Page 28 of Get Lost

Kelsey laughed, looked at Brynn, and motioned to the ladies. “You want to go sit with them, BrynnieBoo?”

“Might be more my speed.” Brynn folded her napkin back up and placed it in her lap, then looked up at Kelsey. “Okay, go on. I can handle it.”

Kelsey gave a curt nod. “His brioche was bursting—”

“Oh my God,” Brynn said loudly, “I meant go on with the story. I can handlethe story.”

“But what if the story is about hisburstingbrioche?” She flashed Brynn a wild grin. “Okay, fine.” Kelsey sighed happily. “Jean-Luc was the French pastry chef at the event last weekend. The bride’s family paid to fly him out from France to create her wedding cake. I’ve done a little research on him since”—she looked at all of them in turn—“professional curiosity, obviously.”

“Oh, obviously,” Brea teased, motioning for her to continue.

“Anyway,” Kelsey said pointedly, “he’s really just sort of popped up out of nowhere.”

Brynn’s cheeks pinkened again. She pulled her lips between her teeth, and her eyes danced with mirth.

“What?” Kelsey asked warily.

“His popover popped up!” Brynn’s hands flew to her mouth as she started another fit of laughter. She looked over at the other table of women, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” But she sure didn’t sound sorry with all the laughter bubbling out of her.

Kelsey shook her head, clutching her hands to her chest. “Our baby is growing up, you guys.”

“Hey now, I’m the baby of the group,” Nessa teased.

“Not when it comes to phallic-shaped things,” Kelsey said louder than necessary for the people in the back—or the Sanctimonious Susans sitting at the table beside theirs. “So, he’s this, just, incredible looking man, right, and instantly I’m attracted to him.”

“He’s a man with a penis.” Nessa shrugged.

“It takes more than that, Ness.” Kelsey raised her hand to tick the items off on her fingers. “He can cook. He’s arrogant—”

“Oh, well, now we know it didn’t take long to win you over,” Brea teased.

“I can’t help if I like a little cocky confidence.” Kelsey shrugged, grinning. “Cocks, cocky, cooking… maybe those are my three C’s of…” Her eyes widened. “Courtship.”

Brea snorted. “Enough with the alliteration today, Kels. Just get to the sex.”

Kelsey’s eyes widened as she looked at Brea. “Brea Pompeo, what has gotten into you?”

Brea sighed. “Nothing. That’s the problem.”

The girls laughed and Kelsey said, “Okay, let’s find you a fling.” She looked around at the other brunchers, then back at Brea. “Slim pickings today, though, buddy.”

Brea shook her head. “Who has time for that anyway? With that Smart Enterprises deal in the garbage, Brynn and I have to figure out how to keep the momentum going. Pomp Suites is about all either one of us can handle.”

Leaning forward, Kelsey frowned. “What happened to that deal? I thought it was a sure thing.”

Brea shrugged. “So did we. But they’ve cancelled every appointment. It feels a lot like they’re blowing us off.”

“Oh man, I’m so sorry, you guys.”

Brea shrugged, looking at Brynn. “We’ll get through it. Pomp Suites has come this far.” She took a deep breath, then motioned to the waitress and raised their empty champagne bottle. Turning back to Kelsey, Brea said, “Okay, so he was cocky… what else?”

“Reallyhandsome.” Kelsey rolled her eyes. “Like, ridiculously hot.” She pulled out her phone to Google Jean-Luc and show the girls a picture of her sexy one-night-ish fling. But then her eyes landed on a new text alert from Alexander and she groaned.

Because of course he’d interrupt her favorite meal with his nonsense.

“What is it?” Nessa asked.

“Just the most annoying person on earth.” When Kelsey looked up from her phone, all three of them stared at her expectantly. “Alexander Arroyo.”

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