wild promises // nate archibald

2.2

As summer comes to an end... I'd like to share a few things I've learned about fun in the sun. Gossip Girl's Guide to Summer, tip number one: Don't fall asleep on the job. The best hookups are free of morning breath... and awkward conversation. The only thing harder than making up is waking up. Summer tip number two: There is no "we" in "summer"... only "U" and "me." Find out where you stand before you find yourself stood up. Anyone can canoodle in July and August, but will he be gone by September?

I drive through town as Blair talks to me on the phone. "Things are going south with Lord Marcus."

"Who's Lord Marcus?" I ask.

"James. Turns out that he was only pretending to be a commoner. It's like 'Roman Holiday'... only I'm Gregory Peck and he's Audrey Hepburn," Blair explains.

"Oh, suddenly it's all so clear." I laugh.

"He's not really a college student. He's a lord, and I love him," Blair tells me.

"Okay. I'm gonna take your word for it. But, Blair, love?" I ask.

"Like, very much. And not just because Tom Hanks gave him a Kleenex at Lady Di's funeral," Blair assures.

"And you really expect me to believe this isn't all about revenge on Chuck?" I question.

"Revenge is so 12 hours ago. And just because Marcus happens to be the perfect post-Bass palette cleanser doesn't mean he isn't a delicious dish in his own right," Blair argues.

"Okay, so it sounds like you guys are soul mates. What exactly is the problem?" I ask.

"He's being vague about the future," Blair states.

"But you just found out this guy's real identity. It's a little soon to be worrying about the rest of your lives," I reason.

"But not the rest of the year. It's the season for flings, tennis pros and townies. I'm his secret summer shame," Blair argues.

"Blair Waldorf, a fling. Hum. You're not exactly low maintenance," I tell her.

"Speaking of, where were you last night? Finally find a summer fling of your own?" Blair questions.

I pull up in front of Nate's house. "Sorry, Blair. I have to go."

I head around the back of Nate's house. The landscapers are here which means his mother is overseeing there every move. I can see Nate and his mother talking. I stop when I hear their conversation take a turn.

"The federal prosecutor has taken your father's leaving town... as an admission of guilt. They wanna forfeit our assets for restitution," Anne states.

"They wanna take our money?" Nate asks.

"Well, not yet. But they have frozen our accounts. And now they're making an inventory of everything that we own. I asked your granddad for help," Anne explains.

"You told Grandpa?" Nate questions.

"Not that it did any good. As you can imagine, he's not very happy with my role in your father's departure. For the time being, at least, I've been cut off," Anne tells him.

"I can't believe you knew and didn't say anything," Nate says.

"All summer I kept hoping I could make it go away, and maybe I still can. I need you to keep your chin up and trust that your mother's got this handled," Anne explains.

"No, when he left, Dad told me to take care of you," Nate states.

"And you are. Nate, let's not fight about this, please?" Anne reasons.