The Bachelor

Chapter 6

As he’d thought, this was all new to him. This feeling of breathless anticipation every time Julianne looked up and he was hoping she would glance at him. He felt like a complete idiot just standing there doing nothing like a schoolboy staring at his teacher. Damn, he never even felt that stupid thing when he was young. And damn again, he honestly didn’t know what he should call it.

She is definitely staying, he thought with so much conviction. Yep, she’s staying.

He received a call from the driver that Pauline was done at Sabon and that she was on her way to The Book Table.

“No, no,” he said hastily. “Uh, take her to…” he thought for a moment and finally said, “900 North Michigan. Tell her to pick anything she likes. We’ll be there shortly.”

As he brought his phone back in his pocket, he stared ahead and realized Julianne was looking at him, question in her eyes. Just the thought that she was actually looking at him made him smile like a total idiot that he was. Then, before she could return her attention back to the book in her hand, he tapped his watch with his finger, indicating that she had to hurry.

 *****

Julianne just nodded and went back to work. The hell with the man. This was her day to return a little favor to her fans for all the support that they had given despite her secrecy regarding her real identity.

She was not at all unaware that he had been looking at her in a weird way since they entered the bookstore. And she didn’t know if it was supposed to be a good sign or a bad one. Anyway, she was busy to think about that for now.

She continued on with her signing. Diane was sitting behind her along with some other people.

“Looks like you have to leave,” Diane whispered beside her ear.

“What?” she asked, handing a book back with a smile to a bubbly teenager.

“Your date is getting restless,” her friend said.

“Let him be,” she almost hissed. “Hi, what’s your name?”

A teenage boy with glasses said, “Andrew.”

“Okay, Andrew, how old are you?” she asked as she signed the book.

“Thirteen,” he smiled.

“Here you go, thank you very much,” she said.

“That’s cool. You’re cool,” he said shyly and walked off.

“He’s staring at you like he’s going to eat you or something,” Diane uttered.

“He’s a jerk,” she answered, smiling up once again at an older lady who was holding two copies of the book.

“For my niece,” she answered. “And this one is mine.”

“Cool! What’s your niece’s name?” she asked, completely ignoring everything else.

 *****

It was almost two hours when Julianne finally stood up. Zach transferred his weight from one foot to the other as she spent another five minutes talking to her friend and to some people who stayed behind. This was the longest time he ever spent waiting for a girl.

“Can we go now?” he asked when she started walking towards him.

“Yes,” she answered without a smile.

Whatever happened to that pretty smile?

“That’s good. Pauline’s waiting for us at 900 North Michigan.”