Page 211 of Law Maker
Him meant my father. I swallowed and shook my head. “He must be busy with Sharon and the team.” Not that our interactions ever led anywhere good. Sad, yes, but it was the kind of sad I’d grown used to.
“When isn’t he busy?” Alba scoffed. “Texting takes a second.”
“He’s not going to change, Albita. I accepted that long ago.”
We reached the promenade overlooking the ocean. The view reminded me of El Puerto and the beach Maricarmen had taken me to. I snapped a photo of the high-rises and restaurants along the waterfront to sendher later. She and Dawson were coming when Asher raced in Emerport in April, and I never missed a chance to share something she’d like about the city.
“For Asher’s grandma?” Alba nodded at my phone.
“Yeah. She’s excited about the trip. Wants to see her grandson race.”
“How are you feeling? Must be hard, getting ready to be apart.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is. We’re not the only couple in this situation. Asher’s teammate has a wife and a kid—it must be even harder for him.”
Alba cleared her throat, glancing away. “I wanted to tell you something. Today isn’t the best day, but…”
A twinge of wariness slowed my steps. “What’s going on?”
“Let’s sit first.”
She led me to a stone bench facing the yachts. “My dad called. He got a job offer,” she said, lowering onto the seat beside me.
“Oh. Does he want to change teams?”
He’d been coaching in Emerport for four years—longer than most football coaches lasted. Moving every couple of years wasn’t unusual.
Alba twisted the end of her scarf. “It’s in Spain. Sport Union Madrid. His dream job. He might say no because I’m here, but I’m torn.”
Javi’s team. The best in Spain. I held my breath, waiting for what Alba would say next.
She looked skyward, chewing her lip. “I love it here. I like my college, and I have you. But he sacrificed so much for me. For years, he put me first. Now they’re offering him so much more than what he has, and yeah, I’m an adult, and he’d be fine without me, but after Mom passed, it’s just been us. It feels unfair to make him give up his dream job.”
A weight pressed on my chest. She was my closest friend—the one who held my hand through boarding school and breakup, the one who always showed up. It was hard to imagine my days without her.
“What about your studies?” I asked. “Can you transfer?”
Alba nodded. “A law degree takes fewer years in Spain. And it’s cheaper. Dad says it’s my choice, but I know how much prestige this would bring him.”
“So why are you torn?”
She sighed. “You. You’re my best friend, and you’ll still be my best friend, but distance is a bitch.”
“I know.”
“Yeah. So, there’s that.”
For a while, we just stared at the water, streetlights glittering across its surface.
“What would you tell me if I was in your shoes?” I asked.
Alba huffed. “To do what’s best for you, obviously.”
“That’s what I’m telling you.” My heart squeezed at the thought of goodbye, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t push her toward what she wanted? “It’s admirable your dad’s willing to stay, but if you want him to go, go with him. Asher will be in Spain a lot. I’ll visit.”
Alba leaned her head against the back of the bench. “It’s disgusting how great of a friend you are. Ew.”
“Ew.” I laughed, watery. “You won’t get rid of me so easily. And that’s Javi’s team.”
