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“Not as much as I miss you.” She clears her throat, like she doesn’t want to dwell on that. “Now enough talk. I’m glad you’re okay. Go have some fun. I want all the photos.”

“I will,” I promise. And I mean it.

We hang up and for a moment I sit there, phone warm in my hand, thinking about how lucky I am to have a mom who loves me so much. And how happy I am that I’m here in London right now, because I’m not sure I’ve felt this alive in years.

I think that might’ve been the most boring lunch I’ve ever been to. How was your Ticketmaster concert? – Theo

Don’t laugh but I got the day wrong. Apparently it was yesterday. So I stupidly decided to head to Borough Market. I swear I actually got swept off my feet in the crowds. – Georgia

Crowdsurfing in Borough Market, huh? Sounds more exciting than making small talk with people I only see once a year. I should be back at the hotel in an hour. Can you meet me in the lobby at seven-fifteen? – Theo

Where are we going? – Georgia

It’s a secret. – Theo

A ‘wear a dress’ kind of secret. Or a ‘wear jeans’ kind of secret. Give a girl a hint? – Georgia

A ‘wear a coat and maybe a scarf and gloves and it doesn’t matter what you wear underneath it’ kind of secret. – Theo

I knew the gimp suit I packed would come in handy. See you at seven-fifteen. - Georgia

Already looking forward to it. Especially the latex. – Theo

11

GEORGIA

When I step out of the lobby later that evening, I’m wearing a dark gray wool coat and cream scarf, but no gimp suit, sadly. Theo is waiting for me next to the concierge’s desk. His hands are stuffed into the pockets of his dark blue coat. As soon as he sees me, his expression softens.

“Will you get mad at me if I mess up your hair?” he asks when I reach him.

“Do you have a messy hair fetish?” I ask him, lifting a brow.

“No, but I might have one after this.”

I start to laugh. Then he surprises me by reaching behind him to the concierge’s desk, and grabbing a pair of headphones. They’re huge wireless ones with padded ears.

“Okay, so I’m guessing this is to go with the gimp suit I’m not wearing.”

He coughs out a laugh. “Do you trust me?”

I tip my head to the side. “A few days ago I thought you were a serial killer. So yes, completely.”

“Good.” He slides them onto my head, and the sound around me immediately dims.

Before I can ask him what the hell is going on, he presses something on his phone. Music starts up in my ears. It takes me a moment to realize it’s a choir.

Their sweet voices echo as they start to sing the first line of ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’, the music filling my ears and pushing everything else out.

Theo takes my hand, his fingers sliding through mine. The heat of his touch makes my breath catch.

“Okay?” he mouths.

“I have no idea,” I mouth back with a shrug.

Laughing, he uses his free hand to pull the headphone from my ear. “You don’t have to be silent,” he tells me. “You can talk.”

“I said I have no idea.” It comes out as a shout. Loud enough for people to turn and look at us. “I need to know what we’re doing before I decide if I’m okay.”