Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Fernando and I are seated at opposite ends of the cabin.
There isn’t much chance for us to talk or interact during the flight.
Not that it matters. Every time I walk past him to use the restroom, he’s sound asleep.
He really is like a cat. I’ve never met a person who can sleep as long as him.
I try to catch a little sleep and watch some movies, but the excitement of traveling to a new country keeps me wide awake.
We land in Lisbon a little ahead of schedule, around eight a.m. local time.
Nervous energy floods my system as I step off the plane and wait for Fernando.
It may be early, but the airport is plenty busy.
I smell coffee, and the aroma of something sweet.
I ate breakfast on the plane, but now I’m starting to get hungry again. Food is my love language.
There are people speaking in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and several other languages I don’t recognize. A grin tugs at my lips—I’m really here. In Portugal. Pulling out my phone, I snap a photo of myself with a Portuguese sign in the background to send to Daphne later.
“Thanks for waiting, Ava.” Fernando swings his duffle bag over his shoulder.
“No problem. It gave me a second to take everything in.” I sniff the air. “Do you know what smells so good?”
Fernando’s eyes light up. “Sí. Follow me” He leads me to a nearby café.
“Pastel de nata,” he says, gesturing toward a tray of small custard-filled tarts with caramelized tops.
“These are a must-try. Let’s grab a couple and a coffee.
I slept through breakfast. These should hold me ’til we get through passport control. ”
We join the queue. “How long did you sleep? The entire flight?”
“No. I woke up once to eat dinner.”
“That was like two hours into the flight,” I tease.
“What can I say, I need my beauty rest.” I shake my head. “How did you pass the time on the flight?” he asks.
“Other than watching movies, I read up on Lisbon.” We move up a few places in the queue. “There’s a lot more to see and do here than I thought. It’s too bad we don’t have more time, or even a car. There’re a couple places outside the city I’d love to visit.”
“I have the time if you want to explore. And renting a car is no big deal. Driving is the best way to get around if you want to maximize what you can see and do. Are you up for it?”
I inhale sharply and bite the inside of my cheek. The thought of spending time in the car with him sends a hum of delight through my body.
“Ava, don’t feel guilty if it’s something you want to do. When I say I’m flexible, I mean it. I leave the planning to my mamá and my tías,” he teases.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.” He nods.
“Will you let me pay for the car and gas?”
“Nope. We’ll have to split it fifty-fifty.”
I blow out air. From the tone of his voice, I doubt he’ll budge on it. At last count, he was ahead in the “doing me favors” category three to one. Now four to one. I owe him big time. “Fine, but I reserve the right to buy you breakfast.”
“Deal.” At least he agreed to that.
We reach the front of the line, and Fernando places our order in Portuguese. Heat rushes to my cheeks as I stare at him, then quickly look away. Here’s another skill I didn’t know he had.
Once we have our bag in hand, we find an empty table, and each take one of the crispy desserts from inside. It’s warm and creamy, a perfect mix of sweet and just a hint of spice, and I’m instantly hooked. I groan in delight. “Okay, if all Portuguese food is this good, I’m in trouble.”
“Spoiler alert, it is all delicious. But Spanish food is even better.” Fernando grins.
“Biased much?” I elbow him lightly.
He chuckles, taking a swig of his coffee. “So here’s what I’m thinking: I say we rent a car, throw our bags in the back, and spend the first part of the day exploring Lisbon on foot. When we’re done, we pick up the car and hit the road. We’ll spend as much or as little time as you want here.”
I agree, and we toast our coffee cups together to seal the deal.
As we make our way out of the airport and into the city, the citizens of Lisbon are bustling around us. The morning sun glints off the intricate tiles beneath our feet, and the air is filled with the smell of freshly baked pastries and a hint of salt from the nearby river.
We begin a stroll through the streets of Alfama, a labyrinth of narrow alleys and colorful buildings with tiled facades. It’s just like the pictures in the tour book, except they’re real.
Fernando gives me a smile that feels both mischievous and inviting. “Are you ready to get going?”
“I was born ready. Lead the way, Senor Tour Guide.”
“Full disclosure, don’t count on me to be a very good tour guide.” He rubs the back of his neck. “We’ll probably get lost within the first five minutes.”
“It can’t be that bad. You said you’ve been here before.”
“I have, but my friends were in charge of the sightseeing.” He shakes his head. “I’m, uh, terrible with directions and keeping track of time. I set timers for everything. When I moved to Sequoia Valley, the first week was a nightmare.”
“Sure,” I deadpan.
“No, I’m serious.”
“Sequoia Valley is a small town. It’s hard to get that lost. There are only three main roads,” I challenge, placing my hands on my hips.
“You’d think so, but when I tried to get to my cabin from Millie’s Steakhouse my first week in town, I ended up near the Jasper Ridge Canyon.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “That’s about forty-five minutes in the opposite direction.”
“Believe me, I know.” He face-palms. “Gemma and Tim wouldn’t let me forget about it for months. I still have no idea how I managed to end up there.”
“Didn’t you notice you’d been driving for more than ten minutes?”
“No. I got distracted by my music,” he says. “The, um, same thing happened a couple days later.” His cheeks flush. “Instead of going to Lake Wakahanra, I ended up in Fresno.”
I laugh even harder. Fresno’s three hours out of the way. “I guess that means I’m in charge of the navigation.”
“It would be for the best,” he admits.
“I can relate to getting lost in what you’re doing.
” We turn the corner and head past a large open square where vendors are beginning to set up their market stalls.
“When I’m in vet mode, I’m fully focused on my patient.
Nothing else matters but me being able to give them the best possible care I can. ”
“That’s what makes you an excellent doctor.”
I dry cough. “Maybe and maybe not. Working slower means I can’t see as many patients in a day as other clinics.
When Dylan was around, it didn’t matter as much since he worked twice as fast. Even though he made a few mistakes, his patient load made up for mine.
Going forward, I’ll have to learn to pick up my pace. ”
It stings a little knowing I won’t be able to be as thorough as I’d like.
I don’t want to miss any important symptoms my patients might have.
The littlest thing like losing some hair might make a big difference.
Especially since animals can’t speak. Well, not counting parrots and other species of birds that can mimic and repeat human words.
Fernando cocks his head to the side. “Why do you have to work quicker? I would think a lot of people would appreciate you really taking the time to listen to them and understand their concerns.”
“They would, except less people means less revenue. And my bills won’t stop just because there’s one less vet.
” We slow our pace as we ascend a hill. My breathing increases.
I can’t believe I’m sharing this with him.
I haven’t really admitted my problems to anyone, although I’m sure Vicki has an inkling.
“I could raise my prices, but vet care is already expensive enough.”
“I see.”
“This stays strictly between us, but when Dylan announced he was leaving, many of our female clientele left too.”
Fernando stops for a moment. “I’m sorry?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. We used to have a lot of clients who came only to see Dylan.”
“He wasn’t that good-looking,” Fernando mutters under his breath. “Some people are so shallow.”
“I take it you have some personal experience with flirtatious women?”
He grimaces, and a dark look passes over his face. “More than you know.”
I think back to how polite he was with Vicki and remember how he couldn’t wait to get out of the practice as soon as he was done with the clinic because of her. What happened in his past?
We start walking again. Fernando returns the subject to me. “It sounds like we need to find you some more clients.”
“That’s always the goal.” I rub the back of my neck.
“It was a major stressor before the vacation. I’m trying to block it out now, but it’s still in the back of my mind.
I’ll have to come up with a really good marketing strategy.
I have my sister to help, but compared to the Lake Wakahanra Animal Clinic, my advertising budget is pennies.
” And they have a few very handsome male vets I also can’t compete against.
“No stress allowed. You’re on vacation.” We make another left on a street so narrow that we’re forced to walk single file.
“All you need is a little help. If you’re open to it, one of my bosses, Leslie, is a marketing genius.
I’m sure she’d love to help you out. She’d be all over helping another female business owner.
” He glances over his shoulder. “Leslie and her brother built up the business at the Sequoia Valley Ice Sports Complex from scratch. She’s the reason there’s always a waiting list for our hockey program. ”
Ding. Ding. Ding. He just admitted he’s a hockey coach! I was close on the consultant thing. “She sounds like a force to be reckoned with,” I muse as I soak in the scene before us.
“She is, believe me.”
“If you think she’d be willing to offer some advice, I’ll take it.”
“Perfécto. Remind me and I’ll give you her contact information as soon as you’re back.”
“I will.”
At the top of a hill, we reach a majestic vista point overlooking the city. The view takes my breath away: red-tiled roofs stretching out to meet the Tagus River, the bridge arching over the water in the distance, and beyond it, the soft rise of the hills.
“Beautiful,” I whisper.
“Sí, it is.”
We stand in silence, each lost in our thoughts.
I should be soaking in Lisbon, but my mind is whirling with thoughts about Fernando.
I steal a glance in his direction. His sculpted arms are resting on the safety railing.
The morning light is half hitting his face like a spotlight, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and lightening his dark-brown locks.
If I saw a photo of him like this on a dating app, I wouldn’t hesitate to click on his profile.
I study his body again. He has massive legs to go with his imposing upper body. I bet he was an international star. I don’t know much about hockey, but I might have just found a reason to start watching a few games.
We spend the next couple of hours hopping from one place to the next without any clear plans or destination in mind.
We see the famous Belém Tower, its stone arches and turrets rising proudly against the backdrop of the Tagus River, and the beautiful Gothic spires and intricate stonework of the Jerónimos Monastery.
By the late afternoon, we’re in the heart of the old town, Praca do Comércio. It’s a massive open square by the river with views that stretch to the hills. Street musicians play softly nearby, the warm breeze carrying the melody as we sit on a bench, sharing more pastel de natas.
“How are you doing, Ava? Is my aimless wandering stressing you out?” Fernando asks, polishing off the last pastry in the takeaway bag.
“I’m enjoying myself more than I have in a long time. I thought I might get FOMO, but Lisbon is a lot more fun when you don’t have to rush from site to site,” I answer honestly, watching some ships slowly sail past us in the distance.
This morning, it was a struggle to not look at a map or pull out my phone every time we got lost, but now that it’s been a couple hours, it’s starting to feel more natural.
“What’s FOMO?” Fernando wrinkles his forehead. “I’ve never heard that before.”
“The fear of missing out.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” He chuckles. “Even after all this time, there’s still some English words that are foreign to me. Usually, it’s something the kids at work say, like bruh or rizz. By the time I learn what it means, those slang terms are out.”
“Do you ever try to use them in a sentence?” I joke.
“Once or twice, but all I got were blank stares.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I have no idea what either of those words mean.” As I finish my snack, I take inventory of my body. My eyes itch, my feet are sore, and I can’t stop yawning. “I think after this, I’ll be ready to head to the car. The jet lag is starting to catch up with me.”
“You’re the boss.” He starts to collect some of our garbage. “I’ll leave it up to you, but when we leave Lisbon, there are two different routes we could take. We could travel up Portugal’s coast toward Porto, or we can travel south and into Spain.”
“Fernando,” I whine. “That’s stressful. Can’t you make the decision for me?”
“Nuh-uh. This adventure is for you. You’re the one who makes the call.”
I huff and rub my temples. “I’m starting to get a headache just thinking about it. I guess I’d better check the guidebook.”
“No.” He places a hand on mine to stop me from reaching inside my bag. It’s warm and sends a few tingles up my arm. “You don’t want to give yourself FODO. Go with your first instinct.”
“It’s FOMO, and way to use my words against me.”
He shrugs in a silent apology.
I take a deep breath. Most of the reading I did on the plane was on Portugal.
It has so much unique history and quite a few cities and places I definitely want to visit again in the future.
Spending the rest of the day driving up Portugal’s coast could scratch some of that itch, but I came here for Spain.
I’ve already lost a day thanks to the flight cancellation.
I don’t want any more of my short time here to get eaten up. “We’ll go southeast into Spain.”