Chapter 19
Jean-Pierre, being the professional he was, kept his promise, and served them only the best of everything. The food was perfect, the beverages superb, and the ambiance was almost too good to be true. After she had finished off her third helping of her favorite, Spaghetti Bolognese, Kitty sat back and sighed in obvious contentment, wiping daintily at her mouth with a napkin.
"That was wonderful," she announced, a happy smile gracing her fair face.
"Ah, so glad the mademoiselle approves," Jean-Pierre replied, bowing happily, his dark eyes gleaming with contentment. "May I get you anything else?"
Kitty shook her head in negation. "No. No thank you, Jean-Pierre. This will do very nicely." She then looked up and saw both Naomi and Yuri chatting happily between themselves, as well as with their new boyfriends.
"Ah, love," Jean-Pierre sighed, a small smile on his handsome face. "My girls…they are happy, no?" He looked over to where Kitty sat gazing over at the four.
Kitty nodded. "Yeah, they are. But, they wouldn't be if I hadn't stepped in," Kitty explained.
"Ah, I see," Jean-Pierre replied shrewdly. "Then, what my Yuri tells me is very much true, no?" Jean Pierre was quietly impressed.
"Yep!" Kitty said proudly, a small half-smile saying everything. "Just a small push in the right direction, and the rest took care of itself." Kitty smiled in satisfaction.
Jean-Pierre could only shake his head in amazement. "Most remarkable, Mademoiselle," he replied, and even as he did so, Kitty noticed his eyes wander over to a very cute fallow deer woman in an exquisite purple gown. She hid her grin as she saw Jean-Pierre smile and sigh. "Well, if I may, I do have other guests to tend to," he told her. "Should any of you need anything, simply send word of it to me through one our waitstaff. Adieu for now, Ms. Petro."
Kitty smiled up at the very composed, very urbane maitre'd. "Oh, of course, my dear Jean-Pierre," she gushed, grinning. Now, any one of Sly's Gang would of run like mad when Kitty smiled at them that way…but, alas, Jean-Pierre was oh so innocent to all things Kitty Petro just yet. "Oh, one little thing, Jean-Pierre," she threw out just as he was about to walk out the door.
"Oui, Mademoiselle?" Jean-Pierre asked, ever the gracious host.
"Just thought you should know, old boy," Kitty threw out, rather whimsically at that. "That cute little doe over there that you've had your eye on," Kitty began, grinning even more now, "well, she's been giving you the once over too, pal."
Jean-Pierre's black eyes went wide. "I have done no such thing, Ms. Petro," he replied indignantly. "And, nor has Mademoiselle Gateaux." He drew himself up to his full height, then nodded. "Good day, Mademoiselle." He turned on his heel, his back stiff.
Yuri could not stop herself, and giggled softly. "Ah, now…do not be this way, Jean-Pierre," she called after him. "I did warn you, did I not, mon ami?"
Naomi tittered behind her slender hand, her eyes dancing. "Go on, Jean-Pierre," she urged, "Ms. Petro is right, Paulette would be perfect for you," she told him.
Jean-Pierre's face twitched with indecision. "I do not know, cheri," he mused aloud, his eyes flicking now and again to the happily chatting Paulette Gateaux.
Kitty, now that she had allies, continued to press the hesitant Jean-Pierre. "Yeah, c'mon, buddy. Go on, talk to her. Get to know her a little better," she suggested, laying on all of her considerable charm. "Hey, who knows…right?"
Jean-Pierre looked over again in Ms. Gateaux again, then hung his head. He then stood up straight. "Fine," he proclaimed, pretending to glare at the trio of girls. "I shall do as you recommend." He then pointed his finger at them in warming. "If I come back humiliated, I shall hold you three responsible." He then braced himself, smoothed back his fur, and made his way over to her.
Yuri watched her friend strike up a conversation with the pretty doe, then leaned over to patt Kitty on her hand in thanks. "Ah, I must thank you, cheir," she proclaimed. "Jean-Pierre has been alone far too long. He really does need some female company, you know."
Kitty smiled as she flicked her glance over to see the purple gowned Paulette's face light up, laughing at something that a smiling Jean-Pierre had just said. Then, she watched as he leaned over to say something softly, intimately, into the girl's large ear. Kitty grinned wider as he saw Paulette blink, then look up into Jean-Pierre's face with a smile, all the while blushing very prettily indeed. "Oh, bother! They're too far away for me to hear what they're saying," Kitty complained.
Bentley frowned at Kitty, then looked over to where the two were talking. "Kitty, look…it wouldn't do you any good anyhow," he told her. "The both of them are speaking in French."
Kitty blinked, surprised. "You can read lips?"
Bentley nodded, smirking. He then turned to Yuri, ignoring the now sulking Kitty. "So, he began, "just how did you become acquainted with this Jean-Pierre?"
Yuri smiled, then laughed softly. "Ah, cher…there is no need for you to be jealous of Jean-Pierre," she told him, reaching out to caress his cheek, which made Bentley shiver. "You see, Jean-Pierre and Papa are old business partners. Papa and Jean-Pierre went to the University together. After graduating, Papa agreed to lend him money, you know, so he could start this very resturant."
"Okay," Bentley replied, digesting this new information. "So, he's not only the maitre'd…but he owns this place as well? Whoa." Bentley then composed himself, and beckoned for her to continue. "Go on then…"
Yuri paused thinking. She then continued. "Now, as a gesture of thanks, Jean-Pierre agreed to watch both Jacques and myself when my parents were away…which was fairly often, what with affairs of state, board meetings, and the like…"
Bentley nodded, relieved.
"So, Jean-Pierre's kind of an uncle/baby-sitter to both you and your brother then?" Kitty asked, intrigued.
"Ah, oui…that he is," Yuri confirmed with a nod of her head. "But, at the same time, he is much more. He was my---how do you say?---confidant too. Which is fortunate, as---to tell you the truth---Jacques and I often nearly made my
parents go crazy! They told us that he spoiled me far far too much." Yuri grinned, then looked fondly over at the chatting Jean-Pierre.
"Go figure that," Kitty replied, grinning. Yuri blinked, then grinned too.
"You must understand that Jean-Pierre is very fond of children," Yuri explained. "But, being a bachelor, he never had any children of his own. Therefore, I was the daugther he never had. He often teased me that I was the only woman in his life." Yuri then looked over to where a very suave Jean-Pierre was charming Ms. Paulette Gateaux. "Although, I must say that he is being very attentive to that doe over there just now..."
"Oh, has he known her long then?" Murray asked, adding himself to the conversation.
Naomi giggled softly. "Oui, cher…they have known one another since their high school days," she informed him. "Why else do you think Ms. Gateaux is such a frequent diner at Le Bistro Bourgeot?" she teased.
"Hold on, he's coming back!" Kitty hissed, then covered her remark by smiling brightly as a bemused Jean-Pierre returned to them. "Well?" Kitty asked.
Jean-Pierre blushed and cleared his throat. "Mademoiselle Gateaux has agreed to see me tomorrow," he replied, then tried to cover up his statement. "For a business meeting, you understand," he hastily added.
Yuri couldn't help herself and laughed softly. "Ah, oui. A business meeting, mon ami. Well, I am most happy for you, Jean-Pierre," she said. "Oh, and Ms. Gateaux as well, of course."
Jean-Pierre smiled over at Yuri, his old friend. "Ah, if you say so, Madame," he replied coyly. At that moment, the doors opened to the room opened and a pair of waiters entered, carrying upon their trays seven large cups of the finest french ice cream. "My piece d'resistance, my friends," he exclaimed with a grin. "Bon appetit!"
Kitty groaned with happiness, as a tuxedoed hedgehog smiled, placing one of the large cups down at the table in front of her. Everyone noticed pretty quickly that Kitty's cup was larger than most.
Jean-Pierre laughed softly at their noticing. "Ms. Petro, this is my way of expressing my gratitude to you, yes?" he said smiling. "Mmm, perhaps you can consider this a small token of my appreciation."
"Here, here!" Kitty exclaimed, laughing merrily…well, at least until she started diging into her heaping bowl of ice cream that is...