Page 86 of Love on Tour
Austin’s eyes crinkled as he laughed. “I know. Okay. Here goes nothing.” Austin left the bus, leaving Matt and Christine alone.
“I guess it’s going to get a bit crowded on here,” Matt said.
“Maybe not. I’m going to book a flight out of here tonight or tomorrow.”
“What? No. Why would you leave?”
“It’s a chick thing. You wouldn’t understand.” There was no way in hell Christine was going to sit around on the bus watching Matt and Cait together, much less sleep knowing they were cuddling in a nearby bunk.
“I’m not that dense. I get it. Watching Austin and Phoebe hang all over each other can’t be easy,” Matt said.
Matt had no idea she was talking about seeing him with Cait. She figured that was better. She neither confirmed nor denied, choosing instead to be silent.
“It was good having you here,” he said.
“Thanks. I enjoyed it.” Matt walked over and hugged her. A nice, long hug. She didn’t want to let go. When he left, part of her crumbled. She fell back on the couch and gave herself a moment to grieve her fantasy. Then she stood up, shook it off, grabbed her computer, and searched the travel sites. She found a flight that would get her back to Nashville that night and booked it.She packed her bags, called a cab, and, without saying a word to anyone, headed for home.
As the flight attendant asked everyone to turn their phones to airplane mode, Austin texted her.I can’t believe you left without telling me.
She texted back,It was about to get very crowded on the bus.
Kinda pissed me off. Not gonna lie.
I’m sorry. But this was about me. Not you.
Austin responded,I’m the star. It’s always about me.
She laughed.Thanks for adding levity to the moment.
See you when I get home?
Of course. Enjoy the rest of Canada. Gotta go. Flight attendant glaring at me.
She switched her phone to airplane mode, glad this wasn’t a Wi-Fi flight.
She needed the break.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“You just left?” Julianna asked on Monday morning.
“Yep.”
“And didn’t even say goodbye to him?”
“Austin? Nope.”
“Is he pissed?” Julianna asked, sitting on the edge of Christine’s desk, swinging her long legs.
“Yup.”
“Can you string more than one word together?”
“I don’t know what to tell you. They showed up with Phoebe acting all smug and demanding. And as sweet as Cait seems to be, and she really does seem sweet, I couldn’t be on the bus with her and Matt in a bunk together. I’m strong, but not that strong.”
“Does Matt have any idea how you feel about him?”
“No, and he’s not going to.”
