Chapter 20
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Kyle knew not to push it when Madison didn’t want to get out of bed.
She’d danced a couple of dances with him last night before they’d gone upstairs. Their lovemaking had been raw and filled with a new thread: comfort. But if he never had to comfort her again, he’d be overjoyed.
Which meant he needed a plan to defeat Dassault.
Leaving Madison with a soft kiss, he told her he was going to take Spike for a walk. He checked on Pierre before he left the house, however, and the parrot seemed as depressed as Madison. Not good.
So he left her a note saying he was taking Pierre over to Dean’s and headed out with both members of their animal family. He texted Dean while he was en route, and even though it was early, his friend responded with a thumbs-up.
When he arrived at their apartment, Dean was wearing one of his infamous pairs of boxer shorts that said I’M GOING TO WRECK YOU with a wrecking ball over his junk. Classy.
Dean dropped to his knees as Spike leaped at him joyfully.
“So this is the new dog, huh? When Brooke told me Madison had arranged for you to pick a puppy, I thought I’d had a stroke.
I couldn’t be hearing her right. But man, he’s cute!
Madison must be really gooey in love. So are you getting Pierre out of the way for greater frivolities today? ”
Kyle closed the door behind them as Jacqueline appeared, dressed in winter white loungewear. “Bonjour, Jacqueline! Sorry to interrupt your morning.”
“You did not.” Jacqueline crossed and kissed him Parisian style as Dean lifted up Pierre’s covering.
The parrot looked asleep, but Kyle suspected he was simply desolate. Like the woman he loved.
“I can’t have my man Pierre getting jealous.” Dean held Spike in one arm while he called out a greeting to the parrot, who didn’t move. “How is he with Spike?”
“We’re still training him not to play with Pierre—I’d suggest leaving him in the cage until we leave.” He couldn’t handle a training exchange this morning.
“Something is wrong,” Jacqueline announced, tilting her head to the side.
“Wrong?” Dean glanced up from cooing at Spike. “Oh, man! Lady Jacs is right like usual. What happened?”
“Let’s go upstairs and make ourselves more comfortable,” Jacqueline suggested, taking Pierre’s cage from Kyle.
“Good idea,” he replied, following her up the stairs to their salon.
The dreary light from their windows seemed the perfect backdrop as they sat down in their seating area situated in front of a closed-up marble fireplace.
Dean sat down next to Jacqueline on the couch and tucked an excited Spike against his chest as Kyle took a seat in the adjoining chair.
As Jacqueline removed Pierre’s cover, he gathered his thoughts.
He hadn’t been sure how to handle sharing the news, but Dean was part of The Paris Roommates Group.
This news affected everyone. Besides, he’d wanted to stop by for another reason.
Jacqueline had worked in Michelin-starred restaurants.
She might have some insight. After Madison had finally fallen asleep, he’d stayed awake running through scenarios.
The only problem was that he wasn’t sure they would work. He needed insider information.
“Do you remember that Chef Rico guy who used to come by after the restaurant closed, hoping to get with Madison?” Kyle began once they were settled in the living room.
“Oh my God!” Dean cried. “You arm wrestled for her?”
“Jesus, no!” His exclamation made Spike bark. “Where is your mind sometimes?”
“I can’t help being brilliant,” Dean quipped, hoisting the puppy up in the air. “Right, Spike?”
“Chéri,” Jacqueline said, putting her hand on Dean’s thigh. “Kyle, please continue.”
He cracked his neck. “Rico told Madison last night that Nanine’s isn’t winning a star. Nanine’s old lover has seen to it again.”
“Non!” Jacqueline let loose a string of curse words in French.
“That asshole.” Dean slowly lowered the dog. “Madison must feel like a piano fell on her. I mean, I’m suddenly wishing I hadn’t eaten that second croissant. The star was her dream. She’s worked like a dog—no offense, Spike.”
“Madison doesn’t see a way to fight right now, but I’m not letting this go.
” He had to pause and take a slow breath.
“I’m trying to keep positive, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset in my life.
Chef Dassault’s silent campaign against Nanine’s getting a star when Nanine was head chef was an outrage, and if I’d been around then, I would have fought for her. ”
“So we fight now,” Dean said, tucking Spike back against him and making a fist. “How in the hell do we do that?”
He rubbed his forehead. “I’m still in the planning stage. I was hoping you might have some ideas, Jacqueline. You’ve worked for restaurants that have waged campaigns for a star before.”
She drew her dark blond hair over her shoulder, pursing her lips in thought.
“You are doing what we did. Ensure the right people visit. Receive rave reviews from top food critics. When the restaurants where I worked were pursuing a star, the goal was to ensure Michelin would visit the restaurant. In this case, I am at a loss. Does this mean the Michelin people will not even visit Nanine’s? ”
Acid bubbled in Kyle’s stomach. “Rico did not specify. He said Chef Dassault was bragging that he’d managed to blackball Nanine’s again with the Michelin people. Rico apparently checked around and felt sure enough to tell Madison the news.”
Jacqueline lifted her shoulder and made a sound of disgust. “Sometimes this is the way things are done with influential men like Dassault. Especially here in France. I do not like it.”
“It sucks.” Dean waved Spike’s paws in the air when the pup gave a high-pitched whine. “Doesn’t it?”
“Pierre is upset too.” Kyle shot Dean a look. “I need you to lift up his spirits. Madison said he cried last night, likely mimicking, but it did a number on her.”
Dean’s face fell. “God. Madison…she never— You know.”
He did, clenching his fist in anger. “I need to finish walking Spike and get back home.”
“Of course.” Jacqueline rose from the sofa beside Dean and crossed until she could put her hand on his arm. “I will consult with my most trusted colleagues on this matter if you wish.”
He kissed her on both cheeks. “I would appreciate it.”
“What are you going to do with the others?” Dean asked, rising and hugging the puppy to his chest. “Brooke will have some ideas. Same with Axel. Thea will be devastated, and right now, I don’t think she’s ever been so happy.”
Madison had been happy too—until this asshole had crushed her.
Kyle wanted him to pay for that alone, besides screwing over Nanine multiple times.
“Which is why I don’t want to tell everyone yet.
” He took Spike from Dean. “I can’t imagine we have a legal recourse here.
This kind of shit is done behind closed doors with no real evidence.
We also won’t know for sure if Dassault can pull it off this time until the Michelin awards are announced next month. ”
“That’s only four weeks away,” Jacqueline noted. “Even then, it won’t prove anything if the restaurant doesn’t win a star.”
“No, but apparently William Silver hinted that Dassault prevented Nanine’s from winning before.
I wonder if that was why he came to the restaurant.
I also wonder if there are other heavy hitters who will come to Nanine’s and sing its praises.
I’m going to talk to Chef Marcel about that, of course, but A-listers are already lined up.
Perhaps that kind of press will ensure the right outcome. ”
Jacqueline only crossed her arms. “I wish I could believe that, but I fear good press will not be sufficient. I remember my father remarking about Nanine’s not winning a star years ago. He said they had the same excellence in the kitchen, and many celebrities ate there.”
“Yeah, Nanine’s had that whole wall of honor with people like Meryl Streep on it,” Dean added, his face darkening. “God, now I’m depressed.”
Kyle slapped him on the back. “Not you too! Dean, I need your most optimistic face. I want you to talk about kismet and Paris magic and all that other stuff while I dive into the underbelly of dirty pool and figure out a way to meet our goal. Got it?”
Dean shook himself and bounced in place. “I’ll find a way to see the silver lining here. But I have to know… Are you planning on telling Nanine?”
His stomach burned again as Spike scampered up his front.
“I thought about it a lot last night. I’m reluctant to say anything right now.
One, I need more information. Two, I want to have a plan.
Three, she’s gone through plenty, and I don’t want to needlessly rehash the past. Especially with her heart issues. ”
“Agreed, although she’ll tell us we’re not treating her like an adult,” Dean said with a wince.
“But she couldn’t figure out a way to fight Dassault last time. It may only upset her.”
Dean nodded. “Good thing we’re not having Sunday dinner this week.”
They’d decided to skip the tradition, because some of their friends were traveling for the weekend for Valentine’s Day.
Kyle nodded. “Thanks for cheering up Pierre.”
Dean pressed his pointer fingers to the sides of his mouth and pantomimed a smile. “Whatever it takes. Good luck with Madison. Somehow, I think your job is harder.”
So did Kyle.
He didn’t have a plan for her yet.