Love and War | book 1 #Wattys2016 #tbpa2016

>> chapter 11

I stare at the digital clock on my nightstand, one of the only things unpacked in my room. It's eight in the morning and I feel exhausted. I barely got any sleep last night, tossing and turning. I couldn't stop thinking of the way he touched her. How they fit so well together. I should let it go, there's is nothing there for me.

I want nothing more than to call off my lunch with them but I know it wouldn't look good on my part. I reach for my phone that is charging beside the clock. There is a few texts from Lola and Grant. I decide to answer their most recent texts.

LoLo 1:15am: you alright?

Harper 8:02am: I'm good. I should've stayed in I was totally beat.

Demon Doctor 1:10am: we're going out around 12:30. Minneapolis hospital.

Harper 8:03am: k.

I place the phone face down back on the nightstand. I have some hours to kill so I might as well get up. There's just today and tomorrow and then I get to start my internship and hopefully it will take my mind off all this craziness. Maybe that's my problem, I haven't been working and I'm cooped up with my thoughts.

I've unpacked most of the apartment and it's nearing eleven thirty. I head to take a shower and to my surprise I don't have to wait for the water to warm. A step up from a dingy college town apartment. I decide against washing my hair seeing as I wouldn't have time to let it dry. By the time I'm out of the shower and getting dressed it's nearing twelve.

I settle for a dark blazer and matching dark shorts, a black tank underneath, some classy black booties also. Once I feel ready I snag my phone from the nightstand and place it inside the small satchel I used the night before and head out of the apartment, locking the door behind me.

The drive over to the hospital is so quick I have time to stop and grab a coffee on my way. I head inside the hospital and the place is enormous on the inside and out. The entire lobby is lined with windows even up and over the ceiling. I can't help but look around in awe.

"Excuse me miss?" The nurse in reception asks. I hadn't even realized I walked up to the front desk.

I snap back to reality and smile at the young woman. She appears around my age, probably new. "Hello I'm here for Grant Hamilton," I say nervously, not sure what to expect.

She smiles and looks down to her computer, typing something I can't catch. "Oh yes he's expecting some guests. Here fill this out please," she says before placing a clipboard out to me.

I do as I'm told and she takes the board back. For some reason I suddenly feel self conscious of what I've written and my handwriting.

"Harper? Alright here's a visitor pass and you're going to go straight to the elevators down that hallway, go to floor fifty-seven, and follow the signs for the offices. He is in the process of moving offices so you may need to ask around upstairs," she instructs me and I nod.

After receiving directions from one of the surgeons upstairs I knock on an office door that isn't labeled yet but I can spy Grant through the glass, he appears to be on the phone.

"COME IN!" He announces and I step inside.

He continues speaking into the phone and smiles, gesturing for me to take a seat. I quietly close the door behind me, growing nervous for some reason. I move to sit across from him and as he talks I take the chance to look around his office.

It's well decorated and larger than I would've imagined. He has random plants in two of the corners and an abstract painting on the far wall. There are a line of windows behind him and a line of windows behind me, the walls on either side of us are a pale blue color.