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As if his fingers are remotely connected to my skin, the side of my head gives an answering throb.
“I’m more worried about the back of your head where you hit the pavement.” Concern furrows his brows. “You might have a slight concussion. Do you feel okay? Is there someone I can call?”
“No. I’m fine. I’m meeting my sister soon.” I shift, propping myself up on my hands so I can push myself to standing.
He stands and offers his hand.
I take it, thankful for the warm, stable grip as he smoothly pulls me to my feet.
After a second, I let go and immediately waver on my heels.
“Whoa there.” His hands clasp my shoulders, steadying me.
My face goes hot with embarrassment. I am not some damsel in distress. I grit my teeth and pull myself together, brushing dirt and leaves off my navy-blue slacks.
“Thank you for your help. You can release me now.”
He does, immediately, but the worried divot between his brows deepens. “Do you have any nausea?”
“No.”
“Blurry vision, ringing in your ears, or lightheadedness?”
I eye him with curiosity. “Are you a doctor?”
“Used to be.”
I squint at him. “You seem young to have retired from a career that requires over a decade of school and residency.”
One corner of his mouth tips up, a faint dimple appearing in his cheek. “Now, why can’t I tell if that’s a compliment or an accusation?”
Unfamiliar heat stirs in the pit of my stomach.
What is that?
Attraction.
The same annoying sensation that got me into my current mess.
After a second, he rubs the back of his head, his gaze darting away. “I skipped a few grades, and the emergency medicine program I was in only had a three-year residency.” Pink tinges his cheeks, like he’s embarrassed at the admission.
I’m still reeling that I’m somewhat attracted to this handsome stranger—is he a stranger? I could swear I’ve seen him somewhere before, the memory hovering at the edges of my mind.
I must be imagining things. Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought.
“Thanks for all your help. I have to go. My sister is waiting for me.”
I move around him.
“Wait, Mindy,” he calls out.
I turn around.
He opens his mouth as if to speak and then changes his mind and shakes his head. “Never mind. Just promise me you’ll see a doctor if any symptoms crop up or worsen. Okay?”
“Yeah. I will.”
Heading back the way I came, I attempt to shrug off the strangeness of the encounter.
