Page 44 of Love on Tour
“The sun is shining, Christine. Bail that hay,” she said to herself.
She sifted through a weekend’s worth of mail, wondering why she even bothered to get mail anymore. She paid her bills online, and, other than communications from her mom, who was Hallmark’s best friend, all her correspondence came via email or text. Even thank-you notes were sent through email. So, she was surprised to see what appeared to be a personal letter withher name and address handwritten on the front. She tore it open and gasped.
I strongly suggest you continue going on the road with Lynda and never go out with Austin again. You are pushing your luck and pushing my limits. You’ve been warned.
Her hands started shaking. She tried to remember the communications law course she had taken in college. She was sure it was a federal crime to threaten someone through the mail. When she grabbed her phone and googled it, she found she was right—it was a federal crime. She smiled to herself. She had something concrete to give the police. As scary as that was, she knew if they ever caught the person, she could nail them with a serious penalty.
For the first time, she felt empowered. “I’ve got you now,” she said. After double-checking that she had locked and bolted her door, she climbed into bed, turned off her light, and fell asleep.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Christine stopped by the police station on the way to work and handed over the letter. She stood with her arms crossed, a smug smile on her lips. “This makes it a federal crime, right? We can do something now,” she said.
The officer read the letter, gave a brief nod, and jotted down some notes. Not exactly the hard-core response Christine had hoped for. Her smug smile dissolved. The officer made it clear that until they had some idea of who was making the threats, there was little they could do. They encouraged her to be careful, watch her surroundings, keep people around her, and always lock her doors.
She drove to work feeling defeated but determined to go on with her life. While shuffling through her stack of songs, Christine did her morning ritual of choosing songs that needed an immediate listen versus those that could wait.
Her phone chimed.
It was a text from Austin:Party at my house this Saturday. Bring hot friends.
Christine was glad she didn’t have a crush on him. A guy like Austin was always looking for the next exciting thing, the hotfriends. Even if he did seem to find her attractive, he still wanted her hotter friends to come along. It’s just who he was.
How do you know I’m not busy?she texted back.
Are you?
She was tempted to say that she was in fact very busy. But he’d know she was lying.No,she texted.
See you around eight. And thanks again for helping me a few weeks ago. You saved me from embarrassment.
Only because I haven’t posted the photos. Stay on my good side.Christine smiled as she hitSEND.
I plan to.
Next, she group-texted Julianna and Phoebe.Party Saturday at eight at Austin’s house. Want to come?
Their responses came in so fast it was like their fingers were already poised over their phones.
I’m in. TY,was Julianna’s reply.
Hell yeah,was Phoebe’s.
Most likely, Christine would be the designated driver since she couldn’t trust the others not to tip back a few. At least she wouldn’t be standing at the party alone. She wondered if Matt would be there. A vision of him flashed through her mind with the word “rain check.” She considered asking Austin but couldn’t think of a way to do it without raising suspicion. She could text Matt, but that would seem weird, too. She wished she could talk to someone who knew him. But they worked on two separate sides of the industry and she didn’t know anyone close to him. Still, she banked on him being there, which kept her excited all week.
THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED SATURDAYnight had arrived. Christine put on her best pair of Miss Me jeans, her favorite fitted shirt, and a pair of boots. The boots added three inches to herfive-foot-seven height, and she felt tall. Too tall. But she liked how the boots gave her butt a lift, so she left them on. She tried to calculate Matt’s height. He had to be at least five-foot-eleven, so she wouldn’t tower over him. She’d be close to eye level. And if the eyes were the windows to the soul, maybe she could lift his shades a bit.
Julianna’s condo was closest, so she went there first.
“Thanks so much for asking me. This is exciting. I’ve never been to a singer’s house before.” Julianna plopped herself in the shotgun seat and buckled her seat belt. She had on a cute pair of leggings, tucked neatly into boots with a four-inch heel. Christine’s feet hurt just looking at them. Julianna’s shirt fell right below her thighs and flowed freely. The V-neck enhanced her generous D-cup breasts. She smelled faintly of perfume. Christine thought it went against nature to have natural D-cup breasts with a size three waist, not to mention long, thin legs up to her neck. She must have been first in line that day in heaven when requesting all the best body parts. Christine tried not to compare her body to Julianna’s. That was a rabbit hole she’d spent too much time in and was making a conscious effort to stay out of.
“Think Phoebe will wear anything appropriate?” Julianna asked, raising her knowing eyebrows.
“Appropriate for what?”
“Good point.” Julianna grinned.
When they pulled up to Phoebe’s, she came waltzing out in five-inch fuck-me pumps and a short, tight dress. Christine could swear she saw her friend’s panties. At least she was wearing them. Phoebe opened the back door and climbed in behind the driver’s seat.
