Page 104 of Love on Tour
She called Julianna. “I have a dilemma.”
“Lay it on me.”
“Austin’s tour is going to central Pennsylvania,” Christine said, hearing the fear in her own voice.
“Ah, home sweet home.”
“What do I do?”
“Well, I know you’d like to be in your hometown flaunting your relationship with one of the hottest male acts in country music.”
“I don’t want to flaunt . . .”
“Sure you do. Who wouldn’t? Even popular people had haters in high school. We all want to prove we made something of ourselves. It’s human nature.”
“I already have fourteen requests for meet-and-greet passes. I’ll be lucky to get four.”
“Bullshit. Austin would do anything for you. He’ll meet anyone you ask him to,” Julianna said, and Christine knew it was true.
“Ugh. What a terrible position to be in. Do I risk my stalker coming after me if I’m seen out with him again, or do I pass up a lifelong dream come true—returning to my hometown theatre with the headliner?”
“My first inclination is to say don’t go anywhere near Austin,” Julianna said.
“That’s my first thought, too. It’s my second thought of really wanting to be there that is messing with my mind.” Christine let out a low sigh.
“Let me think about it for a few days. We’ll come up with a plan.”
“Thank you.”
“OKAY, I’VE GOT IT,” JULIANNAannounced, breezing into Christine’s office.
Christine set aside her paperwork and looked at her friend. “You’ve got what?”
“We can fly to Harrisburg. You don’t get on the bus or go into the dressing rooms. You stay low-key and keep your distance from Austin, except during the meet and greet. At no time do you allow the public or audience to see you. Wear a hoodie and big sunglasses or something. Do not stand on the stage. We make sure someone is always with you. We duck out before the show is over and make our way back out of town.”
Christine sat back and thought about it. “And we’re never without our cell phones. We stay connected at all times,” Christine said.
“This will work,” Julianna said.
Christine paused. She had a flashback to the last time she thought it was okay to go on the road. It hadn’t been. She hadn’t made it out of the parking lot before returning home, fearing for her life.
“I don’t know. I’m being stupid again. They might come after me when I return home. Maybe I’ll see if I can work from my parents’ house for a couple of weeks after the show. That way, if somehow someone does see me, I’m not in Nashville and can give it time to die down. I’ve never been threatened on the road.”
“Exactly. Oddly enough, being with Austin has seemed to be the safest place for you.”
“I used to love irony. Now, not so much.”
Christine was hesitant. All afternoon, she’d debated about whether she should go. She was listening to a new song by one of her favorite female singers, Lainey Wilson, when her Facebook messages chimed. It was Jim, the high school quarterback, asking for tickets. She laughed. He’d never even said “hi” to her in school. Austin was right. It was time to exorcise her high school ghosts.
She sent Austin a text:Hey. When you play Pennsylvania, is there any chance I can do a fourteen-person M&G with people from my high school?
Are you going to be there?he texted back.
Yes.
Then you can do anything you want. Should we save you a bunk?
She typed out her message.No. Flying in with Julianna.
