Page 103 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
“Yes, the one I just learned about at Napoleon’s apartments in the Louvre,” he finished.
“I love that place,” Doc said predictably. “All right. Flanking. A maneuver that involves attacking an opponent from the sides rather than directly to—”
“That’s good, Doc,” Dean interrupted as a long lesson wasn’t necessary. “That’s what we’re going to do with Yvonne.”
Kyle set his coffee cup down. “What do you have in mind, Dean?”
“We’re going to put in other bids.”
“But how?” Sawyer asked, pushing a sweaty black curl off his forehead. “Yvonne shut our interest down today. Hard. The auction is Friday.”
He walked over and put his arm around Brooke. “Would you mind asking your father to put in a bid on behalf of The Paris Roommates Group?”
She nodded slowly as a grin lit her face. “Absolutely! I see where this is going…”
“So do I and I like it,” Kyle said, holding out his hand for a fist bump. “Flanking. Multiple bids through other parties. No one will know of the last-minute interest because of the virtual tour on the auction site. Genius! I rather like this side of you, Dean. It’s not devious so much as it’s thorough.”
Madison came around the island and punched him lightly in the shoulder. “It’s like we’re buying more than one lottery ticket. Way to go, Dean!”
He puffed out his chest, relief pouring through him. “Thanks to our man, Napoleon—”
“Please don’t call Napoleon that, Dean.” Sawyer grimaced. “He wasn’t a great person. Brilliant, yes. But so not our guy.”
“Oh, Sawyer,” Brooke implored with a laugh. “We’re not making T-shirts here.”
“The point is,” Dean reiterated, “that we ask a few trusted people to put in a bid for us—because that’s what you do when you really want something, and it’s not a sure thing. We outmaneuver Yvonne to win.”
“That’s a lot of money,” Thea broke in, worrying her lip.
“Actually, it’s not.” He glanced at Kyle, who smiled a little wickedly. “We only have to guarantee we put in the winning bid, which is what we were planning to do before.”
“Besides Brooke’s dad,” Kyle said, kicking back in pure elation now, “we’ll need to involve people we can trust to keep our interest confidential and to transfer the cave to us after the win. I know four buyers like that.”
Of course he did. “You aren’t the Golden Boy for nothing. I have three I can think of. Tech guys I trust.”
“I have three on my side too,” Brooke added with a clever smile. “My dad might want to keep a bottle or two if his bid wins, but he’ll be happy to help. So will the others I have in mind. All of them have eaten at Nanine’s. They have an interest in helping the restaurant.”
Dean’s excitement soared. “This is what happens when people help each other.”
“That’s eleven bids.” Sawyer slapped his forehead. “Our odds have just gone up exponentially. Brooke, are all of your contacts in fashion? Because I’m really going to have an existential meltdown if that’s true. I don’t have a very compassionate view of the fashion industry.”
“They are in fashion—or were—and they are good people.” She pointed to herself. “I’m in fashion, Sawyer—”
“I don’t see you that way,” he responded, “but we’re getting off track. Dean, this idea rocks. As a teacher, I just want to point out that history still has a place in our modern world.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“You tell us, Doc,” Dean said, clearing his throat. “I was worried when I left that I’d screwed things up for Nanine, and everyone else here, which I couldn’t stand.”
“We know that, Dean,” Brooke said, rubbing his back.
“I’m not sure Jacqueline will change her mind about what happened.” He had to call it out there even though he planned to do everything in his power to win her back. “Maybe I should have listened to those of you who said I should tell her—”
“Or maybe you shouldn’t have gone out with Pierre and created so much viral chatter that’s made Nanine’s reopening such a hot commodity,” Brooke said with a dramatic eye roll. “What matters is now. I think our odds of winning the cave are better than before, and I vote we still give half to Jacqueline, if you want that. Even as a skeptical New Yorker, I can’t believe what that bitch Yvonne said about her.”
“Me either,” Madison said, “and I have a good gut. Besides, Jacqueline was more upset about you lying to her than losing the cave.”
“Which means she liked you for you all along and not the cave,” Thea finished. “I think she loves you, Dean.”
