“Got it.” I nod.
He relaxes as he wraps his arms around me and squeezes. “Thank you, Ava. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“You’re welcome.” His body is warm and inviting. The scent of his citrusy cologne lingers in the air. I don’t want him to let go. It’s like relaxing against a top-of-the-line recliner.
As he releases me, he mutters, “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this,” and scrubs his eyelids with the back of his hand.
I’ve faced vet school, the exam boards, complicated surgeries, and my fair share of difficult patients. Could dealing with Fernando’s family really be tougher than all of those experiences? I guess it won’t be long until I find out.
“I’ll try and find ways for us to spend as much time aspossible outside my parents’ home. Letting my mamá know it’s your first time in Spain should help. She’ll insist I personally show you everything there is to see around Barcelona and Santa Luz,” Fernando says.
We advance up a few places in line as nine o’clock hits and the Alhambra opens.
“We’ll have to make sure we’re on the same page, too, about how we met, how long we’ve been together, and all the stuff that couples usually know about one another. With you being here with me, the tías are going to expect we’ve been together a while and that it’s serious. It’s been a long time since I’ve brought a woman home.”
I place a hand on his forearm. “We still have a few days before we get to Santa Luz and plenty of time to iron out all the nitty-gritty details. I won’t let anything slip by. Remember who you’re talking to.” I wink. “You may be a great coach, but I’m an excellent vet. Being able to recall the tiniest details is what I do on a daily basis.”
“You’re a great friend, Ava. I was lucky the day I called your clinic.”
My cheeks warm at the thought of being called a great friend. I push it to the back of my mind. I shouldn’t be feeling this light around him. I shouldn’t be noticing the curve of his smile or the warmth in his laugh, or the way I feel safer beside him than I ever did next to Dylan. I can’t risk falling for another friend.
The Alhambra is majestic. I’ve taken over a hundred pictures so far and won’t be stopping anytime soon. I hope my SD card has enough memory. Every time we enter a new room, I feel like a person who is seeing a sky full of stars away from the bright lights of the city for the first time. There is so much to look at that I don’t know where to focus.
Take, for instance, the room known as the Court of the Lions. There’s a gorgeous ornate fountain that has twelve marble lions shooting water from their mouths, elegant slender columns withdelicate carvings resembling lace, and a series of ancient Arabic inscriptions written on the walls.
Or the Hall of the Abencerrajes, which has a breathtaking dome containing an intricately carved canopy of stars. Skylights stream down from the ceiling, creating golden beams that dance across the floor. Each detail seems so delicate, it’s as though the patterns have been spun from silk rather than stone.
“I can’t believe humans made all this. It doesn’t seem possible,” I say to Fernando as we linger just outside the Generalife Gardens, their manicured hedges framing a series of bubbling fountains that stretch toward the horizon. The fragrance of orange blossoms and jasmine drifts through the air.
Fernando smiles, his hands resting casually in his pockets. “That’s why I had to bring you here. It’s one of the closest places we can get to a fairy-tale setting in this region of Spain.”
“I’m glad you did. I would’ve kicked myself if we’d missed it.”
We find a bench and sit down, taking a moment to rest our feet. It’s about one p.m. We’ve spent the last couple of hours exploring. I cross one leg over the other and massage my tight calf muscles. “What are those mountains in the distance?”
“The Sierra Nevada.”
“Just like back home in California.”
We exchange a quick laugh. “Sí, there are a lot of things California has that often remind me of Spain.”
“Do you ever miss it here?”
He takes a moment to consider my question. “Sometimes. There are elements of Spain I miss, like my family, and the food, but overall, I’m happy with living in the States. I’ve created a life for myself that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
“Can you tell me a little bit more about your friends, like Gemma and Tim? I feel like I should know them inside and out. If we were in a real relationship, we’d spend a lot of time hanging out with them.”
“Sure, but only if we can take turns asking one another questions. I want to know all about your friends too.”
“That’s fair.” I snort.
Being a gentleman, Fernando lets me ask the first set of questions. “How did you become friends with Gemma?”
“She and our other friend Frankie were the two women I partnered most of the time I was with Dreams on Ice. We spent most of our waking hours practicing, performing, and traveling together.”
“And you didn’t want to date them?”
He makes a face. “No. I love them like sisters. And I have a strict ‘no dating other skaters’ rule.”
