Theo wasn’t ashamed to say he cried.

He got so overwhelmed when his nan carefully made her way up the aisle in the ceremonial hall at St James’s palace. She stood up tall for Prince James himself to pin the ribbon to her jacket. Thankfully, a kind lady sitting next to him gave him a tissue and a warm smile. “I’m going to be a mess when my husband goes up,” she confided to Theo.

He wasn’t embarrassed, though. His nan had worked tirelessly her whole life to make sure she did everything she could to help those around her. It had started as a hobby when Theo’s grandad had still been alive and working down the Ford car plant. But now it had turned into a lifetime of never-ending charity. She ran soup kitchens at the community centre and volunteered to help teach kids to read. She organised jumble sales and bake-offs to raise funds for health clinics. She made sure the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings always had a room and organised toy donations at Christmas for kids living below the poverty line.

But lately she managed Rainbow Houses, several halfway houses for LGBT youths who had found themselves with nowhere else to turn. The council still owned the properties, but she made sure they had basic furnishings and got the kids socialising and talking with counsellors at their schools to discuss their options now their own families had abandoned them. She spent half her week teaching these teenagers how to cook and helped them navigate job applications. She could barely turn on a computer herself, but she was there with ceaseless confidence to get the kids working on their CVs or applying to their local colleges.

Theo wished he didn’t know first-hand what it felt like to be in that position. But if he hadn’t been through his own troubles, his nan wouldn’t be helping this particular minority. So he told himself to be proud as well as grateful for how his lot in life had turned out. Now he helped his nan juggle all the balls she had up in the air, trying not to ever leave anyone without that little bit of help they so badly needed.

It was never easy trying to market and fundraise with no budget, but Theo knew he had a knack for it. Whenever he doubted himself or despaired over his options, he reminded himself that these kids didn’t have anyone to depend on aside from him and Nan. It was amazing what you could accomplish with a Facebook page and elbow grease when you were doing it for someone else.

Theo clapped with vigour as another woman was awarded her MBE, the award given to those who gave outstanding service to their community. Watching so many decent people being acknowledged for their hard work was enough to restore your faith in humanity. Theo sometimes found it all too easy to expect the worst of his fellow human beings. But being surrounded by so many others like his nan made him check his cynicism at the door for once.

Now the ceremony was almost over, Theo relaxed a little. He was sitting with the other supporters in the ceremonial hall. Those being honoured were escorted one by one to sit at the back after their award had been given, so he would meet up with his nan again afterwards.

He had to say, the inside of St James’s Palace was a lot nicer than the outside. Slap bang in the middle of central London, Theo had to admit on their approach it looked more like a prison than a palace. Its dark brickwork, angular crenellations and black-painted doors all surrounded by a sea of concrete were a little intimidating, to say the least. But inside was all colourful opulence and Theo had found himself utterly charmed.

Normally, he would be annoyed to see so much wealth all in one place when he knew how some people worked their fingers to the bone and still struggled. But he’d abandoned his cynical side for the time being, so he allowed himself to enjoy the unbelievably high, painted ceilings. Every pillar, staircase and balcony was trimmed with shining gold and polished mahogany.

The entrance hall had been decorated in rich lavenders, pale pinks and rich yellows, but everything in the ceremony room was red, gold and cream. Theo enjoyed letting his gaze wander as the proceedings drew to a close, taking in all the artwork of former monarchs and the Beefeaters who had been standing stock still in their fancy uniforms for an hour and a half without so much as moving a muscle.

He tried his hardest not to admire Prince James, too.

Theo had always thought James came across as a bit of an idiot in the papers. He didn’t seem to be able to hold down his job in the Army and couldn’t stop getting himself photographed when he was drunk and jumping in fountains. An education at Eton, the finest boys’ school in the country, and he’d not really done much with his life, had he?

But sitting there faced with him, in the flesh, only twenty feet away, Theo had to admit there was something completely mesmerising about the royal. He radiated charm, treating each and every person he presented an award to with care and diligence. It didn’t hurt that he was over six feet tall with a firm, broad body clearly visible under his tailored suit, had dark hair and stubble, and a smile that left Theo breathless.

Theo made sure not to gawk too openly, though. He’d be mortified if an actual prince caught him swooning. The guy didn’t look like the sort to take getting hit on by another guy very well, either. With that chiselled jaw and steely eyes, he practically screamed heterosexual.

Still, he was a step up from the usual guys Theo ended up pulling down at Fix during his weekends out in Dagenham. Not that there was anything wrong with Essex boys. Theo was proud to be one himself. But he rarely got to admire such a fancy-looking male specimen.

When James glanced over, Theo immediately focused on the woman stepping down from the slightly raised plinth. He hoped he’d got away with his ogling and sternly told himself to behave for the rest of the event. A guy like Prince James didn’t need his ego flattered by a commoner crushing on him. And if he wasn’t flattered, Theo didn’t need any trouble from the various military personnel and security staff spread around the place.

Eventually, the proceedings came to a close. There was a slow shuffle as everyone made their way into another room for a drinks reception. Much to Theo’s disappointment, there was only water or apple juice on offer. But he supposed they didn’t want people becoming rowdy and trashing the place.

He knew he was probably supposed to mingle, but his nan was holding court with several people at the moment. No doubt she was regaling them with one of her many stories and probably asking the staff for a cup of tea. Theo would catch up with her soon enough over lunch. He’d already found a good place to go after a quick online search. The kind with big, fat, salty chips and proper pies.

While he had a moment to himself, he decided to slip out into the corridor. No one was stopping him, although he wasn’t entirely sure he should be out there by himself. But he didn’t want anyone to see what he was doing.

They were meant to check in their phones at the door with the very nice but firm operations team. And Theo had given them his phone. It was just his old one. He honestly didn’t plan on doing anything nefarious. He was amazed at his self-control for not immediately taking several selfies. But the truth was he had all kinds of emails he couldn’t leave hanging for several hours while he made polite chit-chat with people he was never going to see again in his life.

His nan may have been the heart of all the projects she had on the go, but Theo had realised several years ago she also needed someone with business savvy to keep everything going. By the time he’d left school at eighteen, he was amazed when he looked at the books that they hadn’t already gone bankrupt. What little money Nan got from her pension she usually spent on supplies for the halfway houses, and without Theo’s events calendar for fundraising they would have been in real trouble.

But he had nothing to work with. Just Facebook pages and other connections he could make on the internet. There was no budget to put on proper charity nights, so they were at the mercy of what the public could give here and there. Last year he had managed to get people to run marathons for them and his biggest success had been an auction where he had blagged his way into getting all sorts of brilliant prizes donated.

But the everyday reality was less glamorous. He had deals with local bakeries to take their just-out-of-date stock and clothes shops to offer them whatever they didn’t manage to sell at the end of the season for a big discount. But there were always little issues with the halfway houses like a boiler on the fritz or leaking taps. As the sole administrator for the charity, Theo felt like he never stopped most days.

A noise behind him made him jump and he immediately pressed the button to lock his phone and drop it into his breast pocket. But when he turned around he was not faced with an irritable guard. Instead, he blinked as a small, fluffy Yorkshire terrier with a red collar looked up at him, wagging their tail.

Theo’s stomach dropped. This had to be one of the royal dogs. Everybody knew the Queen always had a pack of Yorkies. The dog wriggled their bottom, ran in a circle, then scampered off down the corridor, away from the ceremonial hall.

“No, wait,” Theo whispered on instinct and clicked his fingers. “Here, doggy. That’s it. Don’t run away!”

But the little scamp was having a great game. They trotted off, tail in the air, looking for an adventure. With a glance over the shoulder that seemed to purposefully torment Theo, they vanished around the corner.

“Fuck,” Theo hissed.

He placed his empty glass down on a table and hurried after the pup. He’d probably get in trouble for leaving a ring mark. All the furniture around here was more than likely hundreds of years old. But he was more concerned about the Yorkie getting stuck somewhere or wriggling out of a window. It was so hot there was bound to be more than one open.

He made kissing noises and soft whistles as he chased after the little devil, but when he rounded the corner, there was no sight of them. Theo chewed his lip and carried on down the hall, his eyes darting left and right.

“Here, doggy doggy,” he called out as loud as he dared. He really didn’t mean to go snooping about. But he’d be happier if he knew where the pup had gone.

Luckily, most of the doors along the corridor were closed. When Theo took the next turn, there was his quarry. His relief was short-lived, however.

The Yorkie had their jaw clamped around a tablecloth and they were making little grunts as they tugged, trying to pull the bloody thing off. The blue-and-white porcelain vase standing in the centre of the small but high table was wobbling dangerously.

“No!” Theo cried, lunging forward just as the vase teetered over the edge. He snatched it from mid-air, hugging it to his chest as his heart threatened to beat right out of his chest. “Fuck,” he whispered in shock, looking down at the still-intact vase and wondering how much it was worth.

He suspected the answer was a ‘crap-ton’.

The fluffy pup appeared to have no idea how much damage they had almost caused. Instead, they yanked the cloth off the table and trotted off with the bloody thing trailing behind them like the train of a wedding dress, tail wagging proudly.

“No, doggy!” Theo hissed, rushing after the cheeky bugger. “Come back here!” He stamped his foot on the end of the table cloth, causing the dog to stop in surprise. Theo used his advantage to dash over to them. Keeping the vase safe in one arm, Theo bent down and scooped up the dog with the other before they could run off again. “Naughty boy,” he said, establishing pretty quickly that he was in fact male. The dog wriggled in Theo’s arms and licked his nose.

Theo couldn’t help but smile. But now he had the dilemma of who exactly he could go to. Had he totally overreacted? Did the Yorkies roam freely about the palace all the time?

As if hearing his suspicions out loud, a clipped voice came from behind him, and Theo’s heart sank.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

Theo spun around just as a strong pair of hands reached over and snatched the dog from his grasp, leaving Theo with the vase. Then he looked up, and Theo realised he was face to chest with none other than Prince James of England.

Theo’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Equally, Prince James looked down at him, his eyes wide. Theo managed something that might have passed for a gurgle.

James appeared to come to his senses. He shook his head and cradled the wriggling dog protectively close to his impressive pecs. “You were at the ceremony just now.”

Theo’s first instinct was to blurt out ‘You noticed me?’ But that was beside the point. “Uh, yes,” he said, his voice coming out croaked and weird.

James scowled. “What are you doing out here with Bertie?” he asked. “Or that vase for that matter?”

“Bertie?” Theo repeated, his guard already up at the prince’s tone. The little dog squirmed proudly in his arms. “Oh! I just popped out and I saw him running about.”

“So you thought you’d pick them both up?”

Theo frowned. “He almost destroyed this,” he said, thrusting the vase into James’s arms alongside the dog and nodded towards the little chap. “Besides, I didn’t want him getting lost,” he added, trying not to feel hurt. “But if you’re going to get your knickers in a twist over me touching your things rather than saying thank you, I’ll leave you to it.”

James looked taken aback. “I – you shouldn’t be wandering around out here,” he said. “It’s protocol.”

“Right,” said Theo, irritated. “So, I should have just let him smash a priceless vase over his head? You might not care if he got hurt, but I did.”

“I never said that,” James replied testily. “But what am I supposed to think when you’re out of bounds with a priceless vase and a beloved pet?”

“That I’m stealing them, apparently.” Theo laughed and shook his head. “You know, you guys act like you care about people like my nan. But it’s all for show, isn’t it? You just want the public to baa like sheep and say how nice you guys are. But after it all, you’re still up here on your shiny golden throne. We help people. What do you do, exactly?”

James clicked his mouth shut. Was it Theo’s imagination or did he look just a tiny bit hurt?

Theo felt bad, but he still wasn’t thrilled about being accused of theft.

“You, um, work for the same charity as Mabel Smith?” James asked.

Theo raised an eyebrow. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “She’s my nan. How’d you know that?”

James shifted his weight. He had to be twice the size of Theo, all sculpted muscles. Now was not the time to think about all that weight pressing down on top of Theo…

He cleared his throat and threw James an expectant look.

“I saw how you cheered for her,” James said simply. “When she got her MBE. You looked extremely proud.”

His received pronunciation was the poshest accent Theo had ever heard in real life. Not like him and his Essex mouth. “Oh,” he said, a little deflated. “Well, yeah, I was dead proud of her. She’s worked every day of her life, you know? Wasn’t born with anything much. Still doesn’t have much. She gives it all away,” he said, shaking his head ruefully.

James placed the vase down on a nearby sideboard and stroked Bertie’s head absently. The dog seemed to have calmed in his presence. “She sounds like an exceptional woman.”

Theo shrugged. “It’s why she’s here, isn’t it?”

James looked like he was going to say something else. But then his gaze dropped to Theo’s chest and his expression went from confused to outraged. Unsure what could possibly cause such a reaction, Theo also looked down.

His phone was ringing on silent, the screen lighting up through his shirt pocket.

“Thought you’d get something good for your Instagram, did you?” James asked coldly.

For a second, Theo panicked. What if they confiscated it? He couldn’t afford a new one and they also had his back up. But then his anger flared. “Some of us have work to do,” he snapped. He grabbed the phone from his pocket. The call missed, he unlocked it with practiced ease. “Look,” he said, bringing up his photo gallery with today’s date clearly labelled. Of course, there was nothing incriminating there. “Report me if you want, but I think it’s best if I probably just leave. People like me don’t belong in a place like this. Obviously.” He swallowed and tried not to let the frustrated tears get the better of him, but he was still emotional from the earlier ceremony.

James licked his lips. Unlike the rest of him, they looked soft and delicate. Theo cursed himself for noticing.

“We have strict policies in place for the safety of the staff, not just the family,” James said quietly but firmly. “It isn’t because we feel like being mean. Thank you for taking care of Bertie. I apologise for my earlier accusation.” He nodded stiffly and turned on his heel, taking himself and the dog down the corridor, in the opposite direction of the ceremonial hall.

Theo put his phone back in his trouser pocket where it was less conspicuous and watched the other man retreat. As his anger cooled off, he felt just a tiny bit guilty. He had broken the rules after all. But James didn’t have any right to speak to him like that.

Prince James he reminded himself sternly. He could speak to people however he liked.

Bloody hell, Theo had just met a member of the Royal Family and shouted at them. That was less than ideal. It was quite possible he had overreacted. His shame was definitely outweighing his anger now. But at the same time, James shouldn’t have been rude to him right off the bat when he’d only been trying to help.

He sighed. Perhaps the best solution was to get out of here and grab a rum and coke as soon as possible and just forget all about it. Hopefully Nan had enjoyed herself thoroughly and it was now Theo’s chance to spoil her a little for all she’d achieved.

As embarrassing as the encounter had been, he never had to see Prince James again. No doubt the prince would forget all about the mouthy commoner he’d bumped into soon enough. Theo had enough going on in his life without worrying about what an uppity royal thought of him.

After a few hours, he almost believed it.