Page 15 of Love on Tour
Christine shook her head as her phone chimed again.
Julianna grabbed her phone to see the text message:Hey, Chrissy. I wrote a new song and want your opinion. I’ll send it to you tonight if you have time.
“He calls you Chrissy? You hate Chrissy. Nobody calls you that. You insist on Christine.”
Christine rolled her eyes. “I’ve asked him not to, but he doesn’t listen.”
“How can you be so calm? Text him back!” Julianna was salivating.
“I will.” Christine was playing it cool. “If you’ll give me my phone back.”
Christine took her phone and texted Austin:Okay. Send it.She paused, not sure if she should tell him she’d found some songs for him, too. She didn’t want to be pushy, but she couldn’t save the company with songs he wrote himself. It had to be songs from her company’s songwriters. This added stress was going to drive her crazy. She decided not to push anything yet.
“So, have you?” Julianna asked.
“Have I what?” Christine was so deep in thought about songs she forgot the question.
“Called dibs. And it’s not just me asking. It’s driving Phoebe crazy that people are talking about you and Austin. She thought she’d be the one to land a singer.”
“What is this? High school? She needs to chill. I’ve never understood how someone as nice as you can be besties with her. Don’t you find her cold?”
“I’ve never told you the story?”
Christine shook her head. “You just said you’d met in college and she always had your back.”
“My first day at college I had some girls being rude to me in the café line. They were making nasty comments about how short my skirt was. And it was short. But come on—I was eighteen. Itried not to listen, but it’s hard to ignore words like ‘slut.’ Then I heard another girl say, ‘Excuse me, but I’m going to cut in front of you now. You’re welcome to bash my clothing all you want. And for the record, I own the word “slut.”’ It was Phoebe. She told me I needed to pledge her sorority and she’d be my big sister and protect me from nasty people. I commented on how nice she was and she said, ‘Make no mistake. I’m not nice. But I’m fiercely loyal to my friends, and when you need it the most, I’ll have your back.’ And she always has.”
“I can’t argue with that. And to answer your question, no, I haven’t called dibs.”
“Why aren’t you interested? He obviously is.”
“No, he isn’t,” Christine said.
“CMT night, he invited you to his house.” Julianna sat back and crossed her arms.
“I was the only woman in the car. Of course I’d win.”
“He called you when he needed help.”
“He’d been with another woman. He was escaping. Although he doesn’t seem the type who would be bothered by multiple women in one night.” Christine put her finger in her mouth and faked puking.
“What if heisinterested? Will you go for it?” Julianna leaned forward, rubbing her hands together.
Christine shook her head.
“Why not? You never date. At all. Anyone.”
“Pot, kettle. I don’t see you with a guy right now. We both know this town sucks for finding men. Even waiters and Uber drivers are trying to be singers, songwriters, or musicians. And I don’t really want to date any of those.”
“But you have a chance with Austin Garrett,” Julianna said, throwing her hands up.
“I have achanceto ruin a great business opportunity. Bad move.”
“Why do you always have to be so in control?” Julianna asked.
Christine took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Because it’s the only way I feel safe.”
“Safety is sometimes overrated,” Julianna said.
