Dan couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence coursing through his veins. There was just something about entering one of the oldest and most elaborate restaurants in New York, dressed in a ridiculously expensive outfit, standing next to someone like Blair Waldorf, a person whose looks and grace alone demanded attention, that made Dan feel completely at ease. He realized that for the first time since stepping foot into the Upper East Side, he finally felt accepted; and he had Blair Waldorf of all people to thank for that.
Dan quickly shook his thoughts away when he felt Blair tugging at his sleeve. He quickly followed her gaze and realized that she was staring at Adrienne Gold's solitary figure at the corner end of the room. The pair locked eyes for a second, smirking mischievously, before sauntering towards his table.
"Adrienne Gold, pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Blair Waldorf." Blair said as she extended her hand professionally, while the rest of her body forcibly wriggled into the empty seat next to his.
Adrienne's mouth fell slightly in confusion, until the recognition dawned on him. "Waldorf? You're Eleanor Waldorf's daughter?"
"Yes, I am Eleanor Waldorf's daughter," Blair said confidently. Adrienne's expression quickly softened, as he took her hand into his. Dan took this as a cue to sit next to Blair, whose outright audacity made the hairs on his neck stand up.
"Ah, nice to meet you, Blair. You know, her new collection's doing really well for us at Bergdorf's. Say hello to your mother for me, yes?"
"Of course, Bergdorf's has always been her favorite retailer," Blair said instantly, knowing full well of what she was doing. Adrienne looked pleased.
"Anyway, this is my associate, Daniel Humphrey. He and I are here in behalf of W magazine to interview you regarding your new position in the company."
Adrienne looked from Blair to Dan suspiciously, suddenly realizing that there was more to this abrupt introduction than he would have liked. He sighed heavily and took a sip from his red wine. "Look, Blair. I'd love to do this interview with you, but the Board advises I keep things under wrap first. I'll have my assistant fax you the company's official statement as soon as possible, yes?"
Thinking he had won, Adrienne did a slight wave with his hand to signal the conversation was over, but Blair didn't budge. Dan nervously glanced over at Blair, whose polite smile was still frighteningly intact.
He was about to stand up and pull her away, when she opened her mouth to speak. "Mr. Gold, I understand that, having just been sworn into the company, you aren't that familiar with the history behind Waldorf Designs and Bergdorf's yet, am I right?"
"Excuse me?" Adrienne asked curtly.
Blair continued, not letting his rudeness faze her. "When my mother finally grew tired of styling society matrons and Wall Street bankers, she decided to build her own fashion house, one that could exude the grace and opulence that New York was so hungry for at the time. Guess which retailer was first to pick up her collection?"
"Bergdorf's," Adrienne muttered grudgingly.
"Correct. And do you know how they managed to forge such a relationship?" Blair asked, her eyes growing fiery by the second.
"Well, your mother's designs are obviously impeccable."
"Everyone's designs are impeccable, Mr. Gold. Dan, over here, has a sister who can whip out a wrinkle-free satin dress in a second, and she's from Brooklyn!" Dan quickly bit his tongue, convincing himself that this wasn't the right time to make a retort.
"What really impressed the people at Bergdorf's, however," Blair continued, "Was my mother's undying determination to catch their attention. She went to literally every society party that year, every fashion show in New York, Paris, and Milan, just to be given the same sympathetic speech of rejection. It was only when she sent her best sketches to every office in your building—all 332, I believe—that Bergdorf Goodman finally decided to give her a chance."
Dan and Adrienne stared back at the brunette in complete disbelief; and it was at that exact moment when Blair realized she had the upper hand.
"Thus, if my mother's unrelenting passion to get what she wanted has taught us anything, it's that Waldorf women simply do not give up. So Mr. Gold, either we have this interview right now, or Dan and I can just continue to bother you until you finally get the picture. We both know that, at the end of the day, I will do whatever it takes to get my way," Blair said triumphantly.
"Blair, you were brilliant! Just brilliant! If Adrienne Gold and the rest of the Upper East Side weren't in that room, I would've been jumping like a complete freak and throwing tea pots across the room!"
Blair could not stop the huge grin from spreading across her lips. "Well, I am Blair Waldorf after all," she said, as she held her chin up elatedly. Not only did her perfectly concocted speech at the Russian Tea Room leave Adrienne Gold completely dumbfounded; it also gave Dan and Blair enough dirt to write their W feature with.
"True, but the Blair Waldorf I knew mainly used her skills for scheming and berating girls who wore tights as pants."
"That was a service to mankind, thank you very much."
Without thinking, Dan reached out and pulled Blair into his arms. She stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do.
"I'm sorry that wasn't—" Dan pulled away instantly, feeling incredibly mortified.
Blair just stared back at him, mouth slightly agape and painfully lost for words.
"I forgot, you hadn't gotten your tetanus shot yet," Dan said nervously to lighten up the mood, which was rapidly becoming more awkward by the second.
"No, it's…OK," Blair heard herself saying. Dan looked up at her, surprised she hadn't called her lawyer for a restraining order yet. "Thanks for the hug. I—I just haven't been hugged by a guy since…well, you know," she said softly, staring straight at the ground and letting her brown curls shield her face.
Perhaps it was the faint edge in her tone or the fact the she was finally revealing a vulnerable and beguilingly human side to her that he never knew existed, but something had ultimately triggered in Dan's head. Before he knew it, he was edging closer to her and wrapping his arms around her small waist, showing no sign of letting go. He buried his face in her hair, hoping she wouldn't hear the rapid beating in his heart, and let his hands brush against the silky fabric of her dress, which was so soft and warm and delicate—all words that were rarely ever used to describe Blair Waldorf—that it rendered him utterly speechless.
Blair let her flushed cheek rest against the curve of his neck, surprised at how well her body fit into his. He smelled like coffee and shampoo, she thought to herself and smiled. She instinctively closed her eyes and let his arms tighten around her, grateful that his solid frame was holding her in place, as she feared her body was near collapse. This whole turn of events was so unsettling that she couldn't wrap her head around it yet. For now, all she wanted was to breathe in his scent and feel the slight stubble of his jaw graze her neck.