Page 13 of Havenfall Harbor
“Yes, she showed me around a little last night, and invited me to join her and some friends for dinner.”
We reach the entrance of the stairs and I grab the newel post. “Are you going to lunch? You’re welcome to join us.”
Griffin looks down the stairs where a few people are milling about. “You’re inviting me to lunch?” he asks, a little incredulous, and a small grin appears on his lips before it’s wiped away like it was never there. “Another time,” he tells me before I can form a response. Griffin tips his chin down slightly and turns back the way we came. I assume he forgot something in his office. I make note of the fact that his office must be in the corner just next to mine.
“Raincheck,” I mutter, and head down the stairs once he’s out of sight. I can’t help but wonder if not saying goodbye and just leaving conversations is a normal thing for him, or all supernaturals. I’ll have to pay better attention to others.
Chapter 5
Quinn
“A girl could get usedto this,” I comment happily, and lean back in my chair. It’s the first time in the past two days I’ve done more than pick at my food. Everything I put on my plate was delicious, and now my pants feel too tight.
“I opt for leggings to accommodate my food baby.” Alice rubs her hand over her flat stomach, sensing my meaning.
I let out a little scoff of disbelief. Her leggings look like liquid leather. Her top is loose and flowing, but it doesn’t hide her great figure beneath, it somehow highlights it.
“What? If it wasn’t for my awesome shifter metabolism, I would be huge, and I wouldn’t even care. I love food too much.” Alice licks her spoon as if to prove a point. It’s the first time she’s mentioned she’s a shifter.
I look down at my watch. “I need to get going.” I’m a little slow to rise.
“We didn’t even get to talk about your first day yet.” Alice rises with me.
“Not much to say, my appointment with Director Stone was canceled.” I give a shrug while placing my tray where it belongs.
“Really? I wonder why,” Alice whispers conspiratorially. “I’ll have to ask Millie what’s going on.”
“Millie, that’s the woman I met last night?” I push out the doors and my stomach already feels a little better after walking a bit, or I have more room when I’m standing up.
“Yeah, she’s one of Stone’s assistants.” Alice matches her pace to mine.
“I thought the voice was familiar. I think she was the one who called and canceled the meeting this morning.”
Alice nods. “Could have been, I haven’t seen her today.”
I don’t mention the chill in her friend’s voice. Instead, I tell her, “I have a meeting at one thirty with Mr. Brock.”
“Sorry.” Alice winces then chuckles. “I’m just teasing. He’s nice enough, a bore for a vampire, but nice enough.” I use my keycard to get us back into the school wing, and Alice leaves me at the stairs so she can head back to her classroom.
I contemplate the elevator but decide to use the stairs instead. I pass a few people on my rather slow ascend. Some smile and others ignore me as they rush past. All in all, pretty average stuff for a newbie, I would say.
I’m slightly winded when I reach my door, but I take the time to notice the only other door after mine at the end of the corridor. Idly, I wonder if it’s Griffin’s office. It would make sense, seeing he was near my door twice today.
It only takes a moment to unlock my office door, which I again leave open. I want to encourage an open-door policy, literally. I probably won’t have any meetings with the students until I get a little more acclimated, but I’m also hoping it will make me more approachable to my colleagues as well. And if a certain, dark-haired stranger wants to pop his head in again, I wouldn’t be opposed.
I settle behind my desk long enough to wake up my computer and get my work email account opened before I hear a tapping on the door. When I look up, I notice a lanky young man, maybe around fourteen, lingering between the door and the hallway, as if he’s not sure if he wants to come farther into my office.
I stand and offer a warm smile. “Hi, I’m Quinn.” The kid peers down at his shoes for a second then glances up at me.
“Mr. Albert said I should come see you,” he announces reluctantly.
“Come in, come in,” I urge him, moving around my desk to take a seat in one of the chairs on the opposite side. I want him to feel comfortable, so being on the other side of the desk doesn’t leave us on equal footing.
The kid enters slowly, like he’s still not sure he’s in the right place before easing into the chair next to me.
“Thanks for coming to see me…?” I pause, hoping he’ll fill in his name.
“Jon,” he supplies.
