Holding her clipboard out in front of her, Serene begins the methodical process of striking through names. I squint my eyes.
“Are you attemptin’ to see what name my wife’s crossin’ out?” Étienne asks.
“Yes,” I reply as I continue to watch Serene go through the list. “My hope is Rainey realized they’re all incompetent and wants none of them.”
Étienne mutters under his breath just as Serene finishes. She lifts her gaze and smiles at the men.
“Whether you had stayed or left, I had every intention of findin’ my way back here to watch this process,” my brother says in a hushed whisper. He flings his hand toward his wife and grins. “Serene callin’ out orders is where she truly shines.”
I cringe. “I feel as though I’ve become privy to what goes on in your bedroom.”
Étienne cuts me a dark look and crosses his arms, making himself comfortable against the wall. The same can’t be said for Rainey. It’s rare for her to be anything but confident and strong, but right now, she looks ready to jump out of the nearest window.
“Once again, I’d like to thank every bachelor for coming here today,” Serene starts off. “But as we know, we had to shorten the list of men because I think group dates might be frowned upon and perhaps a wee bit awkward.”
Nervous laughter rises up throughout the room.
“If I call your number, you may leave.” Serene’s eyes begin to bounce back and forth between the clipboard and the bachelors. “Bachelor number twenty-four.” She hooks her thumb over shoulder in the direction of the doors. Very rapidly, she begins to call out numbers, and the men begin to file out of the room slowly. Some are speechless, and others talk amongst themselves about what they believed went wrong.
As the crowd of men thins out, I watch with rapt attention. Now this? This I can get used to. Étienne was right. Serene is positively ruthless and doesn’t stop to glimpse at the men. I don’t suppress the grin I’m wearing as the bachelors slink away with their tail tucked between their legs. “Bachelor number two. It’s been fun. It’s been real. It’s been real fun, but you’re out of here.”
The bachelor looked around him as though Serene said the wrong number before he reluctantly walks away. He moves past me and shoots me an irritated glance, as though I’m the one who delivered the terrible news. At the start of this, he was in good spirits. Not so much now.
My le savauge didn’t choose you.
Of course, I feel a sense of victory because I knew none of these men would be good enough.
Once Serene’s finished calling out numbers, she lifts her head and smiles. “I believe that’s all for today. For the bachelors standing before me, my husband and I will be in contact to set up social engagements so Rainey can better get to know you all.”
“Oh, you’ll be in contact with them,” I say with enthusiasm to my brother.
Shaking his head, he rubs his temples. “My God no.”
The men break apart, seemingly relieved they’re potential bachelors and not on the chopping block … for now.
“Beaumont Legare?” Serene calls.
Raising his hand, Beau steps forward, his face is beet red. “I-i-it’s Beau.”
Serene arches a brow while Rainey looks him up and down with interest. With wide eyes, he stares back.
“What do ladies possibly see in this fellow?” I mutter to Étienne.
My brother shrugs his shoulders. “What do ladies see in you?” he whispers. “Impossible to know.”
“I have personality.”
“Well, it appears Beau has enough personality to hold a conversation with Rainey.”
I have eyes. He doesn’t need to tell me. Rainey is staring at Beau as though she’s never seen the male specimen before. I’ve never seen that expression on her face before. Repeatedly, I clench and unclench my hands to release my pent-up frustration that’s been building all day.
They would be a horrific match. Rainey wouldn’t just have Beau wrapped around her finger; she would crush him beneath the weight of her confidence. Rainey needs a man willing to rise to her words and every challenge she gives. She needs a man who realizes she dresses herself with poise and courage.
The fools standing before her minutes ago are captivated by her smile, but none can handle her.
I shake my head; this won’t do, and I seem to be the only person in the room to realize the truth.
Étienne and I walk toward Serene, and in the process, we hear the last part of Beau and Rainey’s conversation. They’re discussing their favorite hobbies.
“I m-must confess I-I s-spend far to-oo muc-hh time readin’, a-and not n-near enough t-time outside,” Beau sheepishly confesses.
“Neither do I,” Rainey agrees.
I stop the snort that slips from my mouth. Utterly ridiculous! She lived outside as a child and still does.
Rainey whips her head in my direction and narrows her eyes. Beau looks over his shoulder at the rest of us and instantly turns red. It’s as though he forgot we were there.
He looks back at Rainey. “I-I s-sh-hould go.”
Rainey gives him a brilliant smile. “It was lovely to meet you.”
“Y-you as well,” Beau says before he leaves.
Rainey watches him go with the same daft expression on her face. I could repeatedly snap my fingers in front of her, and she wouldn’t notice. What has gotten into her?
Once the door closes behind him, the spell has broken. She blinks at us, brows puckering slightly. She looks at me for only a moment, and when she does, her gaze hardens. Rainey knows what I’m going to say before I say it, and she doesn’t want to hear it.
She turns to Serene and smiles. “I need to use the powder room.”
“Please do. We’ll be right here,” Serene replies.
The doors to the ballroom have opened and shut so many times today I’m surprised they haven’t fallen off the hinges.
With just the three of us, Serene heavily leans against Étienne, still clutching her clipboard. I’m not a violent person, but I want to snatch that infuriating object from her hands and break it over my leg.
“I think this could be a love connection,” Serene confesses excitedly to Étienne.
Leaning forward, I stare at my sister-in-law. “Have you gone mad? They would be terrible together.”
“What makes you say that?”
“They are the complete opposite of one another,” I reply.
“Opposites can attract, Livingston.”
“They can,” I concede. “But in this situation, the results would be disastrous.”
“They’ve only been speaking for a few minutes!”
“I know Rainey.”
Serene stands up tall and lifts her brows. “If you know Rainey, then why don’t you marry her?”
Her question dangles between the three of us. As they stare at me expectantly, silence fills the room.
“Because I know her,” I reply.
“I do have one thought,” Étienne says thoughtfully.
“If it’s about my tag system, I stand by it,” Serene replies heatedly. “Did you hear how fast I was calling out their numbers toward the end?”