Page 116 of Away We Go

“That’s good to know.”

I take some photos of the cars waiting on the grid and then turn to look at the five red lights waiting to go out.

“Oh no,” Serena groans as the last light flickers off and Nicky doesn’t move. It’s a mere tenth of a second delay off the starting line, but the result has him down in fifth by the first turn. “I wonder what happened there?”

My mind flashes me the image of Nicky leaving me just now looking distracted and I wonder what role I played in this disastrous start today.

And whether this is something that is likely to continue.

• • • • •

Cherry

You don’t need to keep checking on me >

I told you, I’m spending the day shopping with Serena.

Nicky

But why? I thought you had a whole list of tourist places you wanted to see in Vienna.

Cherry

I changed my mind.

Girls like shopping for clothes.

Nicky

Girls do. But I know you don’t.

You’d tell me if something else was going on, right?

Cherry?

Cherry

Cherry is typing...

Cherry is typing...

Cherry is typing...

Everything is fine.

RACE FOURTEEN

Hungary

Hungaroring, Budapest

29–31 August

CHAPTER 23

Nicky

There’s something going on with Cherry.

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