on and
dating a hot Hamptons chick。 Well； why not？ If Blair could change everything？she was getting
married； for Christ？s sake？why couldn？t he？ It was easier to be with Tawny than it was to be with
any other girl he？d ever known； she wasn？t demanding and self…absorbed like Blair； she wasn？t
na？ve and needy like Jenny； she wasn？t unpredictable and inattentive like Serena。 She just 。。。 was。
Classic stoner logic。
？e on；？ Tawny urged； backtracking to grab his hand and pull him through the bushes。
She led him into a sun…dappled clearing where two massive trees had fallen on top of one another；
creating natural benches that were obviously popular with the locals； since the forest floor was
littered with old beer bottles and cigarette butts。 Three guys hunkered on one of the felled logs；
passing a joint between them。 Behind them； through the trees； the blue…black water of the sound
glinted and swelled。
？Hey guys！？Tawny cried。
Three heads swiveled in their direction。 With their baggy jeans and plucked eyebrows； gelled hair；
and dorky striped button…downs； these were the kind of guys Nate and his friends would have
scoffed at if they？d ever e across them in the city。 They were the kind of guys who got into
fights with bouncers and wore gallons of cheesy drug…store cologne。 And they were also；
apparently；Tawny？s friends。
？Nate；these are Greg；Tony；and Vince。？
？What？s up？？ Nate asked； nodding uneasily in their direction。
Tawny clambered over the trunk and took a seat next to Greg； a deeply tanned guy cupping a
joint in his palm and jutting his chest out into the air territorially in a way that reminded Nate of a
bulldog。
？W