Bachelor Number Five (The Bachelor Series, Volume 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

away.”
    “Um, if you guys don’t mind, I’m just going to bring up the rest of my things,” said Amanda.
    “Knock yourself out,” said Lauren.  “Do you need some help?”
    “Sure,” Amanda shrugged.  “That would be great.”
    “Let’s go, Spiderman.  The girl needs help.”
    Darren rolled his eyes and got to his feet, tossing his phone onto the coffee table.  “Fine, I’ll put my spider strength to the test.”
    “None of my things are all that heavy.”
    “Good, ‘cause I don’t really have spider strength.  But don’t tell nobody.”
    “Your secret is safe with me.”
    Amanda followed Darren out the front door with Lauren right behind.  “Do you live in the apartment, too?”  Amanda asked Darren when they got to the stairs.
    “Me?!  Nah, I live next door in number six.”
    “But you two are?...” Amanda didn’t know if she should come right out and ask.
    “A couple?” said Lauren.
    “Well, um…” Amanda stammered.  “Yeah.”
    “Yes,” Lauren answered.  “We are a couple.  Any other questions?”
    The three of them continued down the stairs and out toward the street.  “Just one, for now,” said Amanda.  “What’s with the Spiderman costume?”
    “Spidey here poses with tourists up at the Chinese Theater.  You know, on Hollywood Boulevard?”
    “Um, ok,” said Amanda.  “For fun?”
    “No, man, not for fun,” said Darren.  “I let them take their picture with me.  If I’m lucky they give me some money.”
    “Oh, so that’s kind of like your job?”
    “Just a little extra, you know?”
    “Does it pay well?”
    “I’ve done better since I switched to Spiderman.  I used to be Lando Calrissien, but these tourists, they don’t want to give money to a black man.  This way they have no idea.  They think it’s Peter Parker under here!”
    “Race had nothing to do with it,” said Lauren.  “Lando Calrissien was just a lame-ass costume.  Nobody even knew who you were supposed to be!”
    “Lando Calrissien was an awesome costume!  Everyone knows Lando, come on!  I’m telling you, that wasn’t the problem.  The problem was, not everyone’s as open-minded as you are!”
    Lauren shook her head.  “I still think Spiderman is just a better costume.”
    “My car is over here.”  Amanda led them up the sidewalk.
    “The problem now is there are already three other guys doing Spidey,” said Darren.  “Competition gets kind of fierce, if you know what I’m saying.  Especially if we all show up at the same time.  It’s not like posing with tourists is all I do, though.  I’m an actor.”
    “Like everyone else around here,” said Lauren.
    “You, too?” Amanda asked.
    “Me?  No way.”
    “She’s too good for it,” said Darren.
    “Come on, that’s not fair.”
    “Lauren’s an accountant.”
    “Huh,” said Amanda.  She was expecting something more… glamorous.
    “I know, it’s boring,” said Lauren.
    “I’m sure it’s a great job.”
    “I’ve got security anyway, which is more than Spiderman over here can say.”
    “This is my car right here,” Amanda motioned.
    “That’s all of your stuff?” Lauren looked through the window.
    “That’s it.”   Amanda unlocked her car and opened the passenger door.  Despite their lighthearted bickering, she had a good feeling about these two.  They were all going to be friends, she was sure about it.  She’d travelled two thousand miles to an entirely new environment, but she knew already that she would not be alone.  It was a comforting realization.  Amanda handed a box to Darren.  From the back seat she pulled out a laundry basket full of clean clothes and handed that to Lauren.  In her own arms, Amanda piled a comforter, a pillow and a basket full of soaps, shampoos and other toiletries.  Walking back to the apartment, she could hardly see over the top of her load.
    “Do you want me to take those soaps?” said Lauren.   “You can put them on top of this