Page 8 of To Enchant a Rakish Viscount

Marianne laughed so loud it drowned out the music. “You have not changed one bit. That is for sure.”

Marianne walked away after that, being torn away by what looked to be a friend of hers. Connor was busy with his sister and Michael had begun speaking to a woman that Brian did not recognise. Perhaps he had already started trying to meet women. That left Brian to his own volition for a moment. But he didn’t mind. It gave him a chance to scan the room and get a feel of the people there. He enjoyed being one step ahead of things in that respect.

It was then that his breath stopped for a second. Across the room was a stunningly beautiful woman that he had never seen in town before. It was as though the chandelier shined only on her and those lips that stood out even in the grand distance.

She was everything that he imagined a future wife to be, confident, a great smile, social, and holding a positivity that could not be easily concealed. He could see all that in one glance. But to his surprise, he could also see that it was Harper. She had clearly grown into her features and become almost unrecognisable in the best of ways.

Harper had become so beautiful that it forced him to go back in his mind, and try to remember if he had ever been rude to her in the way that she would still be offended. But nothing came to mind.

For the first time in his life, he felt a lack of confidence just by looking at her. And he couldn’t understand why. Perhaps it was her beauty, or perhaps it was her own confidence that intimidated him somewhat.

There wasn’t much time to remain in his own head as he spotted Michael leading her over. He was both happy for that and irritated, as he knew not one thing to say to Harper. He wasn’t usually one to overthink his words, but he knew that first impressions were make or break, when it came to the opposite sex. And he was not good with first impressions. Even though they had met before, and had known each other when they were younger, it felt like he was meeting her for the first time all over again.

So, quickly in his mind, he went over what he would say. An anecdote about the party would be boring. A reference to how long they’ve gone without seeing each other would fall into the same category. And being his usual sarcastic self would probably offend her in one way or another.

He felt his best would to be authentically speak his mind and pay her a compliment. That would be the sincere way to go about things. He needed to stop overthinking things because it was making him angry at himself.

She had arrived before him, and before Brian could get a word out, Harper said, “I am humbled by London’s greatest rake joining you.”

And then, all of Brian’s nerves fled him, and he was reminded just how annoying she was. No amount of beauty could overthrow his feelings in that respect. He had almost forgotten. But out of the three girls, she had always been the one to get on his nerves the most. Even thinking back to when they were very young.

“You smell, you know. No one tells you that, but I think you smell really bad, like rotten tomatoes,” Harper said to him while sitting in the garden. Both Connor and Michael laughed.

“At least I have a solution for that—water. There is nothing that you can do for your teeth.”

The boys became quiet, seeing the frustration grow on Brian’s face. The little bit of red that filled Harper’s face was satisfying to him.

But Harper was unmoved otherwise. Her face had hardened somewhat. “That is true. There is nothing I can do about my teeth but hope that I grow into them. You, on the other hand…” She rose from her seat. “You cannot grow into having a decent personality. And lucky for me, bad teeth are not a sign for a life of loneliness. Your personality destines you to live a life of solitude, bitter at the world because you hate yourself.”

“Whoa,” Leah muttered.

After Harper’s spiel, the three girls walked off and left the boys by themselves. Michael was the one that came over to Brian and patted him on the shoulder. “You alright, friend? They are just words. I’d rather a bad personality than teeth like hers any day.”

“I like her teeth,” Connor said jokingly.

“It is fine. She is nothing but an annoying little runt. One day I will travel the world and won’t have to deal with her ever again.”

At the ball, while Brian had replayed some of the worst memories he had of Harper, he realised that he was arguing with her in real time. “I was going to compliment you, but it seems that you are still that annoying little runt as from when we were children,” Brian said to her with unwavering eye contact.

Harper moved in slightly and started sniffing him. “Well, I am quite shocked. You no longer smell. Perhaps this means that good things do happen in the world, now don’t they.”

Marianne tried to hold back a laugh.

“Now, now,” Michael interrupted them both. “Today is supposed to be a good day, a day of celebration. Let’s not waste our time bickering.”

“I agree,” Connor added. “We are no longer children. We should be celebrating Harper’s twenty-second year of annoying us in this world.”

“He started it. I was quite cordial,” Harper said with an exaggerated smile.

There had been an intermission for the music which made their bickering all the more embarrassing yet funny for the group of friends. But it was when the music started that the embarrassment fell on the shoulders of Brian. Because they all forced him and Harper to dance.

“Come on now, you two,” Michael said while pairing them up. “It is time you make amends through dance!”

What a night.

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