Page 60 of The Flirtation
Chapter 22
Luke
Iranover to the reception location at Le Meridien across the street, but Avery was not there. I tried ringing her but she wouldn’t answer. I was fully prepared to do the mad dash to the airport, but then I remembered what Avery had said she’d wanted to do if she ever returned toLondon.
I ran in the direction of Trafalgar Square, staying on the main thoroughfares, chasing after every hop-on hop-off double decker tour bus I saw, shouting out her name. It was the most manic, un-British thing I had ever done, and I didn’t care. “Avery! Avery!” I was Sylvester Stallone inRocky. I was Tom Cruise at the end of every other movie. I was Ryan Gosling and every actor in every film based on a book by that author whose name I could not recall. I was very definitely not Hugh Grant. “AVERY!” I would chase down every red bus in London if I had to. It would have been so much more dramatic if it were raining, but you can’t haveeverything.
Avery
As I’d ranthrough Piccadilly Circus, I had considered running in front of a moving double decker bus, but then I slowed down and realized—I’d done what I’d come here to do. I had faced my fear and showed up and told Luke how I felt, and despite the outcome, it did not kill me. So I decided to enjoy the rest of my stay in London and actually got on a double decker bus at the corner of two streets, in front of a large theatre, and across from what I would later learn was Leicester Square. Tour buses were a great way to see Manhattan, and it would be a great way to see London, I didn’t care how touristy it was. Being up top, with the sunny sky and billboards above me, the beautiful old buildings at eye level, and the distinctly European hustle and bustle just below me, I got that feeling that I was on vacation again, that I was in the moment, and that everything was and would befine.
And then, from the European hustle and bustle below, I heard my name being yelled out. I stood up and looked around and saw Luke—my Luke—running alongside the bus, on the crowded sidewalk, dodging in and out of people’s way. “Avery! Yes!” He raised his arms in the air as he ran, victorious. “I was scared too! I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work! Let’s just be together for Christ’ssake!”
I covered my mouth, but I couldn’t help but ask: “What aboutChiara?!”
“I never invited her there, she just showed up, I swear! I’ve missed you so much, will you just—get off that bloody bus and start being withme?!”
I ran down to talk to the bus driver, but he wouldn’t let me off the bus until the next designated stop. So I ran back up top to watch the love of my life run alongside us for seven more blocks until we’d reached The National Gallery. Good thing he went running every morning. Turns out it was all training forthis!
The whole bus was cheering for me and keeping the aisle clear so I could get off the bus as soon as it had come to a completestop.
I thought of my niece, and how she’d first reacted when she’d received Mr. Bunny as a gift. “I love you I love you I love you!” I screamed, jumping up and down as I ran towards Luke, arms outstretched. We were so beyond looking coolnow.
“I love you, darling, I adore you and I respect you and I loveyou.”
He kissed me. We kissed, in the middle of Trafalgar Square, and it didn’t matter what time zone we were in, because time stoodstill.
All of the tourists were filming and photographing everything already anyways, so of course they turned their phones and lenses on us. I looked forward to watching us on YouTube at some point, but not until I had stared into Luke’s sapphire blue eyes for hours and hours and made sure he knew just how much I adoredhim.
