"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm just… I got lightheaded for a second, but I'm okay. Just give me a second."
I had fainted a few times growing up, and I knew the feeling. I knew I would hold it off this time. I took another deep breath and opened my eyes to find the half-naked hunk kneeling in front of me, staring at me with a look of sweet concern.
I had to smile. "I'm fine," I promised him. "I'm just going to sit here for a second. You can… go get clothes on."
He popped onto his feet like he agreed with me about getting dressed. "I'm sorry if I scared you and made you do that," he said.
"Don't worry about it," I said, glancing absentmindedly at the toilet paper holder.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes. But how big is this going to get?" I asked, still thinking of the phrase goose egg.
"I think not much bigger than it is now," he said, sounding assured.
I felt a wave of relief when I touched it and realized it was nowhere near the size of a real egg. At least I didn't think it was. I would inspect it again once he got out of there.
"I'm fine," I said, not looking at him.
He seemed to understand that I meant it because I saw him start to retreat out of the bathroom. I stood and stared at the spot in the mirror. There was a line, an indentation, that was bruise colored, and then there was a whelp all around it. It was not going to kill me, but it was mortifying to go downstairs with it. And it hurt.
Was I okay?
I had to be okay if I could think about how embarrassing it was. In an effort to make it go down, I turned on the cold water in the sink. I scooped some in my hand and held it as best as I could to the injured area.
My bell was officially rung.
I looked at it for another minute before I went downstairs.
The whole thing was as much of an ordeal as I thought it would be.
Jen Sutter felt terrible, and she gave me an ice pack and checked to make sure my pupils were dilating properly. My sister was shocked, and everyone treated me like I was made of glass the whole time we ate.
I was vaguely aware of the guy coming into the kitchen and talking to his mom while Ty and I were at the dining table eating. He was in and out, and I didn't look that way. My sister had no idea that he had been in there with me when it happened. There wasn't a reason why I kept it from her—there was just no reason to tell her about it.
We ate, and then Jen came and joined us at the table where she told us what to expect for the next two days. She also showed us the same map of the property and explained where we could go alone. She stressed how important it was that we stayed out of the barns and the pastures unless we were with someone who worked there.
We were still sitting at the table when her husband came inside. He waved at us from across the room.
"Henry said he'll stay tonight," she informed him, holding her cupped hand to the side of her mouth.
He smiled but shook his head in denial. "I'll still take him home. I have to go to town, anyway," he said.
"These are our guests," Jen said. "Amelia and Ty. They're going to be in that movie Judd's making."
"Oh, okay, great. It's nice meeting you both," the man said, giving us a wave and nod before taking off, heading down a hallway. He was handsome—like an older version of their son.
"He's a man of few words," she said, shaking her head as he left the room. "What were you saying about your sister starting a business?" she asked Ty the question, but it was about me, so she turned to me, and I smiled.
"Yes, ma'am, I'm really close to my dog. I'm hoping to open a dog place—a play yard, kennel, training facility type of place."
"Like a dog park?"
"Yes, and more… an indoor-outdoor facility with room for agility training and everything."
"Is that where they do the tricks? Like the tunnels and everything?"
