Beauty looks, of course, beautiful in a new red dress. It brings out the warmth in her skin and shows off her glossy, curly black hair.

Unfortunately, Mr. Beast barely looks at or acknowledges her.

“Hello!” says Mrs. Butler, appearing with food on a tray. “We will start off with goat cheese soup. Then we will be serving ricotta ravioli. And for dessert, we will have chocolate cheesecake. Doesn’t that sound delicious?”

We all nod. It really does.

I scoop up my soup with my spoon. Mmm. I wish I could have this at home. I wish I had a Mrs. Butler at home, too.

There is even a special plate of dog food for Prince, which he happily inhales.

“The meal is delicious,” I tell Mrs. Butler.

“No, no, dear, you don’t need to help with the dishes. I’ll do them.”

I giggle. “No, Mrs. Butler, I said the meal is delicious. You’re a wonderful cook. But I am happy to help with the dishes!”

Now she laughs. “Cook? I don’t cook! Mr. Beast is the cook!”

Mr. Beast flushes.

“He is?” I ask. “I’m so impressed! Did you taste the soup, Beauty? Isn’t it amazing?”

She’s just staring into her bowl.

I motion for her to eat.

She sighs and takes a small sip off her spoon. “Uh-huh.”

I wait for her to say something else, but she doesn’t. I guess I’ll have to keep talking. “So, Beauty. What do you like to do in your spare time?”

“I read,” she says. “A lot.”

“Oh, yeah? What about you, Mr. Beast? Do you like to read?”

“Not really,” he says.

“What do you like to do?” I ask him.

“I like to cook,” he says, and takes a slurp of soup. “And eat. Beasts are hungry all the time. I have multiple meals a day. Breakfast. Brunch. Lunch. Linner. Dinner.”

“Linner?” asks Jonah.

“It’s between lunch and dinner,” Mr. Beast explains.

No wonder his dinner is at nine. He has to build in time for all those extra meals.

“There’s also aftinner. After Dinner,” Mr. Beast adds.

When does he have time to sleep?

“What else do you like to do?” I ask Mr. Beast.

“Play games,” he says. “Like trump.”

“And flying crocodile!” Jonah says.

Mr. Beast smiles. “That, too.”

“Do you like to play trump?” I ask Beauty.

“I don’t know how,” she says, taking another spoonful of soup.

“Maybe Mr. Beast can teach you after dinner,” I say.

Mr. Beast gives a hint of a nod. “I can. If you want to learn.”

“Okay,” Beauty says. “I’d like that.”

Hurrah! We’re in the middle of date number one — dinner! After this, we’ll go straight into date number two — playing a game. Maybe we can even top the evening off with date number three — dancing. And they’ll be madly in love and we’ll be all done.