“He did once, but otherwise, no.” I take a deep breath. “I didn’t ask either. I never wanted it to seem like I was fishing for an invitation.”
As I raise my head, I see his nostrils flare. “If the jerk knew you were going to be alone, you shouldn’t have had to ask. An invitation should’ve been a given.”
“I guess,” I say slowly.
“No, Ava. No guessing. It’s not normal for friends to leave other friends hanging. Especially for someone you claim was your best friend.” Fernando mutters under his breath in Spanish. His eyes have darkened. It’s almost as if they’re swirling storm clouds on the verge of coming together and forming a hurricane. “If I had been there, you would never have been alone.”
There it is again. Somebody pointing out that my friendship with Dylan was one-sided. Was it always that way? Was I so blinded by love that I chose to overlook it? “I appreciate that.”
Fernando reaches a hand and places it on top of mine. “I can’t make up for the past, but as long as I’m around, you’ll always have a standing invitation to spend time with me.” His fingers gently brush against my skin. “Once the gang meets you, they’ll want you around all the time too.”
“Thank you,” I whisper. My body feels like I’ve been sitting in a sauna. Steam would be billowing out of my ears if that were possible. “Twenty-something Ava wishes she could’ve met you a couple years ago.”
“Ditto. I wish that too.” He holds my gaze. His eyes are the color of warm gingerbread today. “So, um, going back to the Christmas market...” He runs a hand through his hair and clears his throat. “I noticed that Madrid’s opened this past weekend. I was gonna ask if you wanted to visit it, but now I don’t want to bring up any bad or painful memories. We can skip it and do something else if you’d like.”
Again, he’s surprising me. I don’t know what to say. Men aren’t usually so thoughtful or in tune with emotions. Someone like Fernando usually only exists in books or in Hallmark movies. But here’s a living, breathing prince among men. Well, ex-prince, if I’m being technical.
“What if I want to go? I’m so tired of living in the past.”
He takes a moment to reply. “I’m the genie of the lamp—your wish is my command.”
I chuckle. “Is that a quote fromAladdin?”
“Sí, good guess. The Genie is one of my three favorite characters.”
“And the other two are?”
“Aladdin and Raja the tiger.” He relaxes against the plush backing of his seat.
A smile twitches on my face. “I can see the Genie for his humor. Aladdin for his wit and energy. But I’m baffled by why you like Princess Jasmine’s tiger.”
“Raja’s like me. He loves his naps.”
I face-palm as he laughs.
“Did you know a tiger averages sixteen to twenty hours of sleep per day? That’s my kind of feline.”
“I did, actually. Tigers were one of the animals I worked with at the Colorado Zoo when I was doing my residency.”
“Really?” He sits taller in his seat.
“Uh-huh. I’m certified as an exotics vet, which means I can work with way more animals than your average cat or dog.”
“You continually impress me,DoctorB.” He emphasizes the R, causing a few goosebumps to appear on my arm. “I’m surprised you didn’t want to stay on at the zoo. No offense, but I would’ve thought that might be more exciting than working in a small town.”
“Ilovedworking with so many different animals. But I didn’t like the zoo’s management.” I cross one leg over the other. “I looked around for openings at other zoos, but most were on the East Coast. I wasn’t willing to relocate that far away. My parents had just moved to California. When Dylan asked me if I wanted to open a practice with him, it seemed like a no-brainer. I thought I’d try out the private sector for a couple years, then go back to a zoo, but it hasn’t worked out that way.”
“Management’s always the problem.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Problems for you too?”
“Mm-hmm. Dreams on Ice.” He scrunches his nose. “It’s a long story, but basically, the company was bought out and the new management was looking to cut costs and increase profits.” He shakes his head.
“Ouch. Is that what pushed you to leave?”
“Partly. I already had one foot out the door, but the final straw was when I got reprimanded for reckless behavior.”
“What?” I frown. He’s the last person I’d ever imagine endangering others.
