My sister’s face relaxes and she lights up. “Wait a second, you’reCoachFernando! You taught my son, Brody.”
“Brody... Brody... he’s about four years old, this tall”—Fernando holds out a hand—“and likes to hum the Mario Brothers theme song?”
“That’s him!” Daphne exclaims. “You were his favorite coach! He was really bummed to find out you weren’t teaching the next level. Don’t get me wrong, he likes Coach Leslie, but he loved you.”
Ican’t believe what I’m hearing. Fernando taught my nephew? And Daphne is suddenly fine with everything?
“He’s a great kid. One of my best listeners in the level-one group. A real natural on the ice, just like his aunt.” He winks in my direction. “Tell Brody I’ll be back soon. The only reason I’m not teaching this session is because I knew I’d be gone for a month.”
“I will! He’ll be ecstatic.”
He waves and steps out of the camera’s view. “I’d better get back up to the room so I can shower and change. I’ll see you up there, Ava. Thanks for the key.”
“I’ll, um, text you when I’m on my way up so you can let me in.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He walks up the beach toward the lobby doors, his brown locks ruffling in the breeze. The sunlight catches on his broad shoulders and the easy lines of muscle along his back. His swim trunks sit low on his hips, revealing a glimpse of a lean waist and another peek at the abs you get from actually doing the core exercises the rest of the world usually skips.
I catch myself openly staring at the flex of his strong legs and the effortless way he moves, like the beach was made for him. I’m so distracted, I almost forget I’m still on a video call. I force my attention back to my sister before she notices.
“I. Can’t. Believe. You. And. Fernando. Are. A. Thing!” Daphne gushes, leaning closer to the camera.
“What?” If I weren’t already sitting, I would’ve fallen out of my chair. It’s the last reaction I ever expected Daph to have. “You’re not gonna give me a lecture on hiding things from you? Or being around men so soon?”
“No. Because I know Fernando’s a good guy and would never take advantage of you. I didn’t recognize him in the Speedo, but the man is a legend among the moms at the ice rink! He’s one of the most patient and friendly coaches on staff. A real puppy dog.” Her eyes glaze over. “It’s common knowledge that he’s single and doesn’t date. There have been so many people who’ve tried to be the one tobreak his dry spell. But he always shoots them down. Until now. If there were one guy I would ever set you up with, it’s him.” She shakes her head and refocuses on me. “How serious are you two?”
“We’re just friends. We aren’t reallydating. We’re putting on a show so we can get his family off his back,” I sputter.
“Whoa. Back up. Fake dating? Meeting his family?” She lowers her chin. “Tell. Me. Everything.”
And just like that, she goes from protective older sister wanting to tear Fernando apart to one of his staunchest supporters. I wonder if somewhere between the hotel’s driveway and the beach, I entered the Twilight Zone.
Daphne refills her coffee and listens intently as I fill in the gaps from earlier. I tell her about bumping into Dylan a few times, my chance meeting with Fernando at the Denver airport, and our adventure driving across Spain together.
“Your vacation sounds like the plot of a B- or C-level rom-com. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t heard the details straight from your mouth.”
“Is that a movie you’d go and see?” I ask purely out of curiosity.
“If you were starring in it or if I wanted something running in the background while I was cooking, totally.”
I snort.
“You asked. I’m just being honest with you. Between work and the kids, I don’t have time for movies and TV. It has to be something that really entices me.”
“And that would include...?” Daphne does live a busy life. And with my niece and nephew being as active as they are, I don’t know how she has time to fit in as many activities as she does.
“Any movie with Chris Evans, something based off a book I love, or something with hockey.”
“Hockey? Not football or soccer?”
“No.” A blush creeps up her cheeks. “It has to be hockey. The players are”—she fans herself—“dreamy. Especially when they’re in suits.”
“Does Brian know you have a thing for hockey guys?”
She nods, not willing to let any more info slip out. That’s fine with me, because I don’t think I even want my brain to go there. I clear my throat. “Going back to Fernando, I need your advice. What’s your take on how I should handle his family? I want them fully convinced we’re the real deal.”
“Ava, as cliché as it sounds, be yourself. You don’t need to do anything special. The way Fernando was looking at you earlier is totally different than the way he interacts with any other person at the ice rink. It’s soft and tender. Not to mention the way you responded. You can’t tell me you feel nothing for that man.”
