Bachelor Number Five (The Bachelor Series, Volume 1) by Kenneth Rosenberg Read Free Book Online Page B

looked like they were dressed for life on the prairie in the 18th century, with hand-made clothing.  The woman was devoid of any makeup while the man sported a long, bushy beard.  Were they in a movie?  Or was this some “new” style?  Perhaps they were Amish, on vacation?
    The waiter swept past Amanda’s table, dropping off a glass of water as he went.  She would have to ask him, Amanda decided, if Grant Hutchinson did actually work here.  She spent five minutes working up the courage before the waiter came back with her order.
    “One house salad.  Is there anything else I can get you?” he said.
    “Actually…” Amanda paused while the waiter stood where he was, waiting expectantly.  “Some bread?” said Amanda.
    “Coming right up.”  The waiter whisked himself away and back inside.  Amanda furrowed her brow and pursed her lips, feeling like the coward that she was.  Why couldn’t she be more like Piper?  She wouldn’t be afraid of some little waiter in some little hamburger joint like this.  Piper had confidence.  Too much sometimes.  Then again, it was Amanda who had made the move halfway across the country all by herself, with no job and no friends to fall back on.  It was Amanda who was sitting here, chasing her dream, however demented it might be.
    When the waiter reappeared with a small basket of bread, this time Amanda simply blurted it out.  “Can you tell me, does Grant Hutchinson still work here?”
    The waiter perked up at the name, his eyes opening a little wider as he examined his customer anew.  “No.  He does not.  Why?  Do you know him?”  The skepticism was evident.
    “Just a little bit,” said Amanda.  “We went to high school together.”
    “In Kentucky?”
    “No,” Amanda tilted her head to one side.  Was he testing her?  “In Houston.”
    “Houston, that’s right,” said the waiter.  “I get mixed up.  No, Grant hasn’t worked here in six months.”
    “Oh.”  Amanda’s heart sank.  “I guess his business must have finally taken off, huh?”
    “What business?”  The waiter seemed slightly puzzled.
    “His technology business.”
    “I don’t know anything about that.”
    “Huh…”
    “It’s funny, you don’t sound like you come from Texas.”
    “We moved around a lot.  Army brat, you know.”
    The waiter nodded his head slowly.  “I thought maybe you were one of those fan girls.”
    “What fan girls?”
    “The ones who saw him on that wedding show.”
    “Oh, right, I heard about that.  Do a lot of girls come here looking for him?”
    “Enough that I’m getting used to it.”  The waiter put the bread basket on the table.
    “Thanks.”
    “If you need anything else, let me know.”
    “I wouldn’t mind a job, actually, if you guys are hiring.”
    “I’ll bring you an application.  I don’t think we need anyone right now, but you never know.”
    “All right.  I’ll fill out an application just in case.  You can bring my check, too, when you have a chance.”
     
    After name and address, school was the very next piece of information that the application requested.  If Amanda answered honestly, this nosy waiter was bound to realize she’d been lying.  Then again, he probably already knew.  Amanda wrote out Quincy High School, Quincy Iowa.  She added her work experience and put down Lucy and Piper as references.  She didn’t expect much but Amanda needed a job, and quickly, if she was going to pay the rent at the end of the month.  One thing about a big city like this, there were plenty of other places to apply.  For the time being perhaps it was best to put her search for Bachelor Number Five on hold.

Chapter Eight
     
    “Hey roomie, we’re ordering pizza if you want some,” said Lauren.
    Amanda walked into the apartment to find her roommate sitting with Darren at the kitchen table.  Darren held a restaurant flier in one hand.
    “Pizza sounds terrific,” Amanda replied.  After a long afternoon on the