Un-Sweet Dreams (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Shawn Wall

  Man, you need to get laid.

  He needed to keep himself focused. Becoming a doctor would help him channel his abilities in a positive way. Besides, he didn’t need to let anyone that close. It was hard enough for him to deal with his own demons.

  * * * *

  She could have said yes. She certainly wanted to, and with that look on his face, he had expected a yes. She was pretty sure he hadn’t had many rejections, and it took every ounce of her willpower to resist him.

  She barely found her Anatomy class, which was in Overstreet Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. The classroom was large, and the wooden desks were heavily scratched. Professor Root was a short, stocky woman with white hair, and she spoke like she could be downright mean. In fact, no one made a sound in this class. You could’ve heard a pin drop. Suzanne sat and wrote constantly, taking notes. She wanted to do well, and this was certainly a required course for the nursing program. Lessons began with all of the bones in the human body.

  Tuesday was uneventful. She didn't see the boy from Comp, although she caught herself glancing at groups of guys when walking across campus. On Wednesday, she knew she would see him. Her first two periods were barely tolerable with homework in both. As she walked upstairs toward class, a group of boys passed her, and he was one of them. Seth and his friends were in the classroom before she was, and although there were no assigned seats, everyone seemed to be sitting in the same row as before. She followed suit, but he never even glanced at her.

  What did she care if he looked at her? Why did it bother her anyway? Who did he think he was? How cocky to think a girl he just met would have gone to his room. Yes, she was attracted to him, and he was certainly beautiful. His presence engulfed the classroom, and when he responded, his voice was deep, smooth, and demanded attention with each breath.

  Meanwhile, she’d decided to put Seth Griffin out of her mind. Besides, he was only one guy out of a campus of many, and she wasn’t some willy-nilly teenager who’d turned to jelly in his presence. At least she’d keep telling herself that until it became a fact. She had enough to focus on and finding a part-time job was one of them. Although her grandmother had helped her as much as she could, her summer savings had run low. She scanned the local newspaper want ads for anything interesting. She was only qualified for the local pizza place or fast food joint. Here was something.

  Candy striper at Magnolia hospital, no experience required. Pays minimum wage. Must apply in person.

  It would be worth a shot, and it might help her get into the nursing program. After her last class, she took a chance. The parking lot was full, and the only building was a one level rectangle. She walked in the front lobby, and just as expected, a pink lady was seated at the front desk.

  The walls were cream, with matching cream and tan tile floors. It was certainly décor from the sixties, probably when the hospital was first built. The smell was a classic, strong pine, the odor she remembered from visiting her great-grandmother in a nursing home when she was only ten years old. That smell would be the hardest thing to get used to. Finally, at the end of the last hall was the Human Resources Department. After her application was reviewed she was asked to wait. Hopefully this meant she got the job. The other applicant was a girl from Anatomy class. She was more than unfriendly and frowned each time a patient was wheeled by in the adjacent hallway. Suzanne wondered why the girl even applied for the position. Oh, well, that was her problem. They both were the lucky ones today, and Suzanne was assigned Tuesday and Thursday, the three to ten shift.

  Her first shift was the following Thursday. She was a little embarrassed by the uniform, looking like she should be on the set of a 1950s sitcom. It was a white, knee-length dress with a classic red pin-striped apron and large front pockets. She had worn white pantyhose and tennis shoes, which were a requirement, and with anticipation, she reported to the nurse’s station.

  “Hi, I’m Suzanne.” She tried with her best enthusiastic smile.

  The woman in her mid-thirties looked up with pleasant eyes. Her tag read “RN,” and she was wearing bright pink pants and a scrub top with pink Arkansas Razorbacks.

  “Hi, I’m Betty. We are so glad you’re here.” She spoke in a tired but friendly voice.

  “Well, it’s good to be needed.”

  Betty gave her the grand tour. All the main beds of the hospital were in the first wing with a nursery in the center. To the far left were delivery rooms and a surgical suite, followed by an emergency room in the back of the hospital. Suzanne’s job was fairly simple—customer service. She filled water pitchers and delivered flowers and magazines to patients. Now she was the gofer girl. The opportunity would be good and give her a firsthand look at the heart of nursing. She would also be familiar with the hospital when, and if, she started clinical rotation. More importantly, she’d begin helping people. This was her meager attempt to settle a debt which she could never truly repay.

  She brought her mind back to lighter things and listened to Betty give her the lowdown on the hospital gossip. Two doctors had affairs with younger staff and one nurse had been in a psych hospital. Thank goodness the evening shifts on Tuesday and Thursday were Betty’s regular shifts, and Suzanne was glad she wouldn’t have to work with the psycho nurse.

  “Just be careful, Suzanne, and stay clear of Peter,” Nurse Betty warned her.

  “Who is Peter?”

  “Peter is the orderly who works this shift. I would think it best if you’re not alone with him.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “One night, I was in the surgical suite. Peter was cleaning up after a delivery, and he made a pass at me. It wasn’t his physical actions. It was the look he gave me, and the way he spoke that unsettled me.” She grimaced.

  “Why didn’t you report him?”

  “He is the Chief of Staff’s son. In a small hospital like this, you just can’t do that. I would be the one to lose my job.”

  “If his dad’s a doctor, why is he working as an orderly anyway?” It was very obvious Betty had been disturbed by the incident. She wouldn’t be making this up. It was easy to see Betty’s compassion and what a good nurse she must be.

  “The rumor is, after him totaling his third sports car, his father decided he needed to grow up and pay off a few of his debts. At any rate, just avoid him.”

  “I will.”

  Suzanne didn’t need any convincing. If a grown woman in her thirties felt uneasy around this guy then she would avoid him as much as she could. She didn’t make eye contact with Peter and turned her head when he passed her the rest of the shift. Thank goodness for the most part her job wouldn’t require any direct interaction with him.

  Tuesday and Thursdays were also dedicated to Microbiology with lab immediately following. Professor Jones announced in class that there would be changes regarding labs. A professor had been in a car accident severe enough that the Microbiology labs had been combined for the rest of the semester. Lab partners had been assigned alphabetically, and the lab table and partner list posted. Unbelievable. There must be another person between letters F and G. She shouldn’t be surprised he was taking Micro, after all he did want to be doctor. As she entered lab, there he was, perched at the third table, far left. She quietly sat on her stool, trying not to acknowledge his existence. Then, Seth Griffin broke the silence.

  “I suppose we’ll get to know one another after all over the next couple of months.” He flipped through the pages of his book and sounded almost like he was talking to himself.

  “You’re right. It’s inevitable.”

  He turned toward her and spoke with another crooked smile on his face. “You don’t have to sound so excited.”

  “Let’s just get through today for starters.”

  “I’ll go get our agar plates. You light the Bunsen burner and alcohol lamp,” he commanded.

  She watched him glide across the room. She had thought he was just confident, but now he seemed arrogant. Good looks or not, he must be the mos
t overbearing person on the planet.

  She’d be lucky to survive the remainder of the semester, much less get along with him. College wasn’t like high school. Micro assignments for the week were written on the blackboard, and lab partners were expected to work together as a team for each experiment. Grades were based on lab data sheets turned in weekly. She would have to swallow her pride and cooperate with him. There was no choice. She quickly lit the burner and alcohol lamp.

  “Hey, be careful. You don’t want to burn down the lab,” Seth scolded.

  “I’m capable of lighting the burner,” she snapped back.

  They began transferring samples of E. coli to the nutrient agar plates.

  “Maintain sterile technique using the transfer loop,” he said in another demanding tone. She noticed his hand flinch, and for a second she had thought he might try to steal the loop.

  “Seth, do you have a problem?”

  “Am I annoying you?”

  “Actually yes,” she said.

  “Good. I’ve met my main objective for the day.” He chuckled under his breath, and his eyes glinted with obvious amusement.

  “You’re trying to be difficult on purpose.”

  “I was trying to help you.” His lips curved up as their gaze locked, and she couldn’t turn away.

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  Next, they completed inoculating the plates and only had to place them in the incubator under the UV light. She hurried as fast as she could, and all the while thinking how, for a brief second, on that first day she’d considered joining him in his room. How embarrassed she would be now as just another notch in his bedpost? Damn it. She’d somehow find a way to shed the warm knee knocking feeling that flowed through her from one glance into his eyes.

  “Suzanne, you have to wear the UV goggles before placing the plates in the incubator.”

  “I brought my own shades, and besides those goggles would mess up my hair.”

  Why did she just say that? She should really think before speaking.

  “Why am I shocked?” He chuckled harder than before, and shook his head. After lab, she bolted as quickly as possible. What luck she had. Now, she’d have to face him Monday through Friday.

  On Wednesday, Seth barely acknowledged her existence. Then on Thursday, he wasn’t waiting when she entered Micro lab. Maybe he dropped the course. Suzanne had barely sat down when he rushed in.

  “Sorry, I got tied up. I thought you’d have everything set up by now.”

  “I only just arrived myself.”

  “It’s okay. Let’s just hurry.”

  Today, they were counting and recording bacterial colonies, and then transferring them from plates to tubes.

  “I saw Professor Jones yesterday, and he’s announcing an out of class assignment. We’re going to have to obtain a water sample. We’ll be examining for Volatile Organic Compounds in lab the week after next,” Seth said.

  “Where are we going to get a water sample?”

  He must have thought she was an idiot.

  “Well, any fresh water source we want. Are you familiar with this area?”

  Now he thought she could contribute. Her shoulders relaxed, and all the built up tension she’d harbored seemed to melt away. She hadn’t expected this from him. In fact, she’d mentally prepared herself to face smart-ass comments. Despite her best efforts, he’d intrigued her.

  “Yes, I grew up about thirty minutes from here.”

  “I’m not from here, so we can use any stream or river you want.”

  “Walker Creek isn’t too far.”

  She bit her bottom lip as her stomach began to stir, tightening in nervous knots.

  “As long as it’s accessible that’s fine.”

  “Are you feeling all right?” she asked.

  “I feel fine. Why do you ask?” He raised his eyebrows, and then ran a set of fingers through his hair.

  “Well, you haven’t ridiculed me today.”

  “I told you I was trying to help. Besides, the way I see it, the two of us working together is an experiment in itself.” His teasing tone was back.

  “How did you deduce that, Mr. Griffin?”

  “We’re forced into this symbiotic relationship.” He looked at her and grinned.

  She grinned back, and surprisingly for the remainder of lab, neither used any snide remarks. Afterward, she gathered her backpack and headed for the door. A sense of relief filled her. She’d remained cool and clearheaded. More importantly, she hadn’t made a fool of herself, and thankfully hadn’t botched the experiment. She glanced back and noticed Seth was following her into the hall.

  “Hey, wait up! Now you have to give me your number. We need to meet and get our water sample.”

  “Was that another line?” She rolled her eyes.

  “Would it have worked this time?” He raised an eyebrow again, and his face seemed to gleam with undisguised delight.

  “Here. Give me something to write on.”

  He quickly produced a pen and began scanning his pack for paper when she grabbed his hand and jotted her name and number on his palm. To her own surprise, her hands remained steady, and she held his gaze for a few silent seconds. “See you in class.” His expression was like the cat that ate the canary.

  Chapter Two

  On Friday, dark clouds gloomed the day. Thank goodness she had grabbed her umbrella. It began pouring just before Comp, and it was a long trek from Algebra. When she reached the door, her umbrella wouldn't close. A voice that she didn’t know spoke from behind.

  "Let me help you with that. I can't get any wetter.”

  She turned to look, and the tall male figure was familiar although they’d never spoken. He was wearing a football jersey, so she assumed he was on the team. His hair was blond, dripping wet from the rain. He had a nice smile, and his chocolate brown eyes were friendly.

  "Thanks." She smiled back.

  He grabbed her umbrella, closing it easily.

  "We have English together, don't we?" he asked.

  They both walked into the building, escaping the thunder and rain.

  "Yeah, you sit in the back.”

  "Hi, I'm Tray West. It's nice to meet you."

  "I’m, Suzanne Foster." They now walked slowly, taking the stairs.

  "How are you doing in this class?"

  "All right. I have to review pretty often."

  "Same with me, fortunately, I'll probably carry a B," he admitted.

  When they reached class, she took her usual seat. Tray didn't go to the back. He sat in the empty desk to the right of her. The class filled quickly.

  "So, do you stay on campus?"

  "Yes, Bussey Hall," she answered.

  "I'm in the dorms, too. Hey, there's a party at the river tomorrow, a bonfire after the football game. You want to go with me?" He seemed a little unsure of himself, like she might not have noticed he was interested. At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Seth glancing over to them, and it seemed like he was listening. What did he care? What an eavesdropper.

  "Sure, I'd like that.”

  When she answered, she swore Seth grimaced. Tray didn't notice, and he flashed a pleasing smile. Their conversation was quickly interrupted by Professor Whiteman beginning class with a pop quiz. They were then assigned an essay that would be due in a week. Seth glanced back at her at least twice. Then, Professor Whiteman received a note about halfway through and dismissed class early. She noticed Tray was purposely walking slowly so she would catch up to him.

  "Hey, were you eating in the student union today?" Tray asked enthusiastically.

  "Yeah, I was going to meet a friend there.”

  "Why don't you eat with me? You can bring your friend, too."

  "Okay, that sounds great.” She grinned. A surprising sense of joy and anticipation washed over her.

  Tray of course wasn't the Greek god Seth was, but he could hold his own. She saw De Ann waiting by the student union, and her eyes widened. She
could also see the thousand questions crossing her mind that Suzanne would have to answer later in the day.

  When they entered the cafeteria, the line was forming, curving all the way to the door. Suzanne looked back and noticed Seth staring at her. Their eyes met, and he didn't turn away. Why was looking at her?

  Tray sat at the football table. What a cliché, but it was true, even for college campuses. The table was full of jocks and most of the girls were cheerleaders, but there were a few privileged souls like Suzanne. She did recognize one girl, a nursing major named Lauren Bright, the candy striper from the hospital. As usual she was not friendly and gave Suzanne a look with daggers when she sat down beside Tray, but she was shocked Lauren was a cheerleader. Except for her coworker, she was simply accepted. Tray had enough food he could have fed three people. She guessed football players ate more, or maybe it was just nineteen-year-old guys who do that.

  "I'll meet you outside the concession stand, eleven o’clock. Be sure and root for me. Don't forget I'm number thirty-six," he said as he hurried to practice.

  "I'll be there with bells on, I promise.” Her voice was pitched a little higher than usual, and she hoped he’d realize just how very pleased she was. After they finished their lunch, De Ann mentioned she’d forgotten a paper back in the dorm, so Suzanne was left alone. The cafeteria was filtering out, and she thought she’d better head for her next class. The rain had ended, and she wasn't paying much attention, zipping her backpack. When she was exiting the cafeteria, she bumped right into Seth.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry." At first she didn’t know who she’d knocked into and could feel the heat rising on her cheeks, when she looked up and took a shallow breath.

  "That's okay, accidents happen." A definite gleam came over his blue eyes making them brighter than usual. Seth didn't look surprised, almost like he let her bump into him. She didn’t know how she should react to that. The pressing need to rush toward her next class took precedence, but thoughts of Seth lingered with her for the remainder of the day.