Kylie snorted at her friend’s ‘life coach’ comment and watched as Hannah took them both in. Lulu, with her short, bleached-out boy haircut with pink and black streaks, and then her.
She wondered what she looked like to someone who didn’t know her. The jeans she wore were ripped, but they’d come that way and she didn’t even want to know how much they’d cost. She’d stopped asking long ago. The vintage T-shirt she had on wasn’t one from her dad’s collection, it was designer too and probably worth more than what the band featured on the front had made in their entire career.
“Hannah’s from the New York office and is really excited to be learning the ropes of artist management.” Chaz continued discussing Hannah’s qualifications until Kylie was tired of nodding and smiling.
“We’ll be fine, Chaz. Someone is making sure my truck makes it to each show, correct?”
Kylie prided herself on not being a diva. She didn’t make people fill her trailers or green rooms with roses or champagne or bowls full of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed.
She just had one relatively simple request. Wherever she went, her daddy’s truck went. It had its own special trailer that blended right in with the ones carrying tour equipment and luggage.
“Yes. Jackson Ashford is in charge of it. He has the spare key and will handle anything you need. I’ll text you his contact info.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Chaz. I’ll keep in touch.” With that, she nodded at the driver who’d opened her door and slid into the vehicle.
“Hey, Kylie,” Chaz called out just before the door closed between them.
“Yeah?” She leaned forward so she could still see him.
“Make good choices, okay? This is bigger than you now. You get that, right?”
She rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. “Yes, sir. No getting caught with hookers or blow. I got this. Peace out, Chaz.”
She didn’t have to see him to know he was shaking his head in that exasperated way he had.
“So you were kind of a major bitch to Hannah Banana back there,” Lulu said as she hopped into the SUV from the other side.
Thankfully the new chick was riding in a different car. Kylie wasn’t really in the mood to keep up the forced small talk and fake smiles. She pulled a prescription bottle from her purse and dropped two oval-shaped tablets into her hand. She could feel her friend’s steady gaze on her as she retrieved a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and took her migraine medicine.
“I wasn’t trying to be,” she mumbled over the pills she was trying to swallow. “Guess my life coach should’ve taught me better manners.”
“You don’t pay me enough for that.” Lulu nudged her elbow off the armrest they shared. “Anyways, she seems nice enough. Little out of her element, but nice. Maybe take it easy on her. Remember how out of place you felt when you first came to Nashville?”
Leaning back in her seat, Kylie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I remember. And you know damn well I spend the majority of my time trying not to remember. Thanks for bringing it up.”
“You’re welcome,” Lulu responded, as if Kylie’s appreciation had been genuine and not laced with sarcasm.
The drive to the lot where the tour bus and the rest of the convoy waited was quiet. Until they pulled in and Lulu broke the silence. “Hey, speaking of reminders, did you forget to mention something? Maybe something kind of important?”
Kylie stretched her neck and rubbed her temples. Obviously the meds hadn’t kicked in yet. “Not that I know of, why?”
“Because that guy waiting by the bus looks a hell of a lot like Steven Blythe. Unless you know another tattooed guy with black hair and a habit of carrying a guitar case around.”
Kylie lowered her sunglasses and looked out her window. Dear God. That damn sure was Steven Blythe.
What the hell is he doing here?
The question had no sooner entered her brain than the blurred memory of why he was here came back to her. He was here because she’d drunkenly decided he could fill in for her guitarist on this tour. Because Trace Corbin apparently wasn’t enough drama to deal with.
“Um, did I forget to mention he was filling in for Aiden on this one?”
“Um, yeah. Apparently you did.” Lulu gaped at her in disbelief. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”
No. “Sure. Why not? He’s a friend. He needed a job.”
Lulu snorted out an obnoxious laugh. “I bet. Didn’t realize you were giving out jobs.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.” She wondered if she said it out loud enough times if it actually wouldn’t be. Or if Lulu would believe she believed herself.