King of the South

by Calia Read

  I make it to the second-floor landing with the mindset I’ll explain to Serene there’s no need for the urgency and desperation. We have sixty days, and sixty days is plenty of time for me to pore over the Pleasonton accounts and discover just how dire the situation is. Serene won’t be happy with my explanation, but once she finds out the truth, she’ll understand there was no need for the bachelors.

  No need at all.

  My grin widens as I walk down the hall, but as I approach the closed ballroom doors, my smile fades because inside, I can hear the rumble of voices. Deep male voices.

  Serene wouldn’t.

  Without a second thought, I burst into the ballroom. No one notices my arrival. There have to be nearly thirty men in the room.

  She did.

  They stand in groups of threes, speaking to one another as though they’re waiting for a race to begin. Although in this case, it isn’t a horse they’re betting on—it’s Rainey. The outrageous part is some of the faces are familiar to me! Some I grew up with, others I drank with, and there’s even one or two I’ve gone up against for stealing a woman they were sweet on.

  Before I have a chance to have a word with any of them and ask who and what they were told, there’s a sharp whistle and then a snapping of fingers.

  The grown men quiet down like boys at boarding school and face the middle of the ballroom.

  “Bachelors, if you will, please line up by height,” Serene calls out in an authoritative voice.

  She walks back and forth with a clipboard cradled to her chest. Rainey stands two steps in front of her, her posture erect and hands clasped in front of her. Although she appears calm and collected, I know she’s anything but by the way her nails dig into her palms.

  Scanning the room, I’m not surprised to find my brother leaning against the wall watching the scene play out in front of him with a look of boredom. His eyes are missing nothing, though. Immediately, he looks in my direction. My eyes widen, and I nudge my head toward his wife. He shrugs, a gesture that says, you know how Serene is.

  I walk toward her and Rainey. Rainey’s staring at the men with an unreadable look on her face, and Serene’s talking a mile a minute. I tap her on the shoulder. “A word please?”

  Turning my way, she smiles and says loudly. “Ah! You decided to show!”

  I lower my voice. “What’s this?”

  She gestures to the men and then says just as quietly, “This is the plan that we agreed on. Remember?” She taps a finger against her chin before she leans forward. “Oh, wait! You dipped out on me and didn’t recruit any men for Rainey.”

  “I don’t recall agreein’ to anythin’. Where did you find these men?”

  Smiling triumphantly, Serene leans back. “Your brother and Asa.”

  I snort and glance in Étienne’s direction. Impossible. He and Asa would never go along with this farce. The expression of guilt on my brother shows me my presumption was one more thing I was wrong about.

  Serene steps away and looks down at her clipboard. “You’re really dickin’ with my bachelor spirit. You know that, right? Go stand by your brother and mumble over there.”

  Étienne takes that moment to walk over. He dips his head and whispers into his wife’s ear although his voice carries. “Serene, I love you. I truly do. But are the cards necessary?”

  She looks at him with wide eyes. “It’s absolutely necessary.”

  I give the men a closer inspection to figure out what my brother is referring to. Sure enough, each bachelor has a tag with a number around their neck as though they’re livestock at an auction. “Wait … why do they have those?”

  Rainey clears her throat and walks toward the three of us. “If I may explain?”

  “Please do,” I say.

  “Upon entering the ballroom, Serene made the bachelors put on tags. The numbers are linked to a certain bachelor to keep track of him.”

  “I made the suggestion,” Étienne cut in.

  I turn to him as though he’s gone mad. He has been spending far too much time with his wife.

  “I fashioned the tags with Alex’s nanny late into the night,” Serene chimes in excitedly. “And in fine print, beneath the numbers, you’ll find the bachelor’s name, likes, dislikes, location, and current employment status.”

  “I did not tell her to do that,” Étienne heavily emphasizes.

  Serene turns to him. “I know, but I really felt we were playing off each other, you know?”

  By now, the men are all staring at the four of us and the spectacle we’re creating. I regret coming here. The high spirits I had this morning have vanished now. There will never be any reasoning with Serene.

  While defeat rocks through me, Étienne and Serene continue their debate about who had the better ideas. I wave a hand between them, attracting their attention. “Will the two of you stop? The details of the tag system are not important. Just say what you need to say to these men so they can all leave because right now they’re all starin’.”

  Serene stands tall and looks at the bachelors as if she forgot they were here. Holding a fist to her mouth, she clears her throat. “Sorry for the brief interruption. I want to start by saying thank you for showing up.” Serene looks at Rainey. “Rainey and I haven’t been lifelong friends, yet it certainly feels like it. When she told me she was ready to find Mr. Right, I wanted to waste no time, and that’s why you men are here. The thirty of you are easily the most eligible bachelors in the South, no?”

  The men rapidly nod.

  “Let’s place everyone throughout the room so Rainey has the chance to speak with all of you. Bachelors one through five can go over there.” Serene points to one corner of the ballroom. “Bachelors six through ten you can go there.” She goes through her list until six groups of five are split up around the ballroom. Feeling satisfied that everyone followed directions, Serene continues, “Rainey will spend ten minutes with each group and converse with the bachelors. At the end, Rainey will choose her top fifteen.”

  My gaze shifts to Rainey. The entire time Serene speaks, she stares at the floor, avoiding the eyes of the bachelors before her. Doesn’t Rainey realize this does not need to happen? I’ve begun looking at her family’s ledgers!

  “Before we begin, are there any questions?”

  A bachelor raises his hand. In unison, all heads shift in his direction. He slowly lowers his hand and looks around as though he’s having second thoughts. “There’s been talk Miss Pleasonton’s family is … destitute, and that’s the reason she’s in search of a husband.”

  Rainey’s shoulders stiffen. As do mine. I don’t know what stuns me more, that word has begun to spread about the Pleasonton’s financial ruin or that this man had the gall to ask about it in front of everybody.

  There’s a heavy silence in the ballroom as we all wait for his question to be addressed. Serene narrows her eyes, trying to get a better look at his tag.

  “A Southern lady never discusses such horrendous gossip,” my sister-in-law says. I swear on all the money to my name she creates an accent that’s almost as thick as mine. “But to alleviate everybody’s worries, the Pleasonton family has no money issues. Rainey’s intentions are pure.” Serene smiles and slaps a hand against her clipboard. “Now you can keep talking to me, or you all can speak with this beautiful lady.” Serene gestures to Rainey and holds Étienne’s pocket watch in front of her, concentrating on the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if she pickpocketed him while they were talking about the tags. “Round one of conversations starts … now.”

  “Que dieu nous aide,” I mutter beneath my breath. To say she was taking this seriously would be an understatement.

  Everyone looks at Rainey expectantly. This can’t start without her. Serene walks over to her with a tense smile. “Rainey, why do you look as if you’re facing a firing squad? There are thirty handsome, rich young men in front of you. Did I mention they’re rich? You would want for nothing. Hell, you could wipe your ass with a fifty-dollar bill for the rest of
your life if you wanted. Go speak to them.” Serene all but shoves her toward the first group of men.

  Rainey walks forward but not before she looks over her shoulder with a frown. “I’m goin’.”

  Watching Rainey approach the men feels wrong. I have to stop myself from stepping forward and telling Rainey to come with me because then she’ll stay just to make me furious.

  I merely stand beside my brother and his wife, who looks particularly pleased with her work.

  Étienne crosses his arms and looks at the men. “From thirty men to fifteen?” He glances at Serene from the corner of his eye. “I understand you want to move quickly but is all of this necessary?”

  She rears back slightly and looks at him. “Does a bear take a shit in the woods? Yes, it’s necessary! Rainey is finding her soulmate, and there’s nothing greater.” A steely determination enters her eyes. “However, this is a game. And. I. Play. To. Win.”

  “All right,” Étienne draws out. “But you understand you cannot win because you’re already married, correct?”

  Serene reaches out and brushes her hand across Étienne’s cheek. “Of course, I do.” She steps back and looks in Rainey’s direction. “This is so exciting. It’s like I’m living my favorite show, The Bachelorette, through her.”

  “What show?” I ask.

  Next to me, Étienne groans and rubs his temples. Serene has made tremendous progress to keep information about her time to herself. However, when she becomes excited, she can’t help herself, and the words flow out. I’ve always said her tongue works faster than her brain, but that’s the most endearing quality about her.

  “Uhh … nothing. Forget what I said and stop distracting me.” Serene turns her attention to the pocket watch. “I have to watch the time.”

  Étienne sighs. “We might as well go about our day. This will take a while.”

  “I’m stayin’,” I say, my voice resolute. “God only knows what Serene will do next. Perhaps she’ll give them a physical fitness test by makin’ all thirty men run into town, jump into the Atlantic, and dive to the bottom for hidden treasure.”

  “Diving for hidden treasure is a bit much. But a physical fitness test isn’t a bad idea,” Serene says without taking her eyes off the pocket watch.

  Étienne shakes his head and gestures toward a corner of the room. “If you’re goin’ to be stubborn, I’ll wait with you.”

  “There’s nothin’ stubborn about me,” I say over my shoulder. “Your wife is simply unpredictable.”

  “She’s been unpredictable since the minute she came into our lives. You knew that, yet you asked for her help.”

  With my back against the wall, I cross my arms. “Remind me to never, ever ask for her help again.”

  “I would, but Serene has a way of placin’ herself in others’ lives when she doesn’t need to be. She probably would’ve stepped in either way.” Étienne directs his eyes at me. “Why did you ask for her help and not me?”

  I focus on the floor. I can’t tell him that I hastily told Rainey I had a plan when I didn’t because I couldn’t handle her tears. Never could. He’d find that rather interesting, and I don’t want to explore interesting. At the time, Serene was the best route to take. I finally reply while I itch the back of my neck. “I came to you about the dowry, bein’ her executor, and you didn’t have a solution.”

  “No one would have. It’s an ironclad legal document,” Étienne cuts in.

  “Nevertheless, I presumed you were busy, so I turned to Serene,” I lie.

  “Then this truly could have been avoided.”

  I grind my teeth together and give a blunt nod. “Yes.”

  The two of us grow silent and observe the spectacle that Serene has created with her bachelor idea. The cacophony of so many male voices in one room carries across this large space and echoes around me like an off-key tune. I can’t help but wince.

  The hesitance Rainey felt at approaching the first group of bachelors has all but disappeared as she continues speaking with the third group of men. She actively holds a conversation with them, and a few times, she makes some of the men laugh. She’s … she’s dare I say it … pleasant? The stories I could tell about this woman would have these men running in the opposite direction.

  Serene announces that it’s time for Rainey to move to the final group, and as Rainey takes her leave, the men’s eyes remain hooked on her.

  I cock my head to the side and stand a bit straighter. Why are they looking at her in such a fashion? She’s a lady, not a piece of meat. Not to mention she’s … Rainey. This isn’t appropriate. Not at all. Has everyone lost their senses? Étienne places a hand on my shoulder. “Reste tranquille. Vous êtes fâché pour rien.”

  With outrage shining in my eyes, I look at him, then gesture to the men across the room from us. “Tu vois ce que je vois!”

  Étienne shrugs and crosses his arms. “La seule personne qui manifeste de la colère, c’est vous.”

  My brother’s words strike a chord in me as I look around the room because he’s right. Everyone else is the very picture of calm. As for me, I feel as though I’m going to pop a vein. In fact, nothing would make me happier than to pick up the man nearest to Rainey and throw him out the window.

  The next several minutes stretch out in front me like a road that has no ending. Right as I’m getting ready to push away from the wall and ask if the time is up, my sister-in-law clears her throat. “Okay,” she drawls out as she stares at her clipboard. “That’s the time!”

  Rainey looks over her shoulder. I feel a sense of victory when I see that Rainey almost looks relieved that this is done, but then I’m concerned. Why is she relieved? Did someone say something inappropriate to her? She stands by Serene, and for the first time today, she looks directly at me.

  I could tell by her wide-eyed expression that she wanted to discuss all the conversations she had with the bachelors. She wanted to leave the room as badly as I wanted to hear what she had to say.

  I waggle my brows, drawing a giggle from her. That brings me a small sense of satisfaction. Could any other man in this room say they made her laugh? No. Only me. Serene lifts her gaze from the clipboard and looks out of the corner of her eye at Rainey. I wipe my face clean and look away.

  There’s a small pause before Serene speaks.

  “See? It’s over. No physical fitness test to be had.”

  I snort. “That we know of. Let’s see what Serene makes them do when she narrows down the men.”

  “I understand that you’re opposed to this bachelor idea, but Serene wants what’s best for Rainey.”

  “And she believes this is it?”

  “I helped my wife find some of those men. You know I wouldn’t agree to Serene’s idea if the bachelors weren’t men of good character.”

  “Would they have been good enough for our sister?”

  Étienne appears unamused by my question. “No one was good enough for our sister. Not even her husband.”

  I shake my head and mutter under my breath, “And look where she’s at now …”

  Nathalie’s stuck in a marriage that may seem all right from the outside, but upon closer inspection, it’s withering away like a flower without any sun or water. She would visit from Brignac House in Savannah as much as possible especially after Alex was born, but we’ve seen less and less of her. And I had a feeling her husband, Oliver, was to blame.

  Étienne clucks his tongue and stares thoughtfully at the ground.

  None too gently, I elbow his arm. “What is the problem?”

  My brother patiently looks at me. “Hmm? Oh, I’m simply ponderin’ why a man who would’ve done close to anythin’ to rid himself of Rainey and bein’ the executor not so long ago is now diggin’ his heels in. Care to explain?”

  Because none of this is necessary. I will find a way to make everything all right without Rainey having to marry a man she doesn’t know.

  “No,” I say before my lips draw into a thin line. He will get nothing els
e from me.

  Serene snaps her fingers, and the men quiet down. “All right. I think the time Rainey had with each group went off without a hitch. Now I just need you all to sit tight while Rainey and I deliberate.”

  While Serene wraps an arm around Rainey’s shoulder and turns them around, several conversations break out amongst the men. Everyone’s egos are starting to surface. No one wants to believe that they didn’t make a good enough first impression.

  “She didn’t speak to me once!” I hear one bachelor complain. That makes me smile.

  Meanwhile, Rainey and Serene remain unaware of the chaos building behind them. Their heads nearly touch as they speak in hushed tones. I don’t think the two of them even stop to take a breath. They remain in that position for so long I’m beginning to wonder if they will ever come to an agreement, when finally, they pull away. The two of them share a look. It’s impossible for me to read what passes between them. If women become good enough friends, they just have to look at one another to share their feelings. It’s remarkably unnerving.

  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.