Page 24 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
“Yes, Mommy,” he shot back playfully. “We’re meeting in the lovely Luxembourg Gardens in front of the Medici Fountain.”
“Not the Medici Fountain!” Sawyer cried out. “Go for the pond where the kids sail the sailboats, for the love of God.”
Everyone turned to look at him.
“Sorry.” He winced and held up a hand. “Some really horrible quotes about the Medicis popped into my head, all including blood, death, and poison. We want good energy around the acquisition of the cave.”
“Speaking of,” said Kyle, leaning against the stainless steel counter in the kitchen. “Thanks for calling to make sure the auction’s still a go. From that, I assume the cave did not come up with Miss Beaumont.”
“No, it didn’t.” Dean wished they were sitting down so he could kick him under the table. “Let’s not debate why, since there are any number of possibilities, and take this as a win. Seriously, guys.” Eyeing them all, he shot them one of his trademark grins. “We’re good here.”
“Let’s see how good we truly are.” Brooke cast an aggrieved look at the others and grabbed a glass of water. “Drink this and then tell me how Jacqueline looked as she left.”
The power of her smile along with her rich brown eyes filled his mind. When he drank, he dribbled.
“You’re drooling, Dean,” Madison commented.
“See!” Brooke pointed at him like he was a circus animal. “He’s always like this when he’s in puppy love. He can barely walk a straight line.”
“I resent that.” He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “I got Pierre and me home just fine.”
The parrot gave a whistle. “Jacqueline likes Dean,” he said in French, which had him grinning like an idiot again as he took another sip to wet his dry mouth.
Sawyer thrust a napkin at him. “Seriously, man, rein in the slobber. You’re like a Saint Bernard all of a sudden.”
“Woof,” he cried out with a laugh.
Madison set Pierre on his perch. “Dean, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve got no game when it comes to that chick. You’re like one of those rom-com goofballs who could forget to wear matching socks, he’s so love addled.”
He narrowed his eyes at Brooke. “I can’t believe you told her that story. It was one date.”
Brooke took the water from him. “I’ve seen you with girls before and you’ve never babbled quite like this. Or drooled.”
He wanted to wince, but he couldn’t. He was too happy. He had a quasi-date with Jacqueline. Shelikedhim.
“Let’s circle back to that point,” Kyle said dryly. “I don’t want the parrot thing to screw things up, or the picnic for that matter. She’s obviously either emotional over her recent loss or indecisive.”
“Hey, now—”
“Just saying.” Kyle was unflinching. “What if your next ‘meeting’ doesn’t go as well?”
“Why wouldn’t it?” Dean shot back. “That kind of negative thinking is counterproductive.”
Brooke laid a cautionary hand on his arm but said, “Dean knows how important this is, Kyle.”
“Am I not the one who found out about the cave in the first place?” he asked, studying all his roommates. “Hey, just because she’s my dream girl doesn’t mean I’m going to screw it up. Unlike some people around here, she appreciates my empathy.”
“Dean,” Madison said, pointing at him, “do you hear yourself? I mean, you were about ready to hand Pierre over, and you don’t even know her yet. She was only a girl in a newspaper clipping with a little backstory, and you were ready to put her wishes ahead of ten years of friendship and a business agreement.”
“What she said.” Kyle jerked his thumb at her. “I’m almost tempted to make sure you’re not alone with her until the cave issue is settled.”
Well, if that didn’t shove him off his happy roller coaster. “Stop being such an asshole. I’m as much of a businessman as you are, dammit. I’m also the only one who bothered to try to smooth things over with her, even though I’m guessing she wouldn’t want to sell to assholes—”
“Sawyerwouldmake a great chaperone,” Brooke joked as she gave his arm another cautionary squeeze. “I’ll bet he can even quote Jane Austen.”
“Please,” Doc said in an aggrieved voice, “I mostly respect her works but they’re noCandide—”
Were they being serious about this? Brooke nudged him as if to say lighten up, and he nodded. Fine. They were going to joke. “I thought the Keira Knightley movie was really great. They made dour dresses and candlelight look hot. Kyle?”
