Page 33 of Brooke
“I say we draw straws tonight to see who gets to ask the first question,” Sawyer suggested. “Short straw wins for a change, upsetting our normal reality.”
“I like that notion,” Axel said, shifting his big body in his stool and brushing against her, perhaps not accidentally. “Veryavant-gardeof you.”
“We don’t have straws, Sawyer,” Thea informed them after setting the last plate in the dishwasher. She sat down and scooted her stool closer to Dean. “We could draw names.”
Suddenly wood was cracking, and Brooke watched as Madison brought over broken kebab skewers. “Will these do?”
“Nice thinking, Madison.” Dean slapped her on the back. When she’d finished, he tucked them into his hand, lining up the unbroken ends.
“Chef est très intelligente,”Pierre told them with a squawk. He had on new chef’s attire in black, which was quite the spectacle. Dean had thought it would be funny if Pierre and Madison matched. Madison not so much, but she hadn’t tried to change his outfit.
“No one’s disputing that, Pierre.” Kyle pulled out a barstool for Madison on the other side of the kitchen island, where Dean and Thea were sitting. “Why don’t you sit down?”
“I hate sitting still until I have to.” Pierre flew to his perch as Madison fell onto the barstool, drumming her fingers on the countertop. “Let’s get this game going.”
Sawyer slid into the seat next to her as she grabbed a bottle of mezcal. “Let chance be good to all of us.”
Dean leaned forward so everyone could take a skewer. Thea drew the short skewer and let out a squeal.
Dean tipped back in his chair. “This is going to be easy.”
Kyle leaned over and nudged him on the shoulder. “Hey! Thea might surprise us.”
Brooke leaned closer to Axel, whispering, “In the history of Drink and Divulge, Thea has never made anyone drink.”
“I see.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his lips twitching. “It is part of her charm, that innocence.”
Earlier, Axel had described their group dynamic as friends after he’d finished analyzing Brooke’s mood board. He’d been dead-on with Thea being the sweet sister, Dean the ideas man, Sawyer the philosopher, her the go-getter, Madison the edgy nonconformist, and Kyle the master of ceremonies of sorts. They worked, he said, because they all respected each other, had fun together, and learned from one another. Each person brought a special characteristic the others admired or desired. In that openness, they created trust and loyalty. Which led to balance. Fun even. Theirs was a special connection, one Axel had never seen in a group this large.
Six people such as they…
Even she hadn’t reflected on the rarity of their group. When he’d finished, everyone had been smiling at each other and feeling a little mushy. Even Madison, although she’d joked about finding a red apron with a triangle on it. Brooke just might gift her one.
“There is no one sweeter than Thea,” she whispered, smiling as her friend pulled her phone out from her pink apron.
“You have adopted her as a sister because it is a sweetness you crave in your life.” He leaned even closer to her ear, making her shiver. “I hope I will also be able to give you such sweetness.”
Her breath hitched as an image of the kind of sweetness she was looking for flashed in her mind. One that involved Axel and an éclair and, truthfully, wasn’tsweetat all.
“What is the one act you’ve done with the opposite sex that made you feel most ashamed?” Thea asked, setting her phone down, her brown eyes huge in her face.
“Whoa!” Dean swiveled in his chair and grabbed her shoulders. “Dorothy from Kansas, where didthatcome from?”
“Jean Luc,” Sawyer mused, uttering a veryboffFrench sound afterward. “Thea. You got me. I’m totally drinking.”
Madison reached over and held out her fist for a bump. “Way to go, Thea.”
“I call foul.” Kyle pointed his finger at her. “Are we to allow questions from other people in this game?”
Madison jostled him playfully. “Oh, come on, Kyle. If Thea decided to ask the question, it’s hers. Thea, I’m drinking too.”
“You got me, sweetheart.” Dean kissed her cheek before grabbing his calvados. “Congratulations, little sister.”
Thea started to bounce in her seat. “That’s three drinkers. Who else?”
Kyle picked up his glass of cognac. “It’s early so this one is easy. Drink for me. I’ll let Thea celebrate her first win.”
“That only leaves two more.” Thea leaned on the counter, her brown eyes glittering like they did when she spied a new pastry choice. “Brooke? Axel? Is this going to be a sweep? Need I remind you that everyone has to drink again if everyone chooses not to divulge.”
