The sky over Paris turned a deep shade of indigo as night settled in. Inside the apartment, the energy was still electric after the group's dramatic revenge mission against Nicolas. Gabriel adjusted his cufflinks as he prepared to head out to L'Esprit de Gigi, his restaurant, for their celebratory dinner.
"Petty celebrations are the best kind," Mindy declared as she slipped on a pair of glittery heels. "This night deserves champagne and the fanciest food Gabriel has to offer."
"I'm already planning the menu," Gabriel said with a grin. "And yes, there will be desserts."
Camille adjusted her hair in the mirror. "I still can't believe we pulled that off. Nicolas's face when we took everything—priceless."
Alfie chuckled, buttoning up his jacket. "It's going to take him weeks to recover. If only we had a picture of him yelling while fishing his phone out of the sewer."
As the group bantered, Emily appeared from her room, wearing sweats and holding a bag of Nicolas's belongings.
"Are you coming?" Mindy asked, eyeing Emily's decidedly non-celebratory attire.
Emily shook her head, dropping the bag onto the couch. "I think I'll sit this one out. I'm wiped after the whole revenge thing, and I've got half of Nicolas's closet in my room. Someone has to sort through it."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Sorting through his stuff sounds like punishment, not rest."
"It's not just that," Emily admitted, grabbing a blanket. "I kind of want to binge-watch Virgin River on Netflix. It's been calling my name all week."
"Fair enough," Camille said. "You deserve a quiet night. Just promise me you won't drown in Nicolas's sweaters."
Emily laughed. "I'll try not to."
As the group headed out, Alfie lingered by the door, looking thoughtful. After a moment, he turned and walked back into the living room.
"Alfie?" Mindy called. "You coming?"
"Nah," Alfie said casually, pulling off his jacket and tossing it onto the couch. "Think I'll stay."
The others exchanged surprised glances.
"You're staying?" Gabriel asked, clearly confused. "With Emily? To watch Virgin River?"
"Why not?" Alfie said with a shrug. "Celebrating's great, but sometimes chilling is better."
Emily blinked in surprise. "You don't have to stay, you know. I'll be fine."
"Yeah, but I'd rather stay," Alfie said, grabbing a blanket and flopping onto the couch. "Let's see what this show's all about."
Mindy smirked. "Fine, suit yourself. But don't blame us if you regret missing out on champagne and Gabriel's cooking."
"I'll survive," Alfie said, waving them off.
With that, the group left, leaving Emily and Alfie alone in the apartment.
"Okay," Emily said, settling onto the couch and handing Alfie the remote. "Do you even know what Virgin River is about?"
"Not a clue," Alfie admitted, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Something about rivers and virgins?"
Emily laughed. "Close enough. It's a small-town romance-drama. Lots of drama, a bit of cheese, and plenty of heart."
"Sounds... interesting," Alfie said, though his skeptical tone made Emily laugh harder.
As the episodes began to play, Alfie surprised Emily by getting into it almost immediately. By the third episode, he was fully invested, leaning forward and commenting on the characters.
"Wait," Alfie said, pointing at the screen. "Is she really going to trust him again? After that?"
"Apparently," Emily said with a grin. "Welcome to Virgin River. Everyone has bad judgment."
By the time the clock struck midnight, they were deep into the series, laughing and debating the twists and turns.
The rest of the group returned to the apartment sometime after one in the morning, laughing as they stumbled inside.
"That was amazing," Camille said, kicking off her heels. "Gabriel's desserts are officially my favorite."
"Thank you," Gabriel said, bowing dramatically. "A celebration well done."
They walked into the living room to find Emily and Alfie still on the couch, surrounded by empty snack bowls and wrapped in blankets.
"What the hell?" Mindy said, laughing as she took in the scene. "You guys look like you've been here for years."
Emily paused the show and grinned. "Welcome back. How was dinner?"
"Delicious," Camille said, flopping onto the couch. "How's Virgin River?"
"Surprisingly addictive," Alfie said, shaking his head. "I didn't think I'd care, but here we are."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "You? Addicted to a romance drama? Never thought I'd see the day."
"Hey, it's a solid show," Alfie said defensively. "You should try it."
Mindy's eyes lit up. "Oh, we're definitely watching now. Scoot over."
The group piled onto the couch, grabbing blankets and snacks as they joined Emily and Alfie. The quiet night Emily had planned turned into an impromptu group binge-watch, complete with commentary and laughter.
By the time they finally called it a night, they were all sprawled across the living room like a pile of happy, exhausted best friends. Revenge against Nicolas? Accomplished. Celebration? Nailed it. And a newfound love for Virgin River? The unexpected cherry on top of their wild, unforgettable day.