The Prince & the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

Author:Kara McDowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

CHAPTER 16

DATE: TUESDAY, JUNE 14

LOCATION: SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF FRANCE

ITINERARY: MORE THAN EIGHT-HOUR DRIVE FROM PARIS TO MILAN (IN A STOLEN CAR)

DAYS UNTIL THE COMET HITS: FIVE AND A HALF

“Would you really have spent your last week alive helping me cross things off my bucket list?” I ask an hour later as we’re cruising through the French countryside. To every other car on the road, speed limits and traffic laws have become mere suggestions. Our tin snail, on the other hand, would fall apart before breaking the speed limit. I have my feet on the dash and the window down, and although Theo grouses every three minutes about the wind resistance and aerodynamic drag, it’s not the worst road trip I’ve ever been on. Theo loathes this tiny French car with its weak engine, but with wind in my hair and sunshine on my face, I’m kind of in love with it. It might be my favorite car of all time.

“It’s not like we would have had many other options,” he says.

“It’s always nice to hear that spending time with me is a last resort.”

He darts a glance my way before refocusing on the road. “It would have been my honor to help you with your bucket list, Wren Wheeler,” he says sincerely.

“Oh.” My cheeks heat.

“What would have been on it?” he asks.

I’ve been thinking about that a lot, about what I’d be doing with my time if I weren’t so focused on getting home. Whenever we cross paths with someone who is still working, like those people on the trains in London, I can’t help but wonder what the hell they’re doing, and why they’re not out crossing off their own bucket list items. But the truth is—I don’t have the slightest idea what I’d be doing.

“So much of my mental energy over the last four years has been focusing on my future. Now that I don’t have a future, I don’t know what I’d do with one final week in Paris,” I admit. In a world without consequences, I’m not sure what would make me happy. I hate admitting this. It makes me question everything I thought I knew about myself. If I’m not the girl with a plan, who am I?

Theo’s quiet for several seconds before he responds. “I think I understand what you mean. I’ve spent my entire life running away from my future.”

“We’re quite the pair, aren’t we? Alone in Europe without parental supervision and we haven’t been skinny-dipping even once.”

“You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

“I’m really not.”

He laughs. “I don’t know what I’d put on my bucket list either, but I know it’d be simple. I want to eat good food and listen to music that makes me cry and watch reruns of The Office—”

“The UK or American version?”

“American, but I’ll deny it in public.”

“Fair enough.” I laugh.

“Most of all, I’d want to spend time with someone who makes me happy.” He glances sideways again.

“Too bad you’re stuck with me.”

“A tragedy.

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