e to go
over our shot list anyway； but I want you two to keep working。 Go to dinner？it？s on me。？
？Thanks； Ken。？ Thaddeus stood and stretched； yawning noisily and giving off the heavenly odors
of sweat and Carolina Herrera for Men cologne。 ？It really has been a long day。 I could definitely
use a drink。？
？And this will give you a chance to work on your chemistry； right； Holly？ Get to know your
leading man。 Talk to him； listen to him； learn from him。 I really want to see youmeld ； okay？？
Serena nodded and stubbed her cigarette out in the mother…of…pearl ashtray perched precariously
on the arm of the brown leather couch。 She could meld； especially with Thaddeus； but maybe not
while Ken was watching。
？Good；？ grunted the disgruntled director。 ？So go； have a bite。 That？s your homework。？
Dinner with a major Hollywood hottie？ Is there extra credit？
After gorging themselves on the city？s best steak tartare？ mixed with two delicate quail eggs and
served with a healthy portion of sea…salt…encrusted French fries？Serena and Thaddeus emerged
from As Such on Clinton Street； currentlythe coolest； most crowded spot for the summer。 They？d
shared a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a molten chocolate cake with fresh huckleberries for dessert；
and Serena had tipsily blurted out the story of how she？d wound up not getting asked back to
Hanover Academy last fall。
She？d spent the summer in Europe； partying with her older brother； Erik； and flirting with
Frenchmen。 Erik had left for Brown in August； but Serena had stayed and stayed。 School just
seemed so boring and unnecessary when the beaches in Saint…Tropez were so inviting； even in
September。 Thankfull