27. Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-seven
Hudson
We’ve just finished a dinner of steak, salad, and fries, which is confusing as fuck since we only woke up about forty minutes ago, so my brain is telling me it’s breakfast time.
I set an alarm for us for about an hour before landing, to give us time to shower and eat before we land at City airport.
With the flight time and the eight-hour time difference, it’s already early evening here in London, hence the steak.
“Oh my God!” she squeals excitedly as she begins to bounce in her seat.
“Worked it out, have you?” It’s still light outside so I knew she’d start to see the famous landmarks sooner or later.
“It’s London! You’ve brought me to London?!”
“Yeah, baby. Welcome to my favorite city.”
She grabs my face and pulls it to her own as she smothers me in kisses. I don’t think there’s anywhere on my face she’s not managed to cover.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she gushes. “I’ve always wanted to come to London. Oh my God,” she squeals again as she goes back to looking out her window. Her hand however is wrapped around mine, just like she’s wrapped around my heart.
Mia
We’re in a town car driving to our hotel when I text the girls. I still can’t believe Hudson has brought me to London. They’re going to freak out.
Mia: London!!!
Ava: Shut up!
Bella: No way!
Harper: Stop it!
Ava: You need to marry that man
“I like Ava.” I turn my head to find Hudson looking down at my cell.
“You know it’s rude to read someone else’s messages.” I’m not mad in the slightest, but I do love pushing him.
“You shouldn’t be texting right next to me, then.”
I can’t help but grin at him. “Is that right?”
“Mmhmm,” he hums as he leans down and gently kisses me.
“Thank you,” I murmur against his lips.
“What for, sweet pea?”
“For bringing me here.”
“I’d take you anywhere, give you anything.” He deepens the kiss; his tongue explores my mouth and his hand tunnels through my hair as we both groan.
We spend the rest of the journey making out in the back of the car like two teenagers.
***
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful hotel. It looks like it’s just walked out of the pages of a romance novel.
We pulled down a small, cobbled street between two large buildings, and into a courtyard driveway with a gorgeous redbrick building that’s wrapped in ivy.
There’s a deep red carpet leading up the stairs toward a set of huge double fronted doors with a doorman who is dressed in the most British outfit I’ve ever seen in my life.
He’s actually wearing a top hat and tails.
I am so frigging excited.
“I am so in love right now,” I manage to squeak out.
“She’s finally fallen for me.” I whip my gaze to him at his words, my eyes widening in alarm. “Relax,” he laughs. “I was joking. I know you meant the building.”
Right. The building. I definitely meant the building.
Not the gorgeous man next to me who would do anything for me.
Nope. Definitely not.
If I keep telling myself that, maybe at some point I’ll actually believe it.
***
We stroll hand in hand down The Mall — I’m actually walking down the The Mall — toward Buckingham Palace.
Someone pinch me.
It’s eight at night and the sun is beginning to set so the streetlights are on, and after this absolutely epic adventure, Hudson is taking me to have drinks on a rooftop so we can see London at night.
Outwardly, I’m relatively composed but internally, the teenage girl in me cannot stop screaming.
“Let’s go through here,” Hudson suggests as he pulls me off toward the left and into a large green space.
“What’s in here?” There’s a lake in front of us, and I stop dead at the sight before me. “Are those pelicans?” I cry and he bursts out laughing next to me.
“Welcome to St. James’ Park.” He’s still laughing as he pulls me toward the large white birds.
“Why are there pelicans?” Something on the water catches my eye and I turn to stare at the majestic creature currently floating toward us. “What is that?” I shriek in amazement.
“That,” he says on a chuckle, “is a black swan.”
“What?” I stare around me in shock. I’m totally aware that my mouth is currently hanging open but I’m too stunned to close it. “What magical land have you dragged me into?”
“This is my favorite park in the city, this and Hyde Park, which we’ll go to tomorrow.”
“Hudson, I…” My words trail off.
“I know, baby, it’s something, huh?”
“It’s magical.”
We stand there for a while, my head leaning on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around me, both of us breathing in the pure wonder that is St. James’ Park.
“What’s that flag?” I ask as we stand outside Buckingham Palace twenty minutes later. It’s even bigger, even better than I imagined and believe me, my imagination ran away with me about this building. I point to the flag that has captured my attention. It’s a deep blue, red, and gold.
“It’s the Royal Standard flag. It means the King’s in there.”
I spin to face him and whack him in the chest. “Stop it.”
“That is not an appropriate response to that statement.”
“Yes, it is. Tell me you have binoculars.”
“I don’t have binoc — baby girl, tell me you are not going to stand here and try and spot the King of England.”
“Why not?”
A roar of laughter leaves his body as he bends at the waist. I turn away from him and go back to looking at every window of the palace in the hopes I’ll spot him.
“I can’t,” he gasps. “I can’t with you.” His body is still shaking with laughter.
“I will tell you to fuck off if you carry on,” I warn him, which only starts him off again. “Oh, for Christ’s sake,” I mutter under my breath as I take out my cell and begin snapping pictures of everything to send to the girls.
“Let me get a picture of us.” He’s finally recovered from his laughter at my expense and takes my cell from my hand, changing it to selfie mode as he pulls me into his arms.
I grin at the camera, but he just looks down at me, a look I’ve not seen before on his face.
It’s a look that makes my heart beat faster.
It’s a look that looks an awful lot like love.