“No. I was having trouble figuring out the websites. I was hoping a hotel concierge could do it for me.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t.” His Adam’s apple bobs up and down. “If you’re open to it, I have another idea.”
“Oh?”
“How would you feel about spending the day with me? I’d love to show you Portugal’s capital city.”
“What?” I sputter, knocking my hand into my glass of water and spilling a little on the table. “I can’t ask you to play tour guide! You’re on vacation too. And a few days late, I might add.”
“We’re both headed to the same destination, and my parents won’t mind if I get into Santa Luz a little later than expected.” He waves me off. “Actually, you’d be doing me a favor. Whenever I go home, Mamá lets me hang out around the house for about a day before she puts me to work. There’s always a long list of things she wants fixed, cleaned, or built.”
I slowly pat the spot of water dry with a napkin. It’s tempting.And I want to say yes, but should I? Or am I playing with fire? Is Fernando my rebound guy? “I don’t know...”
He glances to the other side of the room, then winces. “This isn’t a date or anything like that. I just thought... well never mind what I thought. I clearly wasn’t thinking and?—”
To Hades with it. One day won’t matter. “Fernando, quit apologizing. I know you’re just being nice. You just caught me off guard.”
“Does that mean you’re game?”
I take a long drink of water. This trip is all about embracing my inner Daphne and learning to loosen up. I can’t stress out when my plans change. Especially when they’re outside my control. Besides, the last few times Fernando and I have been together, I’ve had a great time. The thought of spending more time alone with him sets my heart aflutter. “I’ll do it.”
“Fantástico!” He smiles widely.
We get up and deposit our dirty dishes near the trash cans. We have about twenty minutes before we’re supposed to board. Fernando excuses himself and says he’ll meet me at the gate. He has an errand he needs to take care of.
As I walk toward the boarding area, I’m relieved to have a little time to myself. My mind has been running on overload the last hour or so. I’m only just processing all that’s happened.
I’m taking Fernando’s words to heart. I do deserve more. I still can’t believe he came to my rescue like that in front of Dylan. That kiss and the warm, dizzying sensations of delight it sent through my body linger at the forefront of my mind. Sigh. That’ll live rent free in my brain for a good couple of months.
Finding an empty seat, I set my backpack down and shuffle around a few items. Fernando joins me a couple minutes later. “Did you take care of what you needed to do?” I ask as he slides into the seat next to me.
“Uh-huh.” He slips a plastic bag from one of the airport book stands onto my lap. “This is for you.”
“Thanks, but you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I know, but I wanted to.” From another smaller bag, he holds up a pack of cherry-red Swedish Fish. “Don’t worry, I got myself something too.”
“You didn’t go for the chocolate raisins? Or the yogurt ones? Those are so much better. The Swedish Fish always get stuck in my teeth.”
He wrinkles his nose. “No. Those sound disguising. Raisins shouldn’t be covered in chocolate. Or yogurt.”
“You’re missing out.”
“Nope, I’ve got the only candy I need right here.” He tears open the bag and takes a couple. “Go on. Enough stalling. Open it.”
Reaching inside my own bag, I expect candy, but instead, my hand closes around a book. As I slide it out, my breath catches. “You got me a guidebook on Portugal and Spain?”
“Sí. I didn’t have much time to look at all the books in the shop, but this one seemed to have the best maps. I figured that since you’re a planner, and the flight is a little over twelve hours, you might want to pick out what you want to see.”
I run a hand over the glossy cover of the book, my heart thumping a few extra beats a minute. “Thank you. I will.” I clutch it to my chest.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re ready to begin boarding. We’d like to ask if you’re holding a business-class ticket to go ahead and join the queue on the left-hand side. For everyone else, please wait until the section and zone number printed on your boarding pass are called.”
“Shall we, Ava?”
I nod. “Let’s go.”
Ignoring the passengers hovering around the gate area, we join the queue on the left and make our way onto the plane. Our adventure is about to begin.
