“Have you not been here before?”
“I have. I was a child, but still, I’m not sure the awe ever wears off a place as incredible as this.”
Thankfully, it isn’t crowded, and no one seems to notice the uber-popular movie star in their midst. We go about our business, taking it all in. We take a selfie with the high ceiling in the background, which Alex promptly sends to his aunt’s solicitor. He doesn’t respond.
I’m staring around one more time before we leave when I notice Alex on his phone.
“Did the guy respond?”
“Not yet. I’m booking us a float down the River Stour.”
“Oooo! That was on my list.”
“I know.” He grins. “The only ones left today are at sunset. Is that okay? It would begin at half eight. We could head straight back afterwards.”
“Sure. Book it!”
He grins at me before looking back at his phone.
“What should we do until then?”
He looks up briefly. “Find all the fish and chips nearby?” He grins mischievously before looking back down.
“We could,” I concede, like it is truly an option. “Or we could walk around and see what we find.”
“All booked.” He slides his phone back into his pocket. “Sure, Margo. Let’s go see Canterbury.” He extends his arm to me, and I thread mine through it. As we walk, it dawns on me that the scenery isn’t the only thing that makes me feel like I’m in a fairytale.
27
Alexander
Wewindupanddown charming cobblestone streets, taking in the medieval architecture and the creamy-colored homes with dark wood accents. All the while, a look of awe never leaves Ivy’s face. She is as enamored with this place as I am with her. And her reaction to our surroundings looks so unlike the faces I see in Hollywood. That’s not to say there aren’t good people there; it’s only that so many are jaded and so self-important that there isn’t a lot of magic for them outside of themselves.
Ivy is finding the magic, and her happiness is spreading to me in ways I didn’t realize I was missing. I take a photo of her as she’s touching a stone wall.
“Can you imagine what these walls have seen?” she asks,leaving her hand on the stone and turning to look at me.
“I can’t.” And I wouldn’t have even thought to wonder.
She sighs and we continue down the street. “I’m really glad I came today. I wish Val and I had planned for more of our trip to be outside of London.”
“Where else do you plan to go?” I ask, trying to conceal my hope to join them. It had been rather convenient that her hotel was twenty minutes from my home. But if they leave and I’m not invited? It will be much harder for me to do what I’m wanting to do.
“In three days,” she pulled out her phone, checking the date. “Days are weird on a long vacation. But yeah, in three days we’re taking a train to Edinburgh to tour around the lowlands of Scotland for a couple of days, before flying out from there.
“Hoping to see a kilted man, are you?” I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose.
“I’m not seeing any here.” She eyes my blue canvas shorts. “So yeah. That’s top priority for Scotland.”
“I could get a kilt,” I offer. I’m not serious, but I’d do it if she wanted.
“You do have the legs for it,” she says, eyeing said appendages once again.
“Thank you.” I take the opportunity to study her long legs for a moment. Her overall complexion is fair, but I can tell her legs have seen the sun lately, giving them a healthy glow.They’re strong and beautiful. “You have the legs for a kilt, too.”
This makes her snort a laugh. I love it when she does that.
“Why, thank you.” Her eyes are absolutely sparkling, and good grief if I don’t want to spend all my time complimenting her. To lay the world at her feet. Joke with her. Laugh with her. Make her look at me the way she’s looking at me now.
