Free Girl on Tour (Kylie Ryans) by Caisey Quinn

screw up and she was already worrying about him instead of enjoying her own success.
    “If you did, you could tell me. I can’t say I understand, but I know it can’t be easy.”
    “Get some rest, darlin’. Stop worryin’ your pretty little self about me. Night, babe.”
    “Goodnight, Trace.”

K ylie woke up to the sound of Lily’s voice singing one of her obnoxiously perky chart toppers. She’d been deep in a dream involving being very naked with Trace in the pond on his property. She struggled to hold on to the image of them entangled in the water but Lily’s voice wouldn’t allow it.
    “Argh,” she grumbled, ambling out of bed.
    Betcha wish you woulda called, betcha wish it wasn’t too late. Oooh ooh oh now I’m the one walkin’ out. Oooh ooh oh, now’s who’s the one havin’ doubts?
    The weird part was, it wasn’t actually Lily singing. It was her voice coming through the speakers in the back of the bus. From Mia’s room.
    Kylie sidestepped the piles of boots, clothes, and heels strewn in her path and leaned in Mia’s doorway. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Mia was straightening her hair in her mirror and singing along with Lily’s song blaring from her iPod dock.
    Something must have alerted her to Kylie’s presence because she jumped, nearly scorching herself with the flat iron. “Christ!”
    “Nope, just me.” Kylie shrugged. “Didn’t realize you were a fan,” she said, nodding to where the music was coming from.
    “I’m not,” Mia said, reaching over to silence the iPod. “She put that on my iPod this morning. Some of her shit’s kind of catchy.”
    “Did I miss an early morning jam session?”
    Mia eyed her up and down. “What? Afraid you’re being left out? Can’t have that now, can we? God forbid the great Kylie Ryans isn’t the center of attention for five seconds.”
    Kylie’s cheeks heated at the unexpected burst of hostility. She knew she should probably be used to it by now but for some reason she wasn’t. “Pardon me. I was trying to make conversation, trying to act like a professional, or hell, just a decent human being. I can see that you have no idea how to be either of those things so I’m going to give it a rest already.”
    “Don’t you dare talk to me about being a professional or a decent human being,” Mia practically growled at her. “You don’t know anything about me, do you? Except what you decided the night I showed up at your party.”
    “Oh but you’re the expert on me, right? You know who I’m dating so you know exactly who I am and what I’m about. I have no idea what the hell your problem is. And honestly, I don’t even give a shit anymore. You want to be a raging bitch all the time? Knock yourself out. I have more important things to worry about.”
    Mia smirked, her lips curling into a hateful smile. “Right. Like Skyping your boyfriend to piss and moan about every little thing that doesn’t go your way. Or maybe you’re just checking in to make sure he still is your boyfriend. Or that he’s still sober.”
    Bitch, meet line. ‘Cause you just fucking crossed it. Kylie closed her eyes. Her breathing and heart rate were ramped up so high she probably could’ve mauled Mia Montgomery like a wild bear without breaking a sweat.
    She opened her eyes, hoping she’d set the brunette across from her on fire with the blazing heat in them. When she finally spoke, her voice was dead calm. “You can say whatever you like about me. I’ve been called names you probably don’t even know the meaning of. And you can keep throwing your bitchy-ass attitude in my face every time I breathe too close to you if that’s what you need to do to be happy. I’ll smile. And I might even wink or blow you a kiss. I’m from Oklahoma, honey. I can bless your heart and hate your crazy ass all at the same time. But if you ever, and I mean ever, make another comment about Trace, his drinking or otherwise, then I promise, you won’t be able to