The Reluctant Bachelor Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’ve got to check on something in the kitchen.”
    Rick left her standing alone. She took a big breath. “So what can I get you?”
    * * *
    E LIZABETH WAS CONVINCED that he’d chosen the three most difficult tables to train her on. They all wanted specific orders rather than something off the menu. Maybe he’d put them up to it. Maybe he’d told them to be difficult. She groaned and hoisted the tray of food for the second table onto her shoulder like Rick had shown her. It was heavier than it looked, and she almost sagged under its weight. A drop of oil dripped from the tray onto her blouse.
    Great. She’d definitely need that trip to the clothing store. How did people not have to buy a wardrobe at the end of the day working in food service? If nothing else, she would appreciate how hard her server worked the next time she ate at a restaurant. She promised she’d tip better if she could get through this afternoon.
    By the end of the lunch rush, she found herself again at the back booth, her feet up and resting on the seat across from her. She’d developed blisters. She must have the way her feet throbbed and ached. She needed better shoes. New clothes. What else would this glimpse into Rick’s life cost her?
    “Here.” Rick set a plate laden with a BLT and fries in front of her. “My specialty, just for you.”
    She wrinkled her nose at the bacon but one whiff of the sandwich made her stomach grumble loud enough for Rick to hear. He chuckled.
    “Thanks.” She laid a napkin on her lap and took a tentative bite.
    Mmmmmmmm.
    Rick grinned and left, only to return momentarily with his own sandwich. “Mind if I join you?”
    “Think the diner will survive without us?” She took another large bite and tried to chew faster to get to the next one.
    “I think we have time to eat. You don’t have to rush.” He looked around the dining room, which held a few stragglers left from the rush. “Shirley’s here, so she can take over.”
    Elizabeth took another bite of her sandwich and groaned again in delight. There was something different about the bacon. “What’s your secret?”
    “If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.” He smirked at her. “I bake the bacon rather than frying it. Sprinkle it with Cajun seasonings and brown sugar to give it a little something special.”
    She wiped her mouth with her napkin. “This is fantastic.”
    “Thank you.”
    They ate in silence until Elizabeth pushed her plate away. It held only a few of the fries and a stray piece of lettuce. She patted her very full belly. “I can’t eat another bite. What are you trying to do to me?”
    He looked her over. “You could use some fattening up.”
    “Now you sound like a grandmother.” Not that she’d ever known one personally. Yet another part of childhood she’d missed.
    Rick stuffed the rest of his sandwich in his mouth. They smiled at each other, not saying a word. Not needing to. When he was finished, he wiped his mouth and rubbed his flat stomach. “That really hit the spot.”
    It felt good to sit. To put her feet up and relax. She almost hated to ask, but she did. “So what’s next on the agenda?”
    “I show you around town. The Pickle Festival kicks off tonight, so what better way to see it than that? The rides. The food. The people.” He winked at her. “You won’t be able to resist.”
    If only that were true. “Even if we agree to tape here, you’ll still have to come to L.A. for the live finale. That’s a tradition we can’t break.”
    “I’m not asking to break anything. Just change it a little.”
    Elizabeth nodded, then attempted to get to her feet, which protested. She sat back down. “As long as we’re not talking about long walks anywhere, I’m in.”

CHAPTER THREE
    S EEING THE NATURAL beauty of Michigan would woo Lizzie, who would in turn convince the suits, so Rick followed the scenic route along the lake. The sun glanced off the smooth dark green surface of the water while