Page 40 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
Jean Luc made a disgusted sound, and truthfully, Dean couldn’t blame him. “Anyone who uses the wordslobberout loud before a date should be tossed into the Bastille,” Dean mumbled while stuffing the handkerchief away.
“The Bastille closed on July 14, 1789,” Sawyer told him in that professorial tone of his. “France’s July Fourth, you might say.”
If Sawyer were rocking a professorial beard to go along with his wild black curls and giant brain, Dean would have pulled on it. So he joked instead, “That’s the whole annual Bastille Day celebration thing, right?”
Jean Luc snorted again, and Thea took his hand, squeezing gently. “He’s only kidding,mon amoureux.”
Clearly, his class clown reputation wasn’t anchored firmly enough. “Am I?”
“Let us hope, or I might be tempted to ask for the prison to be reopened for your exclusive use,” Jean Luc responded.
“That’s not a very nice thing for mybroooto say.” God, he loved doing that. “How’s that sex injury treating you, by the way?”
Thea flushed predictably, and Brooke swatted him. Also not a surprise. “Pay attention, Dean,” she said, shoving a newly manicured nail into the blue jacket of his new French suit. “Tonight is important. We have the cave to consider and potentially persuading Jacqueline to consider a job offer from us.”
Madison rested her wineglass against her black apron and said, “I like the idea of her joining, especially given her knowledge of the cave and her experience, but I think we need to run this by Nanine.”
“We agreed it might be better to have Dean feel out her plans first,” Kyle reminded her. They’d discussed their approach the night before, after a raucous night of Drink and Divulge. “Nanine has never had an official sommelier, not feeling the need, but most Michelin places do. As you know.”
Yeah, Golden Boy needed to add that or he’d be getting one of the new head chef’s killer looks.
“Plus, you know how Nanine feels about the budget issues,” Thea told Dean with a grimace. “I mean, I feel the same way, with all of you guys putting up the money for my bakery.”
“Thea, it’s called an investment,” Kyle reminded her, clearly wearing his CEO pants, which he wore a lot these days.
“Forget the investment part.” Dean lifted Brooke’s wineglass and toasted her. “Even if we lost everything, I’d still be glad we made your dreams come true, Thea.”
Her eyes grew wet, but Brooke delivered Dean another swat. “Don’t even put that energy out there.”
“All right, all right,” he said, standing. “I’m getting out of here.”
“Give him the talking points, Kyle.” Brooke chewed her lip. “Dean, we give these with the best of intentions.”
When Kyle handed over a typed list, he fought a growl. “Guys, stop worrying! I’ve got this. The beautiful Jacqueline is in good hands. Don’t wait up.”
Everyone snorted except for Thea this time, which only made him grin. He had a feeling most of them were going to wait up for him. Even his mom hadn’t done that back in the day. It was kinda weird and kinda nice.
“Try not to drool,” Kyle called as he walked to the back door.
“Don’t kiss her if you’re frothing at the mouth,” Madison yelled.
A chorus of boos sounded, along with Pierre’s eerie laughter. Dean shook his head with a grin as he picked up the flowers he’d bought and left, shutting the door behind him. His friends had put him in good humor for his date. Tonight was going to be fantastic. He called for an Uber—because, unlike Kyle, he didn’t believe in garaging a car in Paris—and then headed over to the location of the ultimate date he’d pulled together. Including a meal on a boat, thank you very much. He’d pulled out all the stops.
Opening Kyle’s talking points, he laughed out loud.
Have a good time (from Thea).
Shut up and listen, e.g. don’t monopolize the conversation (from the girls).
Don’t slobber, but if so, use handkerchief (from Sawyer).
Don’t eat too much because you get burpy (from Brooke).
Don’t f-up the biz stuff (from Kyle).
Don’t accidentally knock her off the boat (from Madison, who’s seen this happen in Miami more than once).
Yeah, that last one would really suck. He’d have to make sure he kept close to Jacqueline when they were on deck. For safety’s sake, of course. He shoved the list back in his pocket. They were idiots, but they werehisidiots.
