A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

The Day

LENA POV

The day started as a mess, and when I woke up this morning, nothing was going right. I missed my alarm clock and rushed out, forgetting my lunch and breakfast. My hair was messy. I fought with my mother on the phone over my Uncle Alvin; I wore the wrong shoes, and it was raining like cats and dogs outside.

It was a disaster. The rain was so heavy and torrential that it was flooding the streets of Manhattan like crazy. Trying to dodge all the giant puddles, a cab speeding past, tossed water all over me from the waist down.

This was not my day at all, and I should have stayed home. I don't see Duke in his usual spot when heading up the elevator to my floor.

Instead, I'm met with Denise, who looks at me over her large reading glasses with a scowl. I was not in the mood for her nasty attitude today or her passive-aggressive crap. My feet were drenched, my hair a wet mop, and I just wanted to drink coffee before I started my day.

"Cutting it close, Adams. I was wondering if I needed to call in reinforcements," she says, and I glare right back at her folding up my soaking wet umbrella.

"No, I am always here for my patients, no matter what."

"Mm." She turns the page of her magazine and I roll my eyes, turning to walk towards my office.

"Good day to you, too, Denise." Shutting my door, I quickly slide out of my shoes and hang up my soaking-wet jacket. Thankfully, I had an extra change of clothes in my office as I pulled out my sneakers and workout pants. I hope to god I won't get sick considering the AC is blowing like crazy and I'm shivering like no other.

"Watch for her today. She's worse than ever!" Duke slowly opens my door and places a cup of coffee and a croissant on my desk. "She's also up in arms because many nurses called out and have been."

"What? Why??" I ask, and he raises his eyebrow, closing the door behind him. Sitting on my desk, he sips his coffee and looks right at me.

"That floor. More and more men are coming in, and the hospital needs help with them. The nurses are scared to death and up in arms over their safety. The ER is overloaded and overrun, too, so anyone who comes in contact with Denise today will get her wrath—including you and me, darling."

Tying my shoelaces, I shake my head. Yes, the situation was scary, but these patients really needed our help.

"Callie called off sick, so you'll have to help with her patients."

"What about Jennifer?"

"Mm, she called off too. She's scared," he says, and I grab my coffee, looking at Jennifer's and Callie's empty desks.

"It's not airborne, Duke."

"I know this, but they are scared. Do you know Karen? She poked herself the other day with a needle by accident that she used on a patient on that floor, and we haven't seen her in days."

Rubbing my forehead, Duke hands me all the patient files from Jennifer and Callie's desks. I can see I have a very full day ahead of me, so I grab two Advil's out of my desk and wash them down with hot coffee.

"Listen, tell me what I can do to help. I'm here, OK? I'll see if I can get everyone to order lunch, and we can have our little picnic here, you and me. There's no reason we all have to be miserable!" Nodding my head, I smile at Duke. He is a lifesaver in more ways than one.

"Thanks, Duke, and thank you for the coffee and croissant. I need it today more than ever."

"Anytime, Miss Lena." Patting my hand, he heads out, and I can only hope this day gets better. I am frazzled, and the last thing I want is for that to affect my patients. Little did I know the day was about to get much worse, and it would be a day that would change my life forever.