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第2部分（第1页）

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　finished；　shaking　his　head。

“Maybe　you　could　get　together　with　your　girlfriends　and　have　a　girls’　adventure！”　Pete’s　sister…in…law　Sarah　piped　up　from　the　corner　of　the　room；　stroking　her　Lilly　Pulitzer–patterned　eight…months…pregnant　belly。　“I　remember　when　I　heard　the　Carlson　rule；　I　had　a　great　time　with　the　Theta　girls。　We　went　to　Cancún！”A　look　of　happy　reminiscence　crossed　Sarah’s　lightly　tanned；　heart…shaped　face。

“You　did？”　Randy　asked；　shooting　a　look　at　Sarah。　“I　didn’t　know　that。”

“Sorry；　son！”　Chappy　clapped　Pete　on　the　back。　“Sorry；　Scout！”