Nate had spent his life in New York City, had dated enough socialites to know a thing or two about fashion. He spent the week at the edgier shows, interviewing everyone from Rachel Zoe to Brooke Davis Scott. He updated a blog daily, sometimes hourly and lived on London street food, missing the taco and coffee trucks of NYC.
He was enjoying himself, yet come Tuesday night, was so nervous about Jenny's show that he had a rare return of his teenage insomnia. Ridiculous when you thought about it. Losing sleep over the career prospects of a girl he hadn't seen in years.
Even you had a crush on her.
Wednesday dawned sunnier than summer and had Jenny praising the Great British Weather. Somehow, she got through the show perched behind the curtains, occasionally glancing out to see if she could see Eric's outline in the dark but managing only to locate Anna Wintour.
Nate had no idea how he'd ended up in one of the front rows squeezed between Betty Meade and Eric Van der Woodsen. He was well aware he'd broken some rule of fashion etiquette and that people were shooting daggers at him from behind. Eric had slipped in at the last minute and had lapsed into silence after a whispered greeting. He found he didn't mind, captivated instead by the avant garde luxury of the show. Jenny had mixed opulence with street cred, taking risks in a famously risk friendly Fashion Week. He'd arrived in London expecting to see gutsy, smart fashion but no other virgin designer had proved quite so gutsy or commercially viable - in his eyes at least. But then again, J was no virgin. Still, as the runway glittered in a swirl of liquid silk, tailored outlines and satin heels, he found himself impressed.
"The girl has talent," he heard someone say.
When the lights came up and the models strolled down one last time, the applause was thunderous. He was one of the first to stand, but others weren't far behind, taking their cue from the front row. Jenny emerged, face flushed, clad in a grey shift of her own design. He beamed at her.
"Why do you look so proud?" Surprised he turned to look at Eric.
"What?"
"Why do you look so proud when you've spent the last five years ignoring her? Look Nate, I like you. But Jenny's got her life on track and she's happy here. Don't screw it up for her."