2. Just in Case

2

JUST IN CASE

TJ’s Travel Journal

London, Day One

My life was not a rom-com today.

It’s been more like a manifestation of Murphy’s Law. Everything that could go wrong on my trip to London did go wrong. The flight was cramped, turbulence hit an 8.0 on the Richter scale, then the airline lost my luggage. On top of that, the hotel said it wouldn’t have my room ready for another few hours. I was tempted to crumple into a jet-lagged ball of stinky misery on the rundown lobby floor. I smelled like a ripe, day-old T-shirt, and I felt like a zombie. The front desk attendant took pity on me and sent me to a nearby store to buy some new clothes.

THANKS, FATE, FOR CHOOSING THAT EXACT MOMENT TO SEND ME THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN.

When Jude gave me his name then walked away, my life was distilled into two choices:

Go to every single bookstore on Cecil Court and find him.

Or miss out on what felt like the first chapter in my new life here in England.

Wait. There was a third choice. Get my ass over to the thrift store he recommended, buy some new clothes, and then beg, borrow or steal for a shower if I had to.

I was not going to let this chance pass me by.

Cecil Court, here I come.