Page 87 of Brooke
They all looked at Kyle. Interesting. Even here, he was the leader. Then again, he’d bought the house. Brooke sometimes forgot that because Kyle had made it so completely clear it was for all of them. Her heart warmed. Another reason he was a great friend.
“I’m good if there are no objections,” he said with a nod. “Madison? You okay with painters being here during the day? Would it be better to have them next week? After Nanine’s reopens? I know you plan on staying here until you go to the restaurant to prep at one, so I want to make sure you have the kind of calm energy you need at the house in the mornings.”
A flash of shock touched her wide golden eyes before they shuttered. She lifted a shoulder. “Ah…thanks. I’ll be fine, but if not, I’ll just put my earbuds in.”
But the look they shared for a moment longer had everyone else exchanging glances. Whoa! The undercurrent of electricity between them had only gotten stronger.
Kyle swallowed thickly before turning back to Brooke and Axel. “Let’s go with next week anyway. We’re not in any hurry.”
The accommodation did not go unnoticed as Dean nudged Thea, who turned to Sawyer, who was studying the ceiling as if contemplating Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.
“I’ll let them know,” Brooke said with as much neutrality as possible. “Anything else anyone wants to talk about?”
Thea’s hand shot up. “I have something.”
Brooke smiled. “What is it, little sister?”
She ducked her head, twirling a lock of chestnut hair in her hand. “Well…I was kinda wondering when all the decorating would be done in the main areas because I was wondering…”
“Thea, two wonderings in one sentence,” Brooke teased. “What do you want to know?”
Her brown eyes went wide as she sucked in a huge breath. “If Jean Luc and I can get married in the entryway!”
“What?”Brooke’s day planner flashed in her mind. The wedding was scheduled for January fifth, two days after Nanine’s sixtieth birthday party. Brooke had been sending Thea suggestions for a couple of weeks now with no progress.
“Brooke, I know you’ve found some places, but I just don’t feel right about any of them. Maybe it’s the cost, but honestly, I really want to do something special. Like have the ceremony here and our wedding dinner at Nanine’s. I told Jean Luc, and he’s on board—if you guys are.”
Dean wrapped her in a hug. “On board? Why wouldn’t we? Oh, wait! This is a Kyle and Brooke area. I should probably shut up.”
“No need for that,” Kyle said, standing and walking over to Thea. “Although you zipping it more often would probably be appreciated. Kidding! Mostly. Thea, I think I speak for everyone here when I say we’d love for you and Jean Luc to get married at home. Because when I say it’s our home, I mean it.”
Brooke felt her throat catch. “Kyle’s right, Thea. I can’t think of a better place for you to get married than in our home.”
She brushed aside tears and then launched herself at Kyle first, then Dean, and onto the rest of their roommates, Madison included, who patted her awkwardly on the back. When she got to Thea, they practically bear-hugged.
“I couldn’t tell you until now,” Thea whispered. “I didn’t want to stress you out, if it was too hard to have this place redecorated in time.”
“Brooke and I will move heaven and earth to have everything ready,” Axel said in an assuring voice.
His hand touched her back again and held, a promise anchored in his touch. “We will, Thea,” she said, feeling carried away by emotion. “Oh, it’s going to be wonderful!”
Suddenly she could see the flower arrangements trailing down the stairs and Thea walking down the steps to Jean Luc.
“She’s already imagining it.” Dean snapped his fingers. “Earth to Brooke. Come back. Come back.”
She gave in to the temptation and shot him the bird. “There’s nothing wrong with having an imagination, Dean. You, of all people, should understand that. Okay, I think we can call this meeting closed. Axel?”
“I am satisfied,” he said in his deep voice, “so long as everyone else is.”
They all agreed that they were, so Brooke linked her arm with his and led him into the entryway.
“I had a flash of using green pine cones to keep the wedding greenery lighter,” she told him, stopping in the entryway’s center and glancing up the stairs. “Thea loves pine cones—they remind her of ice skating at a pond by her house—but after seeing the green ones you use, I wondered about having them instead. Could you put me in touch with your supplier?”
He gave a booming laugh. “You’re looking at him.”
She playfully tapped his chest. “No way. You pick your own pine cones?”
His shrug lifted his massive chest, making her mouth water. “The green ones don’t fall to the ground, Brooke. Thankfully, I am tall enough that I do not need to climb too many trees for what I need. But to answer your question, I am happy to supply you. Perhaps you will come to Norway and pick them with me. I’ll boost you onto my shoulders if you’d like.”
