It’s so lovely, she almost feels like crying. ‘Happy birthday,’ says Kit behind her, his arms wrapped around her. He clinks his mini bottle of champagne against hers. ‘To the most beautiful woman in London.’ Gina glances towards the sign on the pod that specifically bans food and drink from the London Eye, then at the other four people in it, studiously ignoring each other. ‘Ignore that.’ Kit hugs her tighter, hiding her bottle from the security camera. ‘This is a special occasion. Anyway, there’s much worse we could be doing up here than toasting your twenty-first birthday.’ He turns her round, and Gina melts into Kit’s kiss, letting herself sink into this perfect moment. It’s a relief to close her eyes and just feel, after the last few hours of relentless sensory overload. Oxford is magical, but London is something very different. Gina’s been to London many times since Kit started working here, but it still gives her a giddy sensation in the pit of her stomach.
