I Will Always Love You by Cecily von Ziegesar Read Free Book Online Page A

canoodling.” Ira grabbed a glass of champagne off the tray of a passing server
     clad in a white bikini and red stilettos. “Look, I’m all for it, but I don’t want you to get exclusive. Not good for pre-film
     buzz. In fact, I’d love for you to really spend the evening mingling. I’ve got a couple of my own friends who’d love to meet
     you.”
    “I’d like to meet them,” Amanda piped up, sticking her hand out for Ira to shake. Serena took that moment to gracefully duck
     away, weaving between party guests toward the bar set up in the corner. She usually loved parties, but right now, all she
     wanted to do was say hi to Thaddeus and then hop a cab to the Tribeca Star and spend the night partying with Blair. Tomorrow,
     they could have a lazy brunch, nursing their hangovers with glasses of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Then they’d watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s and all the other old movies Blair loved.
    “Serena!” someone shouted from behind her. Breckin O’Dell was lumbering over to her from the bar, looking extremely pleased
     with himself. His reddish hair was artfully spiked into peaks, and he wore a skinny purple tie and a black vest.
    Hell is other people’s… outfits?
    Serena made a beeline for the bathroom. She really didn’t feel like getting into another conversation with Breckin. He was
     definitely attractive and had appeared in a couple spy thriller movies, but his conversation topics ranged from his abs to
     his agent.
    She swung open the bathroom door. A bare-assed girl was straddling a half-naked guy on the edge of the onyx sink.
    Definitely occupied.
    “Sorry!” Serena squealed, slamming the door shut. Gross.
    “Serena!” Breckin sidled up to her. “May I say you look lovely.” He snaked his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer
     to him. “My agent thinks we should date. What do your people say?”
    Serena stifled a giggle. Her people? The phrase made her think of little green aliens landing their UFO on Earth. “Do you always do what your agent tells you,
     or do you have a mind of your own?”
    “Oh, I have a mind of my own,” Breckin said slimily. He plucked two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and offered
     one to her. “And there’s a lot going on in there.” He winked.
    “Cheers!” Serena clinked glasses with him while sneaking a glance at her gold Cartier tank watch. Eleven fifteen. She’d planned
     to leave the party by eleven, and she still hadn’t said hi to Thad or talked to any of Ira’s producer friends.
    It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.
    “So…?” Breckin asked, clearly waiting for her opinion on their dating future.
    “My people will be in touch,” Serena lied as she backed away. She pulled her iPhone from her silver Chanel clutch, sending
     a text to Blair that she was on her way.
    “Serena van der Woodsen, you are beautiful!”
    Serena whirled around, relaxing when she saw Thad. He wore a tight white cashmere muscle tank and a pair of white linen pants.
     A six-foot-tall girl with straw-colored, ass-skimming hair held his hand. She wore a red cleavage-baring dress with an amoeba-shaped
     cutout at the middle. Serena recognized her as an up-and-coming singer who’d won some reality show competition.
    “This is Carilee Roberts. Our agent introduced us,” Thaddeus said tightly, brushing his blond curls from his forehead as if
     he had a headache. “Carilee, this is Serena van der Woodsen.”
    “Hey there, sugar. Why, don’t you look like just the sweetest thing? I could just eat you up! Of course, I don’t mean that
     literally. I only like boys!” Carilee said enthusiastically, yanking Serena’s shoulders toward her and kissing her aggressively
     on both cheeks.
    “Nice to meet you.” Serena said as she backed away.
    Thaddeus’s light blue eyes flicked down to Serena’s almost empty champagne glass. “We need to get you a drink. And we need
     to get me ten. Can you hang out with us for a bit? Serge