HOME OFFICE； KITCHEN； and BATH。 The store was heavily air…conditioned； and he could feel
goose bumps forming all over his still…damp body。 He？d felt bad running out on Serena like that；
but he？d been so relieved when Blair had called and invited him to e dorm…room shopping。
She sounded almost normal？a thousand times calmer than she？d been when he？d last seen her？and
he wanted to take advantage of her being in a good mood。 At least she couldn？t kill him in such a
public place。
Don？t be so sure？that girl loves to make a scene。
Finally he spotted her； looking radiant in a sea…green cotton sundress？not the most practical outfit
for dorm room shopping； but then Blair was never practical。 Her hair was a little longer than he
last remembered it； and streaked with strands of gold。 He blinked； wondering if the chlorine had
done something to his eyes。 She was standing by a desk that advertised custom…made closets；
arguing with a harried…looking salesgirl in a dark blue apron that read CONTAIN YOURSELF！ A
long line of people stood behind her； shuffling their feet impatiently and checking their watches。
Of course； Blair could have cared less。
Of course。
Her little brother Tyler and stepbrother； Aaron； were with her； piles of oddly shaped bins stacked
at their feet as they waited for Blair； their faces slack with boredom。 Tyler pulled a set of plastic
clips out of the packaging and stuck them all over his clothing； clipping the last one over the
bridge of his nose。 Aaron was reading a book covered in ribbed cardboard； one of the display
books that stores used to make the living room displays look lived…in。 Nate had always assumed
those books were blank inside。 Given the glazed look in Aaron？s eyes； maybe they were。
？Hey guys；？ Nate called over to them。 Aaron and Tyler looked up and smiled relieved smiles。
Now that Nate was there； they could be excused from Her Highness？s service。
？Oh； good； you？re here；？ Blair observed。 ？One sec。？ She turned back to the salesgirl。 ？Thanks
for yourhelp ；？ she snapped icily； stepping away from the desk。
？They？re all morons；？ she announced loudly when she got closer to Nate。 ？They won？t design a
special storage system for my dorm？s closet just because I don？t have the exact dimensions。 Isn？t
that； like； what they get paid for？？ She rolled her eyes and turned to Aaron and Tyler。 ？Well； what
are you two waiting for？？ They sighed and grabbed the piles of stuff from off the floor； following
her as she strode purposefully to the back of the store。
Nate lingered behind them； fingering the wet joint still in his pocket。 Blair could be a little scary
when she got into decorating mode； but at least she wasn？t unleashing her； um；energy in his
direction。 He felt sorry for Aaron and Tyler； though。 Aaron had piled everything into a big laundry
basket and was struggling to hold it upright。 ？Hey man。 I saw some carts by the front of the
store？want me to go grab one？？ he offered。
Aaron shook his head； his short dreadlocks knocking back and forth。 ？Sis refuses to use a
shopping cart；？ he told Nate helplessly。
？I heard that；？ Blair snapped without turning around。 ？Shopping carts are for old ladies；？ she
declared； continuing at her manic pace。 She stopped at the kitchen section； touching a steel wine
rack。 She turned and smiled mischievously at the three boys。 ？Besides； who needs a cart when
you？ve got three strapping young men to carry your things for you？？ She raised one perfectly
arched eyebrow； grabbing the wine rack with one hand and placing it on top of Aaron？s mounting
pile。
？This is child abuse；？ Tyler plained from behind a lacquered baby…blue…and…white polka…dot
hatbox； his voice nasal from the clip on his nose。 Tyler？s pageboy helmet of light brown；
stick…straight hair had grown out so that it nearly reached his chin； and his Brooks Brothers khakis
were torn at the knees。 Who knew what he would look like after four years of high school in L。A。？
He placed the hatbox on the floor and grabbed the white wire easy…glide bin on the shelf in front
of him； which was filled with boxes of snacks。 He passed over the Carr？s crackers and Pringles；
pulling out a box of Le Petite ？colier cookies。
？Tyler； those are display items？you know； to show how much you can fit in the bins？？ Blair
scolded； now holding up a set of glass measuring cups。
？He？s hungry。 I should take him home；？ Aaron offered eagerly。 ？I mean； uh； since you and Nate
probably want some alone time and all；？ he added； already putting the overloaded laundry basket
at Nate？s feet。
？Fine。？ Blair sighed； returning the measuring cups to their shelf。 ？Nate and I can handle this
ourselves。？ ？Thanks；？ Aaron nodded quickly。 He grabbed the bag of cookies from Tyler。 ？I？ll
make sure we pay for these。 Later！？ They made a dash for the front of the store； as if they were
trying to outrun a tornado。
Hurricane Blair？
？Hey；？ Nate murmured。 Blair was reading the instructions on a speed mixer。 He was suddenly
aware of howalone they were？and remembered what had happened the last time they？d been alone
together。
At lease she？s wearing soft rubber flip…flops。
Blair seemed calm now； but maybe she？d just been waiting for Aaron and Tyler to leave。 If that
mixer was plugged in； it could really do some damage to his face。 But； then； to his utter relief； she
smiled。
？Hey； yourself；？ she responded； her blue eyes shining。
？Natie； I？m glad you came。 I just wanted to tell you that I？m sorry about the other day。 I got 。 。 。
carried away。 And I？ve been thinking about it。 We can totally make this work。？ She gave his hand
a squeeze and then dropped the mixer back on the shelf with a loud thump。 ？You never know what
surprises the future may bring。？ Nate felt his body sag with relief。 He hadn？t even realized how
tense he？d been。
？Let？s go to Bedroom。？ Blair suggested。 Then she giggled。 ？I said to bedroom； not to bed。 Don？t
get your hopes up； horndog。？ She turned on her heel and started walking down the gleaming white
aisle； an extra flirtatious swish in her step。
Nate bent down and picked up the massive laundry bin stuffed with carefully selected
items。 ？Seriously； Blair； why do you need all this stuff？ Where are you going to put it？？ he asked
when he？d caught up with her； his arms sagging under the bin？s weight。 Suddenly he remembered
the description of hell in Dante？sInferno from eleventh…grade English class。 There were different
circles of hell； and everyone suffered according to their crimes。 Was carrying the leaden bin his
penance for sleeping with Serena？ Was he doomed to carry that guilt for all eternity？
The Curse of the Container Store？ing to a Blockbuster near you。
？I admit； fitting everything into a tiny dorm room is going to be a challenge。？ Blair paused at a
shelf filled with clear plastic boxes and bins of every shape and color。 She ran her hands over a
huge set of colorful； stackable drawers； opening each drawer one by one。 ？But I had the Yale
housing office fax me a floor plan this morning。 If we loft my roommate？s bed way up close to the
ceiling； we should have just en