I step out of the hot shower and towel off.
Get your shit together, Charlotte.
I stare at my puffy eyes in the mirror and try to apply makeup but give up. What is the point?
I get dressed for work, repack my bag, and head out.
As I drive to work, I try to figure out how to deal with Xander.
Keep it professional. Only look and talk to him if you have to during surgery. Do not put yourself in a situation to be alone with him.
I park my car, walk into the hospital, and make my way to the locker room, avoiding all conversations with anyone I can. When I step into the room, I read the schedule first.
No surgeries with Xander until later this afternoon.Thank you, universe.At least I’ll have a few hours to continue pulling it together.
I go to my locker and unlock it to find a coffee, along with a brown bag. I close my eyes for a moment. Xander.
“Wow, you have a secret admirer or something? I’d die to have a coffee waiting for me.” Tabi’s voice rings in my ear.
I open my eyes. She’s staring at me.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Yes. I didn’t sleep well last night, that’s all.”
She tilts her head. “Please tell me Damon didn’t leave that for you?”
I shake my head hard. “No. He doesn’t know my code. Plus, I’m sure he hates me right now.”
“Why?”
I shrug. I’m definitely not telling Tabi anything about Damon and me.
“Who knows your code, if it isn’t him?”
“No one. Forget you saw it,” I tell her.
Tabi reaches in and puts her hands around the coffee. “It’s still hot. You’d better drink it, especially if you didn’t get any sleep.”
I realize the only way to not have Tabi ask any more questions is to take the coffee and drink it. I pull out the stopper and take a sip.
She picks up the bag and opens up. “Blueberry muffins. Yum.”
“You can have one,” I tell her.
She reaches in, retrieves one, and hands it to me then she snatches one for herself. “To your secret admirer!” She grins and taps her muffin to mine.
When we’re done eating, she announces, “Well, I have surgery with the devil himself this morning. At least you don’t have to deal with thaton no sleep!”
She doesn’t seem to have any love for Damon anymore. Not that I can blame her.
“At least I can ogle the new eye candy. Have you noticed how hot Dr. Kane is?”
My face flushes, but I shrug my shoulders. “He’s okay,” I lie to her.
“Okay? Have you not looked at that boy?”
I try to blow her off. “Just another doctor. Okay, I have to get moving here. I’ll see you later, Tabi.”
