My head jerks up. “What?”
He grimaces. “It happens when a mum gets really irritated. In that case, we’d have to bring Crumpet into the house until she’s bigger. She’s too weak to be alone.”
“Oh.” For some reason, my eyes burn.
A shadow falls over me. “Summer.” Cameron scowls down at me. “Why are you here?”
“I can go if you want.”
He shifts his weight off his leg. “Stay. Just tell me why you’re here.”
“My head is being loud,” I say honestly.
He considers that for a moment and then opens his jacket and pulls out a brown paper bag. “You want a job? Sheep nuts. Shake the bag and distract the ewes so we can keep an eye on the babies.”
I’m pretty sure sitting on the floor and shaking a bagis a made-up job, but I take it anyway. When I open the bag, the feed smells green and sweet. I rustle it experimentally.
Within seconds, I am surrounded by a ring of fluffy adult sheep, all staring at me intently.
“You can hand-feed them,” Cameron adds. “They won’t bite.”
I pour some feed into my hand. Viola is the first to push forwards, snuffling the pellets right off my palm. The other sheep start to jostle for a turn. One licks my ear, making me laugh. As I scoop out more food, I notice Crumpet creeping closer to me.
“She’s obsessed with you,” Fraser notes, amused. “Thinks you’re her mum.”
Well, at least a sheep likes me. I quickly gather Crumpet up and plop her in my lap. She sticks her nose in the crook of my elbow, and I feel a weight lift off my chest.
We stay in the paddock for the rest of the morning. I pet Crumpet and feed the ewes, and Fraser and Cameron watch over the lambs as they explore. As the sun arcs overhead, the adrenaline slowly leaches out of me. It’s hard to have a nervous breakdown when cute animals are climbing all over you.
Eventually, Fraser checks his phone and whistles for Scout. “That’s enough for one morning. Alec says he’s made food. Leave the wee one with us, and we’ll join you in a few.”
I jolt to attention. If Alec’s made lunch, he must be done with his call. I can check my apology post. I settle Crumpet carefully on the grass and jump to my feet. “See you there.” I practically run out of the field.
“Christ. She must be hungry,” I hear Fraser mumble behind me.
As soon as I get back inside the farmhouse, I reconnect my phone to the internet. My heart thuds in my chest as I pull up my apology. It already has thousands of comments. The words swim as I scan through them.
You were overwhelmed? From taking pictures of yourself?
Bestie maybe just log off if social media is so hard for you xx
I knew she’d play the victim card. YOU CRIED OVER A LIPSTICK LMAO
This is so unbelievably pathetic. You should just die.
I feel like I’ve been hit.
You should just die.
Oh…
“Summer.”
I jump and spin around. Alec is in front of me, arms crossed.
“Are you joining us for lunch?” he asks exasperatedly. He sounds like he’s asked me multiple times.
“Er…” I look back down at the screen.
