I pack up my things reluctantly in the morning, not even bothering to wake Fernando up for a round of morning sex before I begin to prepare myself. What's the point? If we did it now, I think I would just feel sad. Last night was good, so it's best to leave it at that. A good memory to end things. That's what I want.
Well, I don't want to end things at all, but I don't know if I have a choice about that.
The reluctance builds and builds inside of me, the day drawing on as Fernando tells me about the taxi he has organized to take me to the airport and how he will be by my side. How he needs to get me there at a certain time in order to avoid missing my flight. I briefly wonder about deliberately missing it, but what would be the point? He can just put me on the next one, or the next. Even if I go tomorrow, it's only putting off the inevitable. I have to leave.
But do I really have to leave?
It all comes to a head when I put down my suitcase in the hallway ready for it to be taken out to the car. That's when I know that I can’t do this. Not without saying something. And I do.
“Nando,” I say, my throat thick and my words coming out choked as I stop him from picking up my suitcase, my hand on his arm. “Nando, wait.”
“What is it, Ash?” he asks, his voice instantly full of concern. If anything, that only makes it even worse.
“I don’t want to go,” I tell him, fully aware that I sound like a whiny child and also unable to prevent it. Thick tears are gathering behind my eyes, threatening to flood out of me. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“You’ve got to go home, Ash,” he says, his tone sad. He moves closer and takes me in his arms. “You’ve got a life there, commitments. Things you need to do.”
“But I don’t want to go,” I repeat. Nothing makes sense to me at this point. “Why should I have to go?”
“Well, because it would be strange for you to stay here on your own.”
“What?” I tilt my head back to look up at Fernando’s face. I know I’m in a worked-up state right now, but that absolutely didn’t make sense to me, no matter how I try to fit it in my head. “Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes,” he says as if it’s a matter of obvious fact. “I’m going to your house. Although, if you aren’t going to be there, it might be a little disappointing.”
I stare at him open-mouthed, completely unable to comprehend what he’s saying.
Fernando chuckles and reaches into his pocket. “Here,” he says, drawing something out and showing it to me.
I look, and I'm still not sure that I understand. It’s a plane ticket. A plane ticket to the exact same airport that I'm going to. On the exact same flight that I'm booked onto. In fact, all of the details are exactly the same, down to the fact that he's managed to book the seat right next to mine.
He's coming with me.
“When did you get this?” I gasp, holding it carefully in my hands as if it’s made of gold dust and could crumble at any minute.
“When I realized I couldn’t let you go,” he says, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. “When I knew I had to make a big gesture to convince your parents that this is real and that I want to be with you. That it isn’t just a vacation romance. Because, if your parents don’t approve, I’m pretty sure that asking you to come to Barcelona and live with me will be a bust.”
I can only stare at him, still, open-mouthed.
And when the tears run down my face this time, it’s from sheer joy, not misery at all.
My beautiful dream is coming true, and all I have to do is reach out and take it – just as soon as my dad gives us his blessing.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Fernando
I already know that it's going to be awkward. When we pull up outside the house, I find that my heart is beating harder in my chest than it ever has before any business meeting. We have to convince Joe that this is real – and I have a feeling that it’s not going to be easy.
I know I’m correct when we get out of the taxi and start walking towards the door, and he frowns in confusion when he sees me.
“Fernando?” he says. “You didn’t just come all this way to make sure that she got home safe, did you?”
“No,” I say, trying not to meet Ashley’s eyes in case Joe can see it all on my face before I get to explain. “No, I didn’t.”