertop between Thaddeus’s widespread legs. The last thing she wanted was for Chuck Bass to get his claws into her gorgeous costar.

“Blair, back stateside!” Chuck cried. “Good to see you.” He leaned in and dropped a quick kiss on each of her cheeks.

“Hello, Chuck,” Blair replied, receiving his kisses dutifully. “Who’s the mystery bitch?” She might as well take advantage of the one good thing about Chuck Bass: he could always be counted on for the scoop, however inaccurate.

“I heard about her but I’ve never actually met her,” Chuck explained proudly. He took a swig from a freshly opened bottle of Dom Perignon. “Oh! Don’t look now,” he whispered loudly, clearly enjoying the moment, “but I think we’re about to meet and greet.”

Nate led Tawny through the thicket on the dance floor toward the cluster of familiar faces in the kitchen.

“Hey,” Nate shouted over the din. “Serena. Blair.” They looked even more gorgeous than he remembered. Like they’d been sprinkled with fairy dust.

“Nate!” Serena lunged forward to give her old friend a warm hug, trying to prevent the moment from being too unbearably awkward.

Too late.

“Hello,” Blair seethed, crossing her legs and brandishing her comically long cigarette holder like a weapon. “Can I please have a light, someone?”

Thaddeus Smith produced his silver monogrammed Zippo and lit Blair’s cigarette for her. The song faded into Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” and some of the ultra-hyper extras jumped into the middle of the dance floor, pretending to sing with imaginary microphones.

“A real gentleman at last.” Blair sighed dramatically. “Has anyone seen my date?” Just wait until Nate saw her French-kissing with Jason. Hah!

“Blair,” Nate stuttered. “You look great. Welcome back.” He didn’t know what else to say. He felt like an *.

Blair hopped down from her perch on the countertop, wobbling drunkenly in her pointy black Jimmy Choos as she landed on the cracked tiles of the kitchen floor with a thud. “Yes, thanks.” She nodded. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m really in the mood to dance. I just need to find my partner.” She strode back into the packed living room.

Serena smiled apologetically at Nate. “I’m Serena, by the way.” She offered her hand to the new girl and noticed that she did have pretty almond-shaped blue eyes and adorable freckles on every inch of her skin.

But isn’t she always thinking of something nice to say?

“I’m Tawny,” the girl said in a thick accent that made it sound like Tauh-awe-nie.

“Right, sorry,” Nate mumbled. “Serena, this is Tawny.”

“And Thaddeus.” Serena squeezed the movie star’s arm. “This is Nate and Tawny.”

Thaddeus jumped down from the countertop and shook hands warmly, first with Nate, then with Tawny. A drunk girl wearing a purple off-the-shoulder American Apparel minidress backed into him accidentally. He gently pushed the dancing girl away from the kitchen.

“It’s great to meet you both,” he responded charmingly.

He really is a good actor.

“Ahem!” Chuck Bass cleared his throat dramatically. “And I’m Chuck.”

“Tawny.” The girl adjusted the straps on her teeny peach backpack and offered him her hand before turning back to look at Thaddeus, wide-eyed and practically drooling.

“Enchanted,” Chuck cooed, kissing her hand and bowing deeply. “Let’s get to know each other, darling. You don’t mind, do you, Natie?”