gossip girl 12 终结-第2部分

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amily。　Blair　had　been　somewhat　tempted　to　tag　along；　if　only　to　see　her　baby　sister；　the　least　fucked…up　member　of　her　tragically　absurd　family。

That　was　all　before　she’d　received　the　holiday　card　her　mother　had　sent　out。　CELEBRATE　THE　WALDORF…ROSE　FAMILY’S　HOLIDAY　MERGER　had　been　written　in　gold　script　atop　a　photograph　of　her　bald　stepfather。　Cyrus　Rose　was　dressed　in　a　bright　red　velvet　Santa　suit；　holding　an　elf…costumed　infant　Yale　in　one　hand；　a　menorah　in　the　other。　Celebrating　the　holiday　merger　suddenly　seemed　a　whole　lot　less　appealing。　And　once　she’d　been　invited　to　spend　Christmas　with　the　picture…perfect　Carlsons；　she　felt　it　was　her　duty　as　a　girlfriend　to　go。

“I　was　just　dreaming　about　you。　Us。　I’m　just　so　happy。”　Blair　sighed　contentedly　as　she　gazed　into　the　blaze　roaring　in　the　quaint　brick　fireplace　across　the　room。　Outside；　a　thin　blanket　of　snow　covered　the　ground。

“Me　too。”　Pete　ruffled　her　hair　and　pulled　her　face　into　his　for　a　kiss。

“You　taste　nice；”　Blair　breathed；　letting　her　body　relax　into　Pete’s　muscular　arms。　She　shrugged　off　her　black　Loro　Piana　cashmere　cardigan　so　she　was　wearing　only　her　peach　Cosabella　tank　top。

It　was　funny　how　things　worked　out。　When　she　arrived　at　Yale　four　months　ago；　Blair　discovered　that　her　incessantly　perky　roommate；　Alana　Hoffman；　sang　a　cappella。　All　the　time。　Blair　would　wake　up　to　Alana　singing　“Son　of　a　Preacher　Man”　to　her　collection　of　Gund　teddy　bears。　Avoiding　her　room；　Blair　spent　a　lot　of　time　in　the　library；　where　Pete　was　writing　a　paper　for　his　magical　realism　class。　Blair　hadn’t　been　able　to　so　much　as　look　at　a　guy　ever　since　Nate　Archibald；　her　high　school　boyfriend　and　the　supposed　love　of　her　life；　chose　not　to　e　to　Yale　with　her；　leaving　her　high　and　dry　at　Grand　Central　Station　to　head　to　college　alone。　But　that　day；　spotting　Pete’s　adorably　rugged　stubble；　the　half…smile　he　always　wore；　and　the　intense　concentration　in　his　dark　blue　eyes　as　he　bent　over　his　worn　paperback　book；　Blair　felt　for　the　first　time　that　there　could　be　life　after　Nate。　She　and　Pete　had　exchanged　flirty　glances；　and　finally　he　invited　her　for　coffee。

They’d　been　inseparable　ever　since。　In　fact；　since　Thanks…giving；　Blair　had　been　practically　living　with　Pete—and　his　five　gin…swilling；　athletic　roommates—in　a　fortably　shabby　Chapel　Street　town　house。　At　first；　Blair　had　been　nervous　about　living　with　so　many　guys；　but　she　sort　of　liked　having　instantaneous　brothers；　and　most　of　the　time　being　the　only　girl　in　the　room。　Especially　when　they　gave　her　free　rein　of　the　upstairs　bathroom　and　didn’t　mind　helping　her　with　stats　homework。

It　was　amazing　how　easy　everything　could　be　with　Pete。　For　the　first　time　in　Blair’s　eighteen　years；　her　life　made　sense。　She　loved　her　pre…law　classes；　lived　in　a　house　of　boys　who　adored　her；　had　a　loving；　handsome　boyfriend；　and　had　even　found　a　surrogate　family　in　the　Carlsons。

One　that　didn’t　use　the　word　merger。

For　the　past　few　days；　they’d　spent　every　waking　hour　with　the　family：　Pete’s　former　U。S。　senator　dad；　Chappy；　his　Boston　debutante　mom；　Jane；　his　three　older　brothers；　their　wives；　and　assorted　cherubic　nephews　and　nieces　whom　Blair　couldn’t　even　try　to　keep　straight。　It　sounded　like　a　nightmare；　but　it　was　actually　heavenly。　Mr。　Carlson　was　barrel…chested　and　red…faced　and　told　corny　jokes　in　a　way　that　made　everyone　crack　up；　and　his　mom　would　randomly　recite　Anne　Sexton　poetry　at　the　dinner　table　without　being　drunk。　The　brothers　were　good…looking；　friendly；　and　smart；　their　wives　were　polished　and　weling；　and　even　the　kids　were　polite。　So　far；　it　had　been　a　perfect　holiday。

And　it　was　about　to　get　even　better。　To　celebrate　the　New　Year；　Chappy　had　booked　the　entire　family　at　an　exclusive　five…star　resort　in　Costa　Rica。　Obviously；　Blair　could　do　without　the　rain　forest　adventure　part；　but　she’d　heard　the　beaches　were　pristine；　the　sun　was　hot；　and　the　villas　had　the　most　incredible　mattresses。

Just　then；　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　“You　kids　decent？”　Pete’s　older　brother　Jason　called　as　he　entered。　He　had　the　same　lanky　frame　as　Pete。　Tall；　strawberry　blond；　and　handsome；　all　four　of　the　Carlson　brothers—Everett；　Randy；　Jason；　and　Pete—looked　like　they　could　be　quadruplets；　even　though　there　was　a　two…year　age　difference　between　each　of　them。　A　second…year　law　student　at　UPenn；　Jason　was　the　second　youngest　of　the　Carlson　brothers。　He　was　adorable；　and　Blair　would’ve　had　a　crush　on　him　if　she　wasn’t　dating　Pete。

At　least　she　has　a　backup。

“We’re　playing　charades。　Carlson　Christmas　tradition。　Your　presence　has　been　requested。”

“Do　we　have　to？”　Blair　suppressed　a　groan。　It　was　cute　in　theory；　but　they’d　played　charades；　Pictionary；　and　Scrabble　the　last　three　days。　Blair　was　extremely　petitive；　and　it　was　exhausting　simultaneously　trying　to　win　and　to　not　appear　like　all　she　cared　about　was　winning。

Maybe　they　should　shake　it　up　with　some　Truth　or　Dare。

“And　guess　who’s　requested　you　on　his　team　again？”　Jason　smirked；　flashing　Blair　the　trademark　white…toothed　Carlson　smile。　“Our　dad　loves　you！”

“Yay！”　Blair　replied　encouragingly；　mustering　her　enthusiasm。　She　followed　Pete　through　the　wide　arching　hallway　that　led　to　the　kitchen。　The　whole　house　was　a　contradiction：　The　walls　were　rough　wood；　but　the　polished　wood　floors　were　covered　in　antique　Turkish　carpets。　In　the　kitchen；　a　large　wood　stove　hunkered　in　the　corner　opposite　two　massive　Sub…Zero　refrigerators。　Several　overstuffed　yellow　chairs　sat　in　front　of　a　large　dormer　window；　each　one　containing　a　different　member　of　the　family。　Chappy；　in　a　cream…colored　cable…knit　Aran　Islands　sweater；　stood　in　front　of　the　whole　group；　calling　them　to　order。

“Scout！”　he　called　gleefully　as　he　spotted　Blair　and　Pete。

“Hi；　Mr。　Carlson。”　Blair　smiled　warmly　as　Chappy　clapped　her　on　the　shoulder。

“I　already　claimed　you；　so　back　off；　boys；”　he　announced　jovially　to　Pete’s　brothers；　who　all　smiled　politely　back　at　her；　even　though　Everett　didn’t　bother　to　look　up　from　his　iPhone。　“I’m　telling　you；　Scout；　I　don’t　know　how　I’m　going　to　manage　without　you　next　week；”　Chappy　continued。

“Oh；　well；　I’m　sure　we　can　play　on　the　beach　or　something；”　Blair　said。　She　blushed。　The　phrase　sounded　totally　inappropriate　when　she　said　it　out　loud。　“Play　charades　on　the　beach；”　she　clarified　quickly。

“Yeah；　but　what’ll　I　do　without　my　favorite　teammate？”　Chappy　shook　his　head　sorrowfully。　“No　offense；　Jane；　but　you　cheat。”

“I　do　cheat；　I’ll　be　the　first　to　admit　it。”　Jane　Carlson　had　wheat　blond　hair　cut　in　a　sensible　bob　and　was　tall；　with　an　athletic　frame。　She　was　wearing　the　same　style　sweater　as　her　husband。　“I’m　glad　you’re　on　the　straight　and　narrow。”　She　winked　at　Blair。

But　Blair　was　still　stuck　on　the　part　of　Chappy’s　sentence　that　implied　she　wouldn’t　be　in　Costa　Rica　with　them。　She’d　bought　five　new　Eres　bikinis　for　the　occasion。　They　made　the　most　of　the　five　pounds　she’d　gained　from　the　gross　food　she’d　been　forced　to　eat　on　Yale’s　meal　plan。　“Without　me？”　Blair　blurted　stupidly。

“I　mean；　I’d　bring　you　along；　but　we’ve　got　a　saying　in　the　Carlson　family…”　Chappy　began；　his　blue　eyes　shining；　as　if　he　were　about　to　deliver　a　stump　speech。　“I　believe；　when　it　es　to　vacations；　in　the　‘no　ring；　no　bring’　rule。”

“It’s　the　Carlson　curse。”　Jason　sighed；　elbowing　Blair　in　the　ribs　sympathetically。　She　stepped　away。　While　it　was　true　Blair　had　never　officially　been　invited　to　Costa　Rica；　she’d　been　invited　for　Christmas；　for　God’s　sake。　Wasn’t　that　even　more　exclusive　than　a　beach　holiday？　And　why　not　invite　her？　After　all；　she’d　brought　Nate　on　her　family　vacations　for　years　and　it　wasn’t　like　she’d　been　married　to　him。

Except　in　her　dreams。

“Blair；　we　love　you　and　we　want　you　in　our　family　for　years　to　e；　but　I　need　to　be　a　stickler　on　this；”　Chappy　explained　sympathetically；　as　if　she　were　one　of　his　constituents；　arguing　over　some　impossibly　arcane　rule。　“I’ve　raised　four　boys；　and　while　they’ve　behaved　around　you；　honestly；　these　gentlemen　cause　more　theatrics　when　it　es　to　ladies　than　the　Yale　School　of　Drama；”　he