Page 90 of The Paris Roommates: Dean
Kyle walked crisply to the door. “We’re fine. Nothing to worry about. Pass the word, will you? I’ll see you at the party.”
There was an audible click as he let himself out, and Dean gestured to himself in the mirror. “Did you hear that line of crap? No way he and Madison are fine. But sure, let’s deflect his pent-up whatever on good ol’ Dean and his dream girl.”
He needed to get out of here. Grabbing his wallet and phone, he jogged down the stairs. Madison came from the direction of the kitchen, still clad in her black apron and usual cemetery fashion of black T-shirt, jeans, and high-tops. “You should take Pierre.”
He thought about making a beeline to the front door, but they all knew not to run from Madison. “I’m meeting Jacqueline, remember?”
“Who loves Pierre and will probably coo when she sees him,” she pointed out. “He’s been excited to see her and go to the party since he heard about it.”
A parrot, excited to go to a birthday party? Now that was a first. But she was right. Jacqueline would love to see Pierre. “You drive a hard bargain. I’ll take him. Aren’t you changing?”
“I’ve got another twenty minutes before I have to be there,” she informed him. “I’m wrapping up a test sauce for our fish course.”
“Good luck.” He was glad she’d embraced cooking at their new house even though it wasn’t completely furnished yet. They’d all moved over with their suitcases, won over by the bigger beds and space, but furnishing the place was a collective work in progress.
“I’ll grab Pierre for you,” she said and returned a moment later with the cage in the burgundy wrap. “Here you go.”
He almost laughed, because it struck him that his “It” idea had started with Pierre, and the parrot had sort of led him to Jacqueline. Maybe he and Jacqueline would name one of their kids Pierre, but hey, he was really getting ahead of himself. Plus, how would a kid feel being named after a parrot? “Thanks. Since it’s on my mind…” He was not going to bring up Kyle’s reaction upstairs. “Before I let you get back, do you want to talk about what went down between you and Kyle?”
Her spine went ramrod straight, and for a moment he considered dashing out the door. But he met her bored staredown with what he hoped was a friendly expression of understanding.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Just saying,” he finally said when she left it at that. “I’m here for you. We all are. See you later.”
He was opening the door when she said, “I appreciate you saying that, Dean, but we’re good. You guys need to chill.”
Inclining his chin in her direction, he let himself out. “Pierre, I think Madison and Kyle doth protest too much. Isn’t that what Sawyer would say?”
“It’s Shakespeare,” the parrot responded from under his burgundy throw, making Dean marvel at their parrot.
On the street, people passed him with curious glances, and he was aware of some tourists taking his photo. He set his shoulders and did his best to cut a newsworthy figure.Man Walking the Paris Streets with Bird.Jacqueline had said she’d meet him at Café Fitzy so he walked over there. He first spotted the owner, Antoine, whom he’d known since he first started coming to Paris ten years ago.
“Dean!” Antoine called, coming out of the café’s doorway where he’d been smoking. “It’s wonderful to see you.”
“Always good to see you as well, my friend,” Dean replied as they shared a Paris greeting, which Dean was starting to get used to. Why couldn’t men express affection for each other?
“You have Chef Beaumont’s parrot with you, I see,” Antoine said with a laugh. “I’ve heard from Nanine and your other roommates that he has become what you Americans call a mascot. That is correct, yes?”
He spotted Jacqueline waiting for him at a corner table beside the sidewalk and waved. “Yes, he’s been a great help to Madison for Nanine’s new menu. He even has a chef’s outfit. Make sure to joke with Madison about it the next time you see her. She finds itveryfunny.”
“Ah, but she is always working! But that is as it should be, perhaps, with the restaurant reopening next month. I remember how much work it was to open Antoine’s, and that was decades ago. I see one of our beautiful patrons walking this way. Is she someone you know?”
Dean puffed out his chest, glancing over at her. Her dark blond hair was blown out casually and the dark ruby lipstick he hadn’t seen before made her brown eyes seem bigger and brighter. She wore a belted forest green fall coat that stopped at her gorgeous calves, where sheer tights drew his eyes, leading to black high heels. He could feel that drool sensation coming over him. Tongue-tied yet again. “She’s my girlfriend, Antoine.”
“Are we talkingune amoureuseorune copine?” the older man asked with a knowing wink.
He thought it was safe to answer honestly. “Une amoureuse, Antoine, but in English, I call her my dream girl.”
“I like that as well.” Antoine clapped him on the back. Moments later, Jacqueline reached them, and the older man beamed at her. “Bonjour!If I had known you were close to my friend Dean here, I would have introduced myself. Antoine.”
She was smiling as Dean wrapped his arm around her. “Jacqueline.Enchanté.” They gave the traditional two kisses on the cheek before she turned to Dean, kissing him sweetly on the mouth. “Hello, my love. I’m so happy to see you, but I’m even happier to see Pierre. Oh, come here, my friend.”
Dean transferred the cage to her hands whereby she lifted the burgundy throw so she could peer into the cage of the now-cooing parrot. “Oh, Pierre! You look fantastic!”
“Bonjour,Jacqueline,” Pierre said with a squawk. “I love Brooke.”
That had Dean leaning down to look inside the cage, and he did a double take before chuckling. “Brooke got you a party costume for tonight?”
