Page 20 of Sawyer
“Now that we’ve got all that worked out, let’s talk more about Operation Sawyer.” Dean rose quickly from his chair. “I have something to add to the mix.”
A few people groaned before resuming their meal. Sawyer picked at his food, knowing he should eat, but his stomach was swaying like a turbulent sea now.
When Dean returned, Sawyer couldn’t help but laugh at the two T-shirts he playfully lifted up to his chest one at a time.
“I couldn’t make up my mind which was better. The I ARTED or IMPRESSIONISTS MAKE THE BEST LOVERS.”
“I love the second,” Jacqueline said with a classic French shrug. “For obvious reasons.”
“I don’t get the Impressionist one,” Thea exclaimed, making everyone hide a smile.
“I will explain later,chérie,”Jean Luc murmured, raising her hand to his lips before saying, “The second for me. The first one is…gauche.”
“No, it’s special and funny.” Dean laughed like a little boy. “But not everyone can appreciate the humor.”
“It’ssothe second.” Brooke gave Dean a playful eye roll. “A serious artist wouldn’t wear the first.”
“Why not?” Axel asked in that practical tone of his. “We are all human.”
Dean struck a pose. “The second, Doc?”
He could only nod and accept the T-shirt his friend handed to him. As far as he knew, Dean didn’t know he’d done his PhD on an Impressionist or that he particularly admired their work. Only it was Dean, and maybe he’d had one of his inklings.
“That leaves this baby.” Dean walked to the other side of the table. “Axel, I hereby give you this special T-shirt as an overdue welcome to this awesome family of ours.”
The Norwegian gave a short smile. “Thank you. I will wear it with great pride.”
“You will?”Brooke blurted.
“Yes, when I am in Norway in the forest among my trees.”
Where no one could see it.
Sawyer started laughing. “I don’t plan to wear my shirt outside the house either.”
“Why not?” Jacqueline asked with a quirk of her brow. “It would entice many women here in Paris.”
But he only wanted to entice one woman.
A Venus come to life in bold colors with a gusty laugh he hoped was everything he’d thought in that first moment along Paris’ famous bookshelves along the Seine.
CHAPTER
SIX
Who knew Operation Sawyer would involve espionage?
Brooke caught Dean’s signal from the top of the stairs. Sawyer was tucked away in his studio, muttering about needing to paint a million paintings. It was the perfect time to scope out this Anderson woman’s gallery incognito, to see if she checked out.
“Are we wearing all black for our surveillance?” Dean whispered as he came down the last of the steps in the foyer where she, Madison, and Kyle were standing. “Lucky for Madison, she’s already dressed for a quick run into enemy territory.”
“Shut it, Dean,” Madison shot back, dark circles under her eyes from all her recent stress. “Going all cat burglar seems excessive. It’s Sunday night. The gallery isn’t open. We’re just going to take a look.”
“But it would be so much more fun if we do it all in black.” Dean’s playful waggle of the brows had Brooke chuckling. “Too bad my Lady Jacs wasn’t interested in our little surveillance jaunt.”
“Or Axel.” Brooke did a dragon breath as she recalled hisstoic response. “He only kissed my forehead and told me not to get arrested.”
“We should go, then,” Kyle noted, shrugging on his coat while everyone else followed suit. “This won’t take long. As Madison said, the gallery is closed.”
