Page 185 of The Silver Fox Brother

"Winter, you okay?" Jenna asks, looking up from her camera.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

She doesn't look convinced but she goes back to taking photos.

Tom continues talking about the timeline and I force myself to focus. We discuss the remaining punch list items, the final inspections, the move-in date for the first residents.

"I need to grab the updated material samples from my bag," I say, turning toward where I left it near the kitchen island.

I take two steps and bend down to reach into my bag.

Then I stand up.

Too quickly.

The room tilts violently. My vision tunnels, everything going dark at the edges. I try to steady myself but my legs give out.Then everything goes black.

I wake up to the sound of beeping...

My eyes flutter open and I'm staring at a white ceiling. Fluorescent lights. The sharp smell of antiseptic.

Hospital.

I try to sit up but my head is pounding.

"Easy," a voice says beside me.

"You're okay. Just take it slow."

I turn my head and see a woman in scrubs standing next to the bed. A nurse.

"What happened?" My voice comes out hoarse.

"You fainted at a construction site," the nurse says gently.

"Your colleagues called 911. You're at Mount Sinai."

Fainted.

I remember standing up too quickly. The room spinning. Then nothing.

"How long have I been here?"

"About an hour. The doctor will be in shortly to talk to you."

The nurse checks my vitals, adjusts something on the IV in my arm that I didn't notice until now, and then leaves the room. I lie back against the pillows and close my eyes. A few minutes later, the door opens again. A woman in a white coat enters. She's in her forties, dark hair pulled back in a bun, kind eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"Miss Hayes, I'm Dr. Patel. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess. A little dizzy still."

Dr. Patel pulls up a chair beside my bed and sits down.

"You gave your colleagues quite a scare. Do you remember what happened?"

"I stood up too fast and everything went black."

She nods, making a note on her tablet.