What Goes on Tour (6 page)

What was she thinking?

Adrian wouldn’t be interested in hiring her. She had no experience.

Dare she risk the rejection?

***

Adrian turned from the sink as the door to the dressing-room opened. He wiped the last of the mascara off and tossed the wipe in the trash as he walked out to see George taking stock of the sleeping Kate.

“You left her alone.” Adrian couldn’t believe it. Though Kate didn’t show it, she was still vulnerable, still scared about losing people she loved.

He’d trusted George with Kate and George had left her because some problem had come up.

“Libby was with her the whole time.”

Libby was a whole other problem Adrian didn’t want to think about right now. He’d forgotten she would be there and his initial reaction after the surprise had been a very unwanted spear of lust. It was just his body’s reaction from coming off the stage high, but he resented it all the same. It wasn’t the time or the place. “How much do you know about Libby? She could be anyone.” He kept his voice low so he didn’t wake Kate.

“I googled her before the concert. She’s got four books out, works short-term contracts in administration, is twenty-eight years old and there are no nasty rumors. Every social media site made her seem like she was a nice person.” George paused. “Plus she was helping Kate write a book when I left.”

That stopped him. “What?”

“Kate wants to write a book with a superhero in it and Libby was helping her develop her character.”

Darn it. It was a nice thing for her to do. And it gave Kate something to keep her occupied, but it didn’t mean George should have left. “What was so urgent?”

“A fan.” George said it as if it was a swear word. “Eight months pregnant and swearing it was your baby. God knows how she got in, but she was threatening to go to the press if she didn’t get to see you.”

It was then Adrian noticed the exhaustion in his friend’s eyes. He gestured for George to sit on one of the stools near the mirror and took the one opposite. “What happened?”

“I told her who I was and said what she claimed could easily be proven with a paternity test. I took her contact details and told her I’d be in touch.” He slumped down. “I don’t need to ask the question, do I?”

“No.” He hadn’t slept with anyone in over a year. He’d been too busy caring for Kate and figuring out how to be a parent.

“Good.”

Kate was sleeping peacefully on the couch, her red curls covering part of her face. She shouldn’t be here. What if the fan had made it to his dressing-room?

Adrian didn’t even want to consider it.

“I need to replace Emily.”

“I’ve asked Libby if she knows of anyone,” George said.

Adrian opened his mouth to protest.

George held up a hand. “She lives here. She may know of someone reliable. If she doesn’t, no harm.”

Adrian didn’t know what it was about the writer that irritated him. No, irritation was the wrong word. She made him uncomfortable because she’d slipped into his inner circle without so much as a ripple. He had been himself while playing Clue before the show and it made him edgy. It usually took him ages before he was comfortable with someone new. Few people could be trusted.

Besides, he had Kate to think about now, not just himself. “Let me have a shower and get changed. Then we can talk about it.”

He needed to get back to being Adrian.

***

Twenty minutes later Adrian was clean, refreshed and had shed the last of the high from being on stage. Damn, he was hungry.

He walked into the dressing-room. Kate was still asleep on the couch and George was working on his laptop.

“You all right?” George asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go and scope the crowd outside. Do you want me to send Libby back in?”

Adrian didn’t really want to face her, but he’d been rude and he couldn’t leave her out in the corridor. “Sure.” As George left, Adrian sat down and loaded up a plate from the platter.

At the quiet knock on the door, he put down his plate and stood up to answer it. Libby stood straight, perhaps slightly defiantly, but smiled at him. It was the smile that unnerved him. It was so friendly, so kind, and it made him want to smile back, made him want to drop his defenses, made him
want
. He didn’t know if her smile could be trusted and he didn’t need the complication.

He waved her inside.

Kate was still asleep on the couch. Libby kept her voice low. “I’m sorry if you’re not happy that George left Kate with me. I can assure you I didn’t leave her for a moment.”

“It was unexpected,” he said. Damn, he needed to apologize. “I was still hyped from the concert and wasn’t thinking clearly. I’m glad you were here for her.”

She softened. “I hope George was able to solve the problem.”

“Yeah.” They couldn’t keep standing like this. He gestured her to a seat. “Do you want something to eat?” He sat back down.

“No, thank you. Kate and I ate earlier.”

“George tells me you were helping her write a book.” He dipped a carrot stick into some dip and took a bite.

Libby smiled and Adrian almost choked. He’d thought her other smile was good but this one was something else. Her grin was wide, showing a row of even white teeth, and her eyes sparkled. It socked him in the gut like a well-pitched baseball. He took a deep breath in.

“Yes.” Libby said. “She wants to write about a superhero her age.” She paused. “I hope you don’t mind, but I gave her my email address so she could email me if she had any questions.”

He put down his plate. “You would do that?” Libby barely knew Kate. What did she want in return?

“Of course. For as long as the interest is there. Tomorrow she might wake up and decide she wants to do something else.”

“She’s tenacious,” Adrian warned.

“It’s fine. I’m happy to pass on what I’ve learned to others. Writing is often a lonely and difficult road.”

Was there sadness to her tone? “You’ve managed it all right.”

“I’ve been lucky.”

Luck might be a portion of it but he doubted that was all. If getting a book deal was anything like getting a record deal, she would have put in a great deal of effort to get where she was.

George returned. “The crowd’s beginning to thin. By the time you’ve finished eating we should be good to go.”

Adrian turned to Libby to explain.

“Fans wait outside the back entrance hoping to catch a glimpse of Kent leaving. Most nights I get straight off the stage and into a car, but there’re always people waiting. I didn’t want to expose Kate. It wouldn’t be good to have her associated with Kent.” Some of his fans were fairly intense, which was another reason he needed to be careful. He glanced at his niece. “She doesn’t need to be part of that.”

“I imagine it could be a little scary.”

“They can get a little wild.” Between them and the mothers who thought he was a bad influence, it could get quite messy. It was Adrian’s job to protect Kate. She’d seen enough in her short life and he was determined to make the rest of her life as trouble free as possible.

He finished his food as Kate stirred.

“I’ll check what’s happening,” George said and left the room.

Adrian got up and knelt down by the couch. “Hey there, sleepyhead.”

“Uncle Ade?” Kate’s voice was raspy from sleep.

“Yep. We’re almost ready to go, kiddo. Do you want me to carry you out to the car?”

She swiped at her eyes and sat up. “I can walk.” She focused behind him. “Hey, Libby.”

“Did you have a nice nap?” Libby asked.

Kate nodded. “Did you have a nice write?”

“Yes.”

They shared a smile and Adrian felt a pang in his chest. Despite what Kate had been through, she did what he struggled to do – make friends and trust people.

George walked back in. “It’s clear.”

Adrian packed up Kate’s laptop and put it in her bag before slinging it over his shoulder. “You ready to go?” he asked his niece.

“Yeah.”

Libby and George waited by the door.

Adrian took hold of Kate’s hand and walked through the venue to where his car was waiting. By the time they reached it, Kate had fully woken up.

As they drove out, Kate asked, “Libby, can you help me with my story tomorrow?”

Adrian froze. No. This wasn’t good. Kate was getting attached to Libby, which would only lead to more heartbreak when they moved to the next city in a couple of days. “Libby might have plans,” he said. It would be better if they didn’t see her again after tonight. He hoped she didn’t feel obligated.

“I’ve got a meeting with my publisher in the morning, Kate, but I should be free by three. Will you be busy then?”

Kate looked to Adrian.

Adrian looked at George.

“Nothing’s scheduled for the afternoon.”

A whole afternoon free. Adrian wanted to get out and show Kate some of the sights around Melbourne. “Don’t you want to go sightseeing?” he asked Kate.

Kate twisted her hands together.

He hated putting her on the spot.

“I tell you what,” Libby said. “Why don’t you go sightseeing with your uncle and you can give me a call when you get back? I’m staying another night in the hotel, so you can call my room if you want to do some writing.”

Kate had hope in her eyes, seeking permission. He couldn’t refuse her.

“Sure.” Libby was being very accommodating. He couldn’t prevent the twinge of suspicion. What did she want in return? Everyone wanted something from him now he was famous. Whether it was to be seen with him for their two minutes of fame or to boost their careers, they were never interested in who he was as a person. They were the same kind of people who had turned a blind eye to his welfare when he was a child. When Daniel died, he’d found out who truly cared for him.

“That would be great!” Kate said.

They pulled up at the hotel and piled out of the car. George handed the keys to the valet. After travelling up in the elevator together, Libby said her goodbyes at her floor and left them.

Adrian let out a sigh as the elevator closed.

“You should have walked her to her door,” Kate said.

He looked at his niece in surprise.

“It’s late and it’s good manners.”

George coughed back a laugh.

Kate was right. It was good manners to walk a lady to her door. But it would make it seem like a date, which it wasn’t. It was too late now anyway. “I’ll make sure I do it next time,” he said, sure there would be no next time. The thought of being alone with Libby made him nervous. He wasn’t sure what he would do.

The elevator dinged at their floor. He said goodnight to George and waited for Kate to give George a kiss goodnight before bundling his niece into the room. It was way past her bedtime and she needed sleep.

And he needed to put Libby out of his mind.

***

Libby was running late. She’d forgotten to set her alarm the night before and had woken at nine o’clock. Her meeting with her publisher was across town at ten. Leaping from the bed, she ordered a taxi and flung herself in and then out of the shower. She was low on clean clothes but luckily she’d saved her business suit for this meeting at the end of her tour.

Her chest was tight and she reminded herself to breathe.

The phone rang as she finished dressing and the concierge informed her the taxi was waiting for her. Quickly she smeared on some clear lip gloss and grabbed her bag, checking she had all she needed, and then took her room key and raced downstairs.

At five to ten she walked into her publisher’s building.

The receptionist greeted her by name and offered her a seat. “Donna and Simone will be with you in a moment. They’re just finishing up another meeting.”

Libby sat on the navy blue sofa at reception. The wooden coffee table in front of her held a selection of magazines and catalogues, but nothing of any interest. On the walls surrounding her were framed covers of some of the books they’d published. The most successful ones. She was determined one of her covers would be up there one day.

She focused on her breathing, trying to calm down after her mad rush across town.

By the time her publicist, Donna, came out, the residual stress was gone.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Donna said, her hand outstretched.

Libby rose and clasped the woman’s well manicured hand. “No problem. It wasn’t long.” Her bruised hand was starting to feel better.

She followed Donna along the corridor to a small meeting room where her editor, Simone, was waiting.

“Libby, lovely to see you again.” Simone stood and they shook hands.

As she sat down, Donna poured her a cup of coffee and offered her a blueberry muffin, which Libby gladly accepted. Her stomach was telling her she hadn’t had breakfast.

“As you know this meeting is to talk over the book tour and find out what worked and what didn’t work. It’s always good to know how we can improve our tours,” Donna said.

Libby retrieved her notebook, where she’d made notes of things she wanted to say, and they discussed each leg of the tour.

Libby was pleased they took her feedback seriously and took their own notes.

“Your next book is due at the end of August. How’s it going?” Simone asked.

She’d been hoping Simone wouldn’t ask. “The first draft is almost complete.”

“Good. We wanted to discuss whether we can change the deadlines for the following two books.”

“Oh. To when?” Her books were currently scheduled to be released nine months apart and it was a schedule she was comfortable with. She was working four days a week and couldn’t afford to give up temping yet, as much as she wanted to.

“We’d like to release them six months apart.”

Six months? Libby’s heart pounded like a jackhammer in her chest. “I’m not sure.” She didn’t want to say no, flat out, but she wasn’t sure how she would manage it. She spent all of her free time writing as it was. It had been one of her ex-boyfriend’s issues.

She mentally reviewed her writing plan, calculating how many words she would have to write per week to meet the new deadline.

Too many.

But this was what she wanted. This was her dream. If only she could live off the advance she’d been paid, but it wasn’t enough, especially with her recent car woes.