“Yes. It belongs to my family.”
“And you can fly in it whenever you want?”
He nodded.
“Wow,” I murmured. “It must be so freeing to go wherever you want, whenever you want.”
“Yes.” His mouth twisted into a smile, but it seemed forced, as if the corners of his lips had been weighed down. I couldn’t tell if his sombre mood was because of my presence or the glances of otherdiners who had, unsurprisingly, recognised him. At a table just a few steps away, a woman was pointing him out to her companion.
“Do you fly a lot?” I asked to distract him.
“No, not anymore. I used to go on holiday with my friends a lot, but I don’t have time for that anymore.”
“What kinds of places did you jet off to?”
The number on the display changed, and a man standing behind me jostled me as he rushed to collect his food. I stumbled forward into Henry.
“Sorry.”
“It’s OK,” he said.
He didn’t let on if I smelled bad. It had been a few days since my last shower, which I now regretted. For not only was Henry nice to me—nicer than he should have been—but he was also incredibly good-looking. He had outrageously long eyelashes, black hair that curled around his ears, and neatly trimmed stubble that seemed at odds with his otherwise polished appearance. I, on the other hand, probably looked like a scruffy stray dog.
Henry cleared his throat. “Everywhere. Monaco. New York. Sardinia. Paris.”
“Wow,” I murmured again. “I’ve never been outside of England. Or London, even. Although... that’s not exactly true. I went to Watford once, but only because I fell asleep on the train. It was late, and super annoying to get back.”
“You’ve never left London?” Henry asked with surprise. I shook my head, and he shrugged. “You haven’t missed anything. I’ve been to a lot of cities, and honestly? None of them holds a candle to London.”
“You’re just saying that so I don’t feel like an uncultured loser.”
“No, I’m saying it because it’s the truth. London is the best city.”
“Prove it.”
“How?”
I pursed my lips. “Tell me what you like about it.”
He hesitated. “Everythingwon’t cut it with you, will it?”
“No. I want details.”
It was a strange question, but Henry seemed to give it serious thought. “I love the parks, and that the Thames is right on my doorstep. I like all the restaurants where I can eat food from around the world even when I’m stuck here. But the best thing about the city is how many different kinds of people and possibilities there are. There’s nothing here that you can’t do.”
I smiled. His answer was so heartfelt, even if it wasn’t true. There was a lot you couldn’t do in this city if you didn’t have the money for it. But that was my problem, not his.
Before I could answer, my order number showed up on the display. I’d bought so much food that Henry had to help me carry it to a free table by the window. As soon as we were sitting, I hastily unwrapped the first of five burgers and took a big bite.
“Oh my god,” I groaned appreciatively. It was by far the best thing I’d eaten in a long time, even if it was just because I was famished. I took a second bite before I’d even swallowed the first and gave another rapturous sigh.
“It sounds like you’re really enjoying that.”
I froze. I was so fixated on my food that I’d managed to forget Henry for a brief moment. He watched me, bemused, and my cheeks flushed. Where he came from, people probably ate burgers with knives and forks and didn’t hoover them down.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, cheeks bulging.
“You don’t have to apologise.”
