Read Online No One's Bride (Escape to the West Book 1) by Nerys Leigh - Free Book Online
Authors: Nerys Leigh
Ads: Link
“I really need to go and open the post office, but with Mrs Vernon spreading rumours I don’t want to leave you alone. Are you sure you don’t want to wait to do this? I could come with you this afternoon.”
“No, I’ll be fine, I promise. You go and I’ll be back with a job before you know it.” She wasn’t at all sure of that, but she tried to sound positive. She didn’t want Adam worrying about her. He’d done so much already.
He scanned the people around them, finally sighing and returning his attention to her. “All right. But if you change your mind, just come home and I’ll go with you later. I truly don’t mind.”
“I know you don’t, but you don’t have to worry about me. I can look after myself.”
A small smile touched his lips. “I have no doubt of that. I’ll see you later.”
Despite her words, as she watched Adam walk away she suddenly felt very alone.
Chapter 6
With a deep sigh, Amy pulled her gaze from Adam’s retreating form and looked around. Her eyes came to rest on the hotel at the top of the street. It was as good a place to start as any.
The four storey building occupied a prime position at the very head of the road where it curved off to the north, giving everyone on the street a view of the hotel and everyone in the hotel a view along the street. It was constructed of brick, unlike most of the other buildings in the town apart from the bank and the marshal’s office, and looked to Amy altogether too fancy for a small town such as Green Hill Creek. Although with its tall windows and decorative columns flanking the entrance, it wouldn’t have been out of place in New York. Not the upper class, wealthy centre, but in the not quite so affluent areas it could have easily passed for a city establishment. Perhaps whoever had invested in it was expecting the new railroad to bring in clientele.
An image of her dream hotel in San Francisco came to mind. Perhaps if she could work here it wouldn’t feel quite so far away.
Reaching the door, Amy smoothed her hair and her skirts and walked inside. Other than a bored looking, red-headed young man behind the reception desk, the velvet draped and wood panelled lobby was deserted.
She walked up to the man and smiled. “I was wondering if I could speak to someone about employment in the hotel?”
He snorted a laugh. “You must be new around here.”
“Uh, yes?”
He swept one hand around the sumptuous room. “See all these guests?”
Amy looked round in case there’d been an influx of people while her back was turned. There hadn’t. “Uh, no?”
“Exactly. No guests, no jobs. If it wasn’t for folks who won’t go into the saloon using the restaurant and just keeping the place above water, I wouldn’t even be here.”
Amy lowered her eyes to the polished surface of the oak reception desk. “Oh.”
The man sighed. “I’m sorry, Miss, I didn’t mean to be sharp. Saturdays are usually my day off. I’m much nicer Monday through Friday.”
Despite her disappointment, Amy laughed. “Maybe I should come back Monday.”
“You should,” he said, smiling. “There still won’t be any jobs, but I’ll be here to brighten your day. Truth is, if there were any jobs and it was up to me, I’d hire you in a second.”
“Without even knowing anything about me?”
A mischievous smile tugged at his lips. “Having a pretty woman on the staff couldn’t hurt business, if there was any business to be had. I’m Zach, by the way. Welcome to Green Hill Creek, I guess.”
“Amy.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amy.... wait.” He frowned. “Not the Amy who came in on the train to marry Adam and now isn’t Amy?”
“I, um, suppose. How do you know all that?”
He rolled his eyes. “Mrs Vernon. By now everyone knows who you are. She didn’t come in to tell me, but I overheard her talking to Mrs Sanchez, the cook here.” He chewed his lip. “Is it true you and Adam are living together?”
Amy pursed her lips,
“No, I’ll be fine, I promise. You go and I’ll be back with a job before you know it.” She wasn’t at all sure of that, but she tried to sound positive. She didn’t want Adam worrying about her. He’d done so much already.
He scanned the people around them, finally sighing and returning his attention to her. “All right. But if you change your mind, just come home and I’ll go with you later. I truly don’t mind.”
“I know you don’t, but you don’t have to worry about me. I can look after myself.”
A small smile touched his lips. “I have no doubt of that. I’ll see you later.”
Despite her words, as she watched Adam walk away she suddenly felt very alone.
Chapter 6
With a deep sigh, Amy pulled her gaze from Adam’s retreating form and looked around. Her eyes came to rest on the hotel at the top of the street. It was as good a place to start as any.
The four storey building occupied a prime position at the very head of the road where it curved off to the north, giving everyone on the street a view of the hotel and everyone in the hotel a view along the street. It was constructed of brick, unlike most of the other buildings in the town apart from the bank and the marshal’s office, and looked to Amy altogether too fancy for a small town such as Green Hill Creek. Although with its tall windows and decorative columns flanking the entrance, it wouldn’t have been out of place in New York. Not the upper class, wealthy centre, but in the not quite so affluent areas it could have easily passed for a city establishment. Perhaps whoever had invested in it was expecting the new railroad to bring in clientele.
An image of her dream hotel in San Francisco came to mind. Perhaps if she could work here it wouldn’t feel quite so far away.
Reaching the door, Amy smoothed her hair and her skirts and walked inside. Other than a bored looking, red-headed young man behind the reception desk, the velvet draped and wood panelled lobby was deserted.
She walked up to the man and smiled. “I was wondering if I could speak to someone about employment in the hotel?”
He snorted a laugh. “You must be new around here.”
“Uh, yes?”
He swept one hand around the sumptuous room. “See all these guests?”
Amy looked round in case there’d been an influx of people while her back was turned. There hadn’t. “Uh, no?”
“Exactly. No guests, no jobs. If it wasn’t for folks who won’t go into the saloon using the restaurant and just keeping the place above water, I wouldn’t even be here.”
Amy lowered her eyes to the polished surface of the oak reception desk. “Oh.”
The man sighed. “I’m sorry, Miss, I didn’t mean to be sharp. Saturdays are usually my day off. I’m much nicer Monday through Friday.”
Despite her disappointment, Amy laughed. “Maybe I should come back Monday.”
“You should,” he said, smiling. “There still won’t be any jobs, but I’ll be here to brighten your day. Truth is, if there were any jobs and it was up to me, I’d hire you in a second.”
“Without even knowing anything about me?”
A mischievous smile tugged at his lips. “Having a pretty woman on the staff couldn’t hurt business, if there was any business to be had. I’m Zach, by the way. Welcome to Green Hill Creek, I guess.”
“Amy.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amy.... wait.” He frowned. “Not the Amy who came in on the train to marry Adam and now isn’t Amy?”
“I, um, suppose. How do you know all that?”
He rolled his eyes. “Mrs Vernon. By now everyone knows who you are. She didn’t come in to tell me, but I overheard her talking to Mrs Sanchez, the cook here.” He chewed his lip. “Is it true you and Adam are living together?”
Amy pursed her lips,
Similar Books
