Chapter 11 #2
It’s only the two of us. I’m fully aware that his large body is pressed right up to mine. His hands are wrapped around my waist, helping me glide back and forth. I hear the low, soothing rumble of his voice counting out, “One-two, one-two. Yes. Just like that.”
The longer we dance together, the higher the temperature of my internal furnace climbs, and the more rapidly my stomach somersaults.
Being near this man has awakened my body.
It’s alive and buzzing with enough energy to power a small solar system.
I haven’t felt this way since I discovered my feelings for Dylan.
Before I know it, however, the music ends. We stop moving and there’s clapping. My eyes open. “Well done, Ava. I knew you could do it.”
It’s back to reality. I’m hot and clammy. I step back, releasing him. “Thanks, Fernando, that was, er . . . what I mean is, um, thanks.
“You said that already,” he teases. “Are you thirsty? I sure am.” He lifts the hem of his shirt and pats his brow, exposing a flash of skin and two little squares of muscle that disappear into the waistband of his jeans. I dry swallow. “How about some orange juice? It’s what Seville is famous for.”
“No surprise, given all the orange trees.” I laugh nervously, fanning myself, all too happy to have a distraction. “Do they make a shaved ice or ice cream?”
“I’m sure they do.”
I will myself to focus on the oranges, but I’m failing miserably. I’m dying for another flash of what’s under Fernando’s shirt.
“Are you okay? Your cheeks are all pink.”
“I’m good,” I chirp, my ears burning. “I must’ve just been out in the sun a little too long. I’ll be fine once we rehydrate.”
Ugh, that sounds so lame. But it’s the best excuse I can come up with.
We stroll side by side from the main plaza into a beautiful green park with a quaint café nestled under a canopy of palm and orange trees.
The tables are shaded by bright umbrellas, and a chalkboard menu out front proudly advertises zumo de naranja fresco—fresh orange juice—and helado de naranja—orange ice cream.
“Here we go. Let’s try this place,” Fernando says, leading the way to an empty table.
We place an order and settle into our chairs.
A server brings out a large juice for Fernando and a bowl of orange sorbet for me.
For a moment, we’re content to sit in companionable silence, enjoying the cool treats and the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
He wasn’t kidding about the flavor. The ice cream is delicious, not too sweet or tangy.
“Have you had a chance to get in touch with your parents yet? I know you said they wouldn’t mind if I stole you for a day or two, but I still feel guilty about it,” I say.
He leans back in his chair and stretches. “It’s on my list of things to do this afternoon. I sent Mamá a text, but who knows if she’ll read it today or a few days from now. At least if I call her, I know she’ll get the message.”
“What about your dad? Is he just as bad with texts?” I ask, taking another bite of the sorbet and letting it melt on my tongue.
“Worse. He owns a flip phone and only carries it and turns it on when my madre makes him. She’s always worried he might get stuck on the side of the road or have some other type of emergency, but he insists he’ll be fine no matter what.”
I giggle. “It seems like a typical thing a man might say.”
“I get my stubbornness from him,” Fernando jokes. “What about your parents? Are they tech savvy?”
“Kind of. They know the basics of how to use a smartphone and computer, but that’s about it. Anytime there’s a problem with the Wi-Fi, or they get a new device or something like that, it falls to my sister or me to fix or set it up.” I sigh.
“I should call today too. I’ll just have to be careful not to mention you.” Quickly, I realize what I’ve said, and I sit up taller in my seat. “It’s nothing personal,” I sputter. “I just don’t want them knowing that I’m alone with a guy.”
“It’s okay. I understand.” Fernando nods. “Have you told them about what happened with the guy from the airport?”
“My sister knows, but not Mom. I haven’t gotten around to telling her yet.
She liked Dylan a lot. He always turned on the charm around her.
It wasn’t a secret that she hoped we’d become an item since we were friends for so long.
” I rub my temples. “I’ve been able to avoid the lecture on letting men get away from me for a while, but once she knows he’s gone, it’s game over.
I’m really not in the mood to hear it from her. ”
“Is she one of those mamás who wants you to hurry up, get married, and start a family?”
I nod glumly. “Yep. Mom thinks my career should take a back seat to my love life since, according to her, my ‘biological clock is ticking’ and ‘there’ll be plenty of time in the future to practice veterinary medicine.’” I can hear her voice echoing around in my head as I shake it.
“I get that she loves me and means well, but I want to do things on my own timeline.”
I draw a few small circles on the table, once again not believing how much I’m sharing with the man across from me. More than I’ve shared with my own sister at times. He seems to have a knack for being able to get me to open up.
“There are some things that are universal among mamás. Wanting their single children to be in a long-term, lasting relationship is one of them.”
I lift my head. “You too?”
“Yes.” He runs a hand through his hair, messing up some of the curls. “Mamá isn’t subtle about dropping hints that it’s time for me to settle down. But my aunts are the worst offenders.”
“How bad is it?”
“Bad.” He strokes his jaw. “Last year, the tías set me up on a series of dates. But they conveniently forgot to tell me. Every time they asked me to run an errand for them, it involved a beautiful woman. I didn’t connect the dots until the third or fourth time it happened.”
I try hard to hold in the laughter, but I can’t. It bursts out like a donkey’s bray. And a moment later, he’s laughing too. “I can’t believe the lengths your family will go to!”
“I’m dreading what scheme they’ve come up with this year. I wish they’d just accept that I’m happy being single and I don’t want to be in a relationship. All it leads to is pain.”
His tone is flat, and as soon as I hear it, I want to ask what happened in his past. He’s handsome, funny, and kind. If I were looking for a guy to date, he’d check all the boxes.
Despite my morbid curiosity, it’s not about me. It’s about him. Now isn’t the time or the place to pry. He needs to vent, not face an inquisition. He’s trusting me, as a friend, with a part of himself, and I want to respect that.
We sit in silence again for a few more minutes and I finish up the sorbet. Then Fernando changes the subject. “Have you thought about how you’re going to get from here to Barcelona?”
“The train?” I shrug. “I haven’t checked the schedule, but I’m sure they run pretty frequently.”
“They do. But I’ve had another idea.” He clears his throat. “What would you say about taking the rest of the week to drive there?”
My eyes widen and I blink a few times. “Drive the rest of the way? Together? All seven hundred miles?” My pulse is taking off as fast as a hummingbird’s wings, fluttering a thousand times a second.
I’ve had a blast with Fernando so far. The thought of spending even more time with him in the car is like discovering one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets.
I’m on the verge of shouting yes, but stop myself at the last second. “What about you and your plans?”
He rests his elbows on the table. “I was just thinking it would give you a lot more flexibility to see everything on your list. And now that you know about my family, you know why I’m not in a rush to be set up on a series of dates.”
“I should do the polite thing and refuse . . .” I hesitate.
“If I told you I was going to drive anyway, would that help you say yes?” he asks softly.
His eyes glisten with amusement as I study him and dry swallow.
I’m getting lost in his rich cinnamon-colored eyes to the point of being hypnotized.
My brain is telling me, “Say yes. Just say yes.” We are both going to the same place.
If he’s driving anyway, I guess it’s not any extra trouble. “Okay,” I whisper.
“Brilliant.” He sits up tall. “Be prepared to see a side of Spain most tourists never get to.”
“I’m more than ready.” I shoot him a tight smile, wondering what I’ve just gotten myself into.