Bachelor Number Five (The Bachelor Series, Volume 1) (11 page)

“I want you out of here!” Lauren shot back.

Amanda crossed her arms and considered her next words carefully.  “Can’t we take a big step backwards and talk about this like adults?”

“I don’t want to live with you anymore!”

“I said I was sorry!”

Through the door, Amanda heard the sound of sobbing.  “You think you’re so smart!” Lauren shouted.  “You don’t know a thing about it!”

“You’re right, I don’t.  I don’t know anything about it.  I’m sorry that I let Peter come into the apartment the other day.  I won’t do it again, I promise.”  Amanda heard sniffles, and then Lauren blowing her nose.

“It’s not like you think,” said Lauren.  “It was more than that.”

“I’m sure it was.”

“And now I still have to live next door to that bastard.”

“Why don’t you just move if it’s so difficult for you?”

“And let him win?  Ha!”  Lauren scoffed.  “I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction!”

“Look, would you open the door?”  There was a period of silence before Amanda continued.  “I’m not going anywhere until you come out!”  After some time Amanda saw the doorknob turn and the door itself swung open to reveal Lauren standing with bloodshot eyes and a tissue held up to her nose.

“Don’t think I’m not still mad at you,” Lauren said.

“Why don’t I put some tea on?” Amanda replied.  “Maybe you could tell me your side of the story.  The whole thing.  I think I deserve to know that if I’m going to be thrust into the middle of it all.” 

Lauren nodded slowly and Amanda led her back into the kitchen.  “I guess we’ve had our first fight, huh?” Amanda added.  She took the kettle from the stove and filled it with water before replacing it and turning on the flame.  She opened one of the cabinets.  The bottom shelf was stacked with boxes of different types of tea.  “What kind do you want?”

“I don’t care,” said Lauren, before changing her mind.  “Vanilla chai.”

“Mind if I have one of those, too?  That sounds good.”

“Have whatever you want.  Half of those boxes are from previous roommates anyway.”

Amanda took down the box of vanilla chai and placed it on the table.  She grabbed two mugs from another cabinet.  “Milk and sugar?”

Lauren nodded.  Amanda placed a bowl of sugar, two spoons and a carton of half-and-half on the table before taking a seat.  Lauren took two tea bags from the cardboard box and dropped each into its own mug.  “You think I was naïve about the whole thing with Peter,” Lauren said.  “I wasn’t.  I knew what I was getting into.”

“What was that?”

“A relationship with a serial womanizer.”

“Was it really a relationship?”

“It was to me.”

“So he was your boyfriend?”  Amanda was hesitant to ask.

“Things were definitely moving in that direction.”

“So what happened?  He cheated on you?”

Lauren didn’t answer.  Her brow tightened, the veins in her forehead beginning to protrude as she thought back to those difficult times.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” Amanda said.  

“He led me on.  That’s the thing.  He made me think I was special but it was all a big lie.  I was nothing to him.  Of all the girls he could hook up with… does hook up with… he should have left me alone.  It’s hard to admit how much it hurt.  I should have known better, especially after what happened with Samantha.”

“Who is Samantha?”

“You haven’t met Samantha yet?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“The girl in apartment five?  The lawyer?”

“Apartment five?”  Lauren looked out the front window.  Apartment five was just beyond Darren and Aaron’s place, on the wing opposite from Peter’s.  Amanda had seen a woman going in and out of there a few times.  She was always well-dressed and had a serious demeanor.  So far she and Amanda had yet to actually cross paths.  “I’ve seen her, yeah.  We haven’t met, though.  Are you telling me that she slept with Peter, too?  He really does get around, doesn’t he?”

“I don’t know if he slept with her,” Lauren pouted.  “I mean, he must have.  That’s his whole thing, right?”

“If you say so.”

“I know there was something between them…”

“Does any of that really matter now?  You’ve got Darren, right?  You guys are happy, aren’t you?”

Lauren bit her lower lip.  “Yeah.  We’re happy.”

“So why even worry about Peter anymore?  Forget about him!”

“I’m trying.  It doesn’t help when you’re hanging out with him all the time and letting him stroll around our apartment.  I smelled his cologne in here the other day.  I was not happy about that.”

Amanda licked her lips.  The things she’d wanted to say about this she’d said already.  It was best to let it lie at this point.  “I’m sorry,” she replied instead, though that didn’t mean she would refrain from talking to Peter.  She had nothing against him.  It did mean she’d try to be less obvious about it.  She still wondered if she was actually interested in Peter herself.  He was handsome.  He was sophisticated.  He was nice, even.  At the same time, she knew better.  He wasn’t offering what she wanted in life.  Just like Lauren, Amanda was after long-term stability, commitment and ever-lasting love.  Lauren’s experience alone was evidence of what could happen to a girl who expected those things from Peter.  It didn’t mean she couldn’t chat with him occasionally on the landing, or loan him five bucks for the laundry machine.  Or admire his handsome features and dreamy blue eyes…  She realized, though, that she’d have to be careful about it.  Amanda didn’t like the idea of sneaking around behind her roommate’s back, but Lauren was obviously too fragile to have it any other way.

The kettle made a shrill whistle and Amanda hopped up to turn off the stove.  She poured water into each of the mugs in turn.  When she’d put the kettle back, the two women sat facing each other, dipping their teabags up and down.  Amanda scooped a bit of sugar into her mug and then waited while Lauren used the cream.  “How long ago did all of this stuff happen between you and Peter, anyway?” Amanda asked.

“Not that long.”

“So it’s still pretty fresh, huh?  How long have you been together with Darren?”

“We hooked up a week later.”

“Sooo… kind of a rebound thing?”

“Maybe.  He was after me for a long time before that.  I guess after what happened with Peter it was nice to be appreciated, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not like I don’t love Darren.  I do, and I understand that it’s disrespectful to still be upset by what happened with Peter.  I just…  I’m not completely over it yet, what can I say?”

“How are things between the two of them?”

“They don’t have any problems with each other at all.  I kind of wish they did sometimes.  I think it would make me feel better.”

“You seem to want everybody else to hate Peter as much as you do.”

“Is that wrong?”

Amanda stirred her tea and took a sip.  “Can I make a comment that you might not want to hear?”

“Are you sure that’s such a good idea?”

“Not really.”

Lauren picked up her own tea and blew across the top without answering.

“The only reason you’re still mad at Peter is because you still have feelings for him,” said Amanda.  “You need to let it go.”

Lauren clenched her jaw tight.

“Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t,” Amanda continued.

“That’s not so easy when I see these other girls coming out of there.  And then
you
start getting all chummy with him.  If I saw you coming out of there one morning I think I’d just about die.”

“You’re not going to see me coming out of there.”

“Promise?”

“Yes!  I promise!”

Lauren lifted her tea mug in the air and the two of them tapped their rims together.  “I’ll drink to that.”

Amanda took another sip of her tea and then sighed.  Now she’d have to really be careful.  She hoped this was a promise that she’d be able to keep.  Then again, maybe she’d rather not.

Chapter Fourteen

As she settled in to watch the latest episode of
The Bride
, Amanda was increasingly anxious about the way the show was playing out.  If number five survived the cut tonight, he might actually end up marrying this woman in just a few more weeks.  It was coming down to the wire.  He seemed the obvious choice, though of course Piper had a difference of opinion.  Markus, too.  If Grant did end up marrying the bride on live television, Amanda wasn’t sure she could watch.  It was hard enough seeing the two of them as she did now, cavorting together in a hot tub.  Amanda consoled herself by catching glimpses of his muscular biceps and his smooth, firm pecs.  What she wouldn’t give to make those pecs her own…  Maybe someday it would happen.  She wasn’t about to let go of the dream just yet, far-fetched as it might be.

When the final scene came on, Amanda was riled by inner turmoil.  Four bachelors in black tuxedos stood in a row as the bride appeared at the top of the stairs, invitations in hand.  Before the first invitation even went out, Amanda’s phone chimed.  She picked it up and saw a message from Piper. 
Is it over yet?

Amanda quickly typed back. 
No!  Don’t say anything!
  Only the final episode was to be broadcast live.  With the difference in time zones, Piper already knew the outcome of this one, but Amanda didn’t want her to ruin the suspense.  She put her phone back down just as bachelor number seven was chosen to remain.  Next came number four.  In the end it came down to numbers five and nine.  Either Amanda or Piper was going to be disappointed.  Amanda drew in her breath and held it.  The final invitation went to… number five!  Amanda exhaled.  She picked her phone back up and typed. 
Ok, it’s over.

Ignorant slut.
Came the reply.

Amanda laughed as she responded. 
Number nine is all yours
.

On the television screen Amanda saw number nine bow his head in humility and walk out of the mansion for the last time.

Back with Donny.  Your neighbor can have nine.
  Piper wrote.

I’ll let him know
, Amanda replied.  She turned off the TV and rose from the couch.  Lauren and the others were sharing Chinese takeout down in Markus’s apartment.  If she hurried, there might still be a little bit left.

Chapter Fifteen

Darren sat on Amanda’s living room couch on Saturday morning, watching a college football game while he waited for Lauren to finish putting herself together for the day.  “Fourth and one on the thirty-seven yard line,” said the announcer.  “It looks like the Buckeyes have decided to go for it as the kicking unit remains on the sidelines…”

“I guess you’re more of a Hawkeyes fan, aren’t you?” Darren said.

“Not really.”  Amanda was at the kitchen table, spreading butter on a toasted bagel.

“You are from Iowa, though, right?”

“Yeah, but I was never much of a football fan.”

“Huh.”  Darren seemed surprised that such a person might exist.  He turned his attention back to the game.

“This is pure power football as the Bucks put eight big men on the front line…” the announcer droned.  From her spot at the table Amanda saw the offensive line surge forward.  “…and it looks like it’s enough for a first down,” said the announcer.

“What are you guys up to today?” Amanda asked.

“Bruins game at the Rose Bowl.”

“That sounds like fun.”  Amanda opened a jar of strawberry jam.

“I could have got you a ticket if I knew you wanted to come.  It might not be too late.”

“No, it’s really not my thing, and besides, I’m working the lunch shift.”

“That’s cool.”

Lauren walked out from her bedroom wearing a red and gold Arizona State sweatshirt.

“Aw, no, take that off!” Darren protested.

“What are you talking about?!  This is my team!”

“I can’t be seen with you like that!  What are my peeps gonna say?”

“They’re going to say, ‘You must be awfully smart to be going out with a girl from the winning team.’”

“Aw, man, you’re really gonna do this to me?”

“’Fraid so.”  Lauren smiled, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Darren turned back to the television, seemingly disgusted.  Amanda finished spreading her jam and took a bite of her bagel.  As amusing as she found their banter to be, she just wanted them to leave already.  In another hour she’d have to head to work but Amanda was dying to duck next door and talk to Peter first.  She wanted to know if he’d bumped into Grant again the previous night, out at the clubs.  Now that Peter knew who to look for, maybe he’d notice Grant more often.  Maybe he’d even spoken to Grant again.  Amanda knew better than to walk over there and ask as long as Lauren was around.  Any contact she had with Peter from now on had to be completely on the down-low.  She didn’t think her friendship with Lauren could survive otherwise.  She certainly didn’t want to be kicked out of the apartment over this.  “Is there a tailgate party before the game?” she asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.