Serena stretched her arms over her head, surprised when her elbow hit something hard. She opened her navy blue eyes and realized her elbow hadn’t connected with something, but someone: Nate. Scenes from last night came floating back to her. She’d only had one drink, but everything seemed cloaked in a golden, glowy haze. As soon as she and Nate had kissed, it was as if the whole party had faded away and the only thing that was left was the two of them. It was only the countdown to midnight that had broken the spell. They’d found a cab and gone back to Serena’s apartment. “Morning!” Serena whispered, even though she wanted to scream for joy. She’d never been so happy on a New Year’s Day. It was the perfect start to the rest of their lives. Doesn’t she mean year? “Uh,” Nate grunted sleepily and turned over, throwing his arm across Serena’s golden, naked body. “I’ve got farm duty,” Nate murmured. “The cows are hungry.” “Wake up, silly!” Serena gently pushed hiѕ blond-streaked brown hair from his eyes. Nate was probably still high. All night, he’d said cute things he never would’ve said sober, like how he’d be out in the alfalfa fields at school, look up at the sun, and think of her, and how he stole a copy of Breakfast at Fred’s from the school’s rumpus room so he’d always have her picture. “Serena.” Nate ѕmiled a slow ѕmile and pulled her closer to him, then blinked, just in case this was a dream. But Serena looked very real. “Hi,” he added incredulously. Seeing Serena naked reminded him of the first time he’d seen her naked, back when they were fifteen-year-old virginѕ. But even then, it had never been awkward between them. They’d laughed about the clumsiness of it all, and it was the same this time. It was as if no time had passed, and their bodies had just melded into each other. He kissed her smooth, bare shoulder. “Hi, you,” Serena murmured. Finally, her one-bedroom apartment felt like home. She’d lived here for almost a year, but it was unfurnished save for her childhood bed, a gauzy lilac curtain tacked carelessly over the window, a cactus she’d bought at the bodega downstairs, and a few childhood photos. She’d always meant to decorate, but there just hadn’t seemed to be a point. It had sort of felt like a hotel room—nice to stay in, but nowhere you yearned for. But now, she never wanted to leave. She and Nate could just stay here forever, calling in for takeout and taking turns going downstairs to pick up new Netflix movies from the mailbox. “Do you want anything?” Serena swung her long legs onto the floor. She was naked but didn’t feel embarrassed. “I think I have water,” she continued as she walked toward the short hallway to the small eat-in kitchen. The ancient radiator hissed. Despite having been renovated before she moved in, the apartment still had an old-time feel, with marble floor tiles in the kitchen, worn wood floorboards, and crown molding. Serena flung open the fridge door. Inside were a few cans of Diet Coke, a box of clementines, a few containers of yogurt, and a bottle of champagne left over from a gift basket. The only packages Serena ever received these days were gift baskets; the only mail, invitations to parties and events; the only phone calls, from her agent or publicist. Mostly, she ignored all of it.
“Natie!” Serena squealed, peering out the window at Nate. “What are you doing here?!” Serena couldn’t believe Nate was right in front of her. She’d hardly thought about him this past year. She knew she should still be mad at Nate after what happened last winter, but it all seemed so far in the past. Besides, she could afford to be generous. If Nate hadn’t made her so miserable last year, she’d never have reached out to Dan. So in a way, she owed her current happiness to him. “We totally have room!” Serena announced, getting out of the car. Nate looked so cute and helpless, with snowflakes sitting in his dirty blond hair. She threw her arms around Nate in an affectionate old-friends hug. “Hop in,” she told him, getting in the backseat with Jenny. Dan sputtered, his blue fleece–gloved hands gripping the steering wheel. He didn’t love the idea of Jenny talking to this douche, and he really didn’t like the familiar way Serena had hugged him. And now he had to give the guy a ride? “Hey, I really appreciate the ride, especially with this snow. I’ll take middle,” Nate offered, climbing over Serena and wedging his lanky frame into the middle of the seat between her and Jenny. Serena squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s go,” she said. Dan glared mutinously toward the backseat. Why didn’t Serena offer to sit up front with him? What was he? Their fuсking chauffeur? “Great. Let’s go,” Dan growled, navigating out of his spot and slowly driving down Thayer Street toward I-95. “Dan, aren’t you going to ask me about RISD?” Jenny needled in her little-sister voice. “How was it?” Serena asked curiously. “So good,” Jenny gushed. “And guess what? Nate’s going to Brown!” “You are, Natie? Oh my God, that’s awesome!” Serena cried. “Wait, we need something to celebrate. Dan, can you stop for snacks?” Dan grunted. The last thing he wanted was for them to eat a fuсking cake in the backseat of his car while he drove them around like a fuсking soccer team. “I think we should just try to get home as quickly as possible. The snow’s really coming down,” he pointed out. “Whatever you say.” Nate shrugged. “I’m still not used to being back on the East Coast. We don’t get snow at Deep Springs.” “Did you know that Nate knows how to birth cows?” Serena said proudly as Dan merged into the bumper-to-bumper traffic of I-95 South. The cars were jockeying for road space, and the steadily falling snowflakes made for poor visibility. Dan sucked in his breath. He hated driving. Part of the reason he loved living in New York was that he never had to drive. “I need to concentrate,” he muttered, turning on the windshield wipers. Nate tapped Dan’s shoulder. “You want me to drive? I’m pretty good at dealing with the dust storms in California.” “No,” Dan said shortly. He looked in the rearview mirror. Jenny was leaning toward the middle section of the seat, practically on top of Nate. She was a smart girl, but when it came to boys, she could be sort of a ditz. Dan knew his sister, and right now Jenny was in full-on flirt mode.