Page 131 of Until The Lights Go Out

“Oh my God!” I practically screeched, earning several startled glances from people scattered around the lobby café as I launched myself at Serena. “What are you doing here?”

She laughed as I nearly tackled her backward into one of the marble pillars, her arms squeezing around me just as tightly. “Missed you too, psycho.”

“You were literally in New York yesterday!”

“And now I’m in Austria.” She grinned proudly. “I’m a world traveler.”

I pulled back enough to stare at her properly, still clutching onto her forearms like she might disappear if I let go. She looked unfairly gorgeous as always in an oversized camel coat with sunglasses perched on top of her head and long blonde hair falling perfectly over one shoulder.

“Theo called,” she said casually.

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“Yup.” She wiggled her brows dramatically. “Seems like someone is in loooove.”

Heat immediately flooded my face. “Shut up.”

“And how dare you not tell me, bitch.”

I burst out laughing, covering my face with my hands. “I have a lot to update you on.”

“You do know phones exist, right?”

“Time change is hard, okay?”

“Valid.” Serena nodded solemnly before narrowing her eyes at me again. “Now start talking.”

“That sounds threatening.”

“Oh, it most definitely is.”

I grabbed my bags and she linked her arm through mine, dragging me toward the paddock exit before I could protest and into a cab to take us to the city. Outside, Vienna was wrapped in soft sunlight, the streets bustling with tourists and locals weaving between cafés and flower stands. The air smelled faintly like espresso and pastries and warm air, and for the first time in what felt like forever, my chest didn’t feel so heavy.

Serena glanced sideways at me as we walked. “Okay. Scale of one to catastrophic, how bad was the day?”

The question softened something inside me instantly. Because Serena knew. She always knew. The anniversary of the crash had never just been a date to her, either. She’d been there through every nightmare after it, every panic attack, every interview I barely survived, every year where I tried pretending I was fine and inevitably spiraled anyway.

“It was bad,” I admitted quietly. “Like…really bad.”

Her grip tightened around my arm. “Maise.”

“But Theo found me.”

That got her attention. Fast.

She looked over at me slowly. “Okay wait. Hold on. Rewind.”

I laughed lightly despite myself. “What?”

“You’re saying that’s why he didn’t race that day?”

“When you say it like that, he sounds insane.”

“He left four hours before lights out; the world was exploding.” Serena stopped walking entirely now, staring at me in horror.

I groaned, hiding my face in embarrassment while she cackled loudly enough for an old couple nearby to glance over at us.

“Oh my God,” she laughed. “THE Theo Bauer? Mr. ‘Feelings Are Weakness’? He left a race for you?”