Page 19 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
Dean had to look away because that totally got to him.
“Of course I will be with you,” Nanine said with a warm smile. “Chérie,you will be married soon and living with Jean Luc. We managed to keep in touch when we lived thousands of miles from each other. Your bakery will be just around the corner.”
“So will our new digs,” Kyle assured everyone, trying to smile himself. “Heck, am I not working with Jean Luc on visas and the like to make sure we’ll be here for years?”
“Except me,” Sawyer chimed in with a grimace. “I have a year to decide whether I want to go back to the university.”
Dean hoped like hell Doc would finally hit it big with his painting and be able to stay, and he knew he wasn’t the only one.
Kyle gripped his shoulder. “A year is a long time. You’ll figure things out. The point is, Thea, someday your kids and the kids of someone else at this table will be playing together in the playground down the street.”
“Stop with the kids talk, will you?” Madison hissed with another playful jab at his side. “Or I swear, I’m going to go Conan the Barbarian on you right now.”
“You’d look hot in the outfit,” Dean gestured.
“I think fur and leather could look hot onyou,” Brooke followed up.
That had everyone finally laughing and wiping away tears.
“Don’t be sad,” Pierre said in French. “Let’s cookbœuf bourguignon.”
“Pierre knows his French comfort food,” Kyle said with a grin.
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Brooke seconded. “Nanine, let’s finish this discussion first. Do you want to expand the restaurant?”
She inhaled a long, shaky breath. “I do. I even had plans drawn up.”
Kyle nodded with an easy smile. “That’s terrific, Nanine. Cuts down a whole lot of extra lines on my work planning spreadsheet.”
She gave her first hearty laugh of the day. “Anything for that. We are settled? I believe I have a comfort dish to prepare. I expect Brooke will not feel the need to hover around me over one meal, right, Third Course?”
She reluctantly nodded.
“Pierre, perhaps you will help me?” Nanine asked in French.
“My pleasure,” the parrot responded with what looked like a humble bow.
“Great!” Kyle stood and planted his hands on the table. “Now, who wants to see the digs I bought?”
Thea’s wild shriek pierced his eardrum. Dean nearly laughed. Upstaged again by the Golden Boy. He had been looking too, of course, but he’d only shortlisted a few properties so far.
Sawyer shoved back in his chair. “You seriously bought a place? Already?”
Brooke blew out one of her dragon breaths. He was pretty sure she’d learned the technique from yoga, and she seemed to roll it out whenever she needed to express strong emotion. “He so did.”
“It’s just like Kyle,” Thea said with her usual enthusiasm. “He’s such a great guy like that. Handling things.”
“Thank you,” the man of the hour said with a bow as Madison punched him in the gut.
“I can’t wait to see it,” Thea exclaimed, clapping her hands.
“You will when we have the keys—”
“But Kyle!” Brooke protested. “I need to plan, decorate—”
“Me too,” Dean broke in with a grin, already imagining his new bed, his shower, his…
“You totally set me up,” Madison hissed, eyes blazing. She hadn’t looked away since he’d shared the news.
