“Rainey?”
She remains silent for a moment before she lifts a shoulder. “There are no other suggestions.”
While Serene squeals and nearly throws herself into Rainey’s arms, I throw my hands in the air. “This cannot be the only idea!”
“Yes, it can because it’s just that good.” Serene gestures to Rainey. “Look at our girl. She’s not bad to look at.”
“I’m standin’ right here,” Rainey interjects.
Serene continues. “Men will be lining up for a chance to win her hand.”
“Yes, but for Rainey or for her dowry?” I challenge.
“The amount of her dowry will not be made public. Besides, the Pleasonton name is as well-known as the Lacroix name.”
“Serene,” I say somberly. “The amount of the dowry will be made known. There will be fortune hunters.”
Serene smiles. “It’s up to us to weed out those little fuckers then, isn’t it?”
My sister-in-law’s crass language makes Rainey’s brow lift nearly to her hairline. “I’m startin’ to regret invitin’ you over,” I mutter, rubbing my temples.
“Oh, there’s no reason to clutch your pearls, Livingston. It’s the truth.”
“You truly think you can find her a husband by September?” I challenge.
“I’m confident I can.”
“Why can’t she?” Rainey chimes in.
I face her. “For starters, you’re an uncivilized hellion.”
“I am not!”
Crossing my arms, I smirk at her. “Okay. Define civilized then.”
Mimicking my actions, Serene steps forward. “Civilized is the opposite of how I feel when I’m around you.” Rainey finishes her words with a bright smile.
I look her up and down. “Should we all expect to see this charm that will lure in the man of your dreams?”
“Oh, this charm is only for you.”
“Okay, okay. You guys can feed each other compliments later. Right now, we need to focus.” Serene steps up to Rainey and holds her arm. “We’ll take care of you and make sure you only have the best. No idiot is going to slide past us. You trust me, right?”
Rainey’s eyes are wary, but that’s not what fills me with apprehension. It’s that Rainey isn’t promptly rejecting Serene’s plan. This is Serene’s first idea. Her second is bound to be better.
“Are you positive you want an arranged marriage?” I prod.
“It’s not an arranged marriage!” Serene interjects.
“Sounds that way to me.”
“An arranged marriage is where the groom or bride is picked out by the parents. That’s not the case here,” Serene argues as she sits back down.
“Absolutely. This situation is considerably different because her guardian will be the one to have final approval,” I say mockingly.
Serene crosses her arms and gives me a murderous expression. “Rainey will obviously have the final say.”
“Of course, as long as we all agree this is a thinly veiled arranged marriage.”
“Call it an arranged marriage again, and I’m going to re-arrange your face.”
“Enough!” Rainey hollers, pulling Serene and me out of what was about to be a long argument. She takes a deep breath. “I agree to Serene’s proposal.”
Serene claps her hands together in victory and squeals, while my mouth falls open. “You cannot be serious.”
“As long as all the bachelors have a significant fortune of their own, I don’t see why not.”
Not once did I ever picture Rainey agreeing to this preposterous idea.
Sheepishly, Rainey shrugs. “It’s just that I would appreciate the bachelors all havin’ money of their own.”
“How is Serene’s bachelor scheme any different than Miles’s dowry?” I ask.
“It’s different because she’ll be the one to make the choice,” Serene answers. She looks at Rainey, her gaze imploring. “Rainey, I understand none of this is ideal. But I think, deep down, the reason you said yes to my idea is because you truly want to settle down, marry, and start a family of your own. Am I right, or have the hormones gone straight to my head?”
“Your hormones have gone straight to your head,” I reply
“Can it, Lacroix,” Serene says, without looking my way.
Biting down on her lower lip, Rainey looks back and forth between Serene and me before she nods. “Havin’ a family wouldn’t be terrible.”
My eyes widen at the same time Serene says, “I knew it! I knew you wanted to settle down!” Serene is beaming from ear to ear, but I watch Rainey carefully and I know she’s hiding something.
“I need to pee for the fiftieth time today,” my sister-in-law announces.
“And for the fiftieth time, you don’t need to tell us,” I say as I help Serene up. She waddles out of the room, but not before she hugs Rainey. She steps back and directs her attention to me.
“I will acquiesce to calling this a marriage of convenience. Deal?” Serene holds her hand out for me to shake. Reluctantly, I take it. “Fine. The two of you can do what you want. But this is never going to work. Serene, you can’t tame this.” I gesture to Rainey.
By this point, Rainey is seething with annoyance. “Once again, I’m standin’ right here.”
Turning to her, I grin. “I am quite aware of that.”
Serene isn’t listening, though. She’s too thrilled that both Rainey and I have agreed to her bachelor idea. “I will speak to Étienne tonight, and we’ll get started on finding your eligible bachelors immediately!” she calls out happily and leaves the room. “One week, everybody. One week!”
Rainey nods, but there’s a hint of dare I say it … fear? Which is impossible. Rainey looks fear in the eye and laughs. Sighing, I take Serene’s seat. Linking my hands together, I drape them across my stomach.
Rainey remains standing, facing the window. I’m afforded the view of her slender figure and sharp profile. As though she can sense me staring, she looks over her shoulder at me.
“I should leave, too. I told Momma I would help her—”
“You do not have to agree to this outrageous plan,” I cut in.
Rainey crosses her arms. “Do you have any other plans in mind?”
“Yes.”
“Well, are you goin’ to tell me, or do I have to stand here in suspense?”
I rub my jaw as I carefully think my words over. “My plan is to find out the real reason you agreed to this bachelor farce because I don’t believe you want to marry and have children.”
Rainey juts her chin out. “Perhaps it is. You don’t know that.”
“But it isn’t,” I say quietly.
Her mouth opens and shuts before she shakes her head. “Livingston …” Rainey stares at the floor and then back up at me. “I have no time.”
The way her voice drops causes me to stand. I take a step closer. “Why not?”
Her dark eyes never waver from mine as she takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “My family is penniless.”
I expected numerous explanations, but not this. “What do you mean?”