Page 51 of My Downfall

We stroll hand in hand down The Mall — I’m actually walking down theThe 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 thosepelicans?” 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 spothim.

“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 ofeverythingto 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.

Chapter Twenty-eight