Free LAD: A British Bad Boy Romance Novel (Bad Boys of London Book 1) by Emilia Holland Page B

don’t have somewhat of a plan, we’ll miss out things we wanted to do. I’ll make it a loose itinerary, I swear, so we have some free time.”

    “Can we walk around instead and see where the city takes us?” Kristen protested. “We’re on vacation, for crying out loud.” She poured more malted vinegar over one of the fish cutlets and devoured it with closed eyes.

    “Hayley, you look pale and you’re not eating much,” Ako observed. “What’s wrong now? You back on that boy again?”

    “She’s watching her figure for him, obviously, now she knows he’s a model or whatever. Even I don’t want to eat after seeing that commercial!” Kristen said with glee. “Who has abs like that, for real? Could I get some ketchup, please?” She motioned at the somewhat-attractive bartender. He gave her a piteous look in return but obliged.  

    “Kristen, I’m siding with Ako on this. I think a schedule is a good thing. There’s too much shit we have to fit in. We don’t wanna miss anything especially the shows.”  

    “God, you two are lame.” Kristen had no choice to concede. Democracy came in useful in our squad of three. “Well, I guess I’ll keep drinking and tomorrow you guys can point me in the direction I need to go. Who needs spice in life? Variety, right? Pfft, over-rated.” She slurred a little more. The mojitos had found their way a little further into her blood stream and I knew we’d have to go soon before messy Kristen showed up.

    “We need to start with the bus tour.” Ako was now flipping through the bus catalog of its destinations. “That’s going to show us all the key sites and we can make a decision on what we wanna go back and see more of.” “Oh, look, Hayley! We can get a 48-hour bus ticket that will have 35 stops! Shit! Thirty percent off…”

    “Good God, that sounds like a lot.” A bite of soggy fish was actually salty and delicious so I took some more.  

    “Madame Tussauds…The Dungeon…” Ako read.

    “Hayley, do you have anything you wanna do first?”

    “The London Eye, for sure,” I said, dispassionately.   “I think the weather’s s’posed to be nice tomorrow.” I had no idea what the weather would be. Felix had me in his web and I had yet to find a way out of it.

    “Like I said, I don’t know if I can do something that high.” Ako, who had trouble with most everything else also had a trouble with heights. “I may have to pass on that one.”

    “No,” I snapped. “We, uh, wee have to do it. It’s one of those things you have to do here.”

    “You’re such a wimp.” Kristen was not sensitive to the fears and sensibilities of others. She launched a french fry at Ako, who then threw it right back with an amused smile. Kristen put the french fry back in her mouth and laughed.  

    “I don’t know how two people could be more dissimilar and still be friends so long,” I commented. It was true. In fact, the three of us were very different, came from various backgrounds, and still managed to enjoy each other’s company.  

    “I’m the yin to her yang, I guess,” Kristen said.  

    “That some kind of race joke, my friend?” Ako’s expression was wooden.  

    Kristen looked to me. “Hey, I have no horse in this race,” I said with raised hands knowing Ako was only playing with her.

    Kristen, to intoxicated to pick up on signals, began stuttering. “I…Sorry, dude. No.”

    “I’m fucking with you, girl,” Ako said, laughing. Kristen followed suit. Despite the wall of defense, she put up to the world, I didn’t know anyone more in tune to the emotions of others than Kristen. She hated when anyone felt left out or hard done by.  

    “Anyways. It’s settled. We’ll hop on the bus tomorrow at ten. Now I’m ordering the trifle for dessert. Waiter!” The reluctant bartender approached.

    “She’ll have the braised faggot in wine,” Kristen said, pointing at the specials board behind the bar. “Can you fetch my friend some