Free Girl on Tour (Kylie Ryans) by Caisey Quinn Page B

about that. Things are kind of…” How were things?
    “Everything okay?” Trace’s forehead creased. No need to bother him with her trivial girl problems.
    She waved a hand to let him know it wasn’t a big deal. Even though Mia hating her and her wondering why was starting to feel like a very big deal. “Three girls crammed together on a bus is not the best idea ever, you know?”
    “Sounds like a great idea to me.” Trace winked. She knew he was kidding but it stung a little. He was known for being a ladies’ man, and she was currently on tour with someone who may or may not have been one of his prior conquests.
    She forced a smile. “Funny.”
    Trace’s mischievous grin faded. “Okay, I’m not a total dumbass. What’s going on? You look…mad or worried or…something.”
    She’d never been one to keep things bottled up. Just as she was opening her mouth to come out and ask him about Mia, Lily stuck her head into the doorway. “Hey, you almost done? My dad’s about to call back and my friend Jen is supposed to be Skyping me in like five minutes.”
    Kylie wanted to tell Lily to catch a damn clue. Her dad rarely made any of their Skype dates or called her back. At least he hadn’t since they’d been on tour together. When he did it just provoked a meltdown anyways. Kylie had spent several nights locked out of the bathroom because Lily was shut up in there crying. She’d had to go without a shower more than once because of whatever Lily’s dad said or didn’t say during their chats. “Be done in a minute,” she grumbled.
    “Kylie?”
    She glanced back at the screen. Trace looked both concerned and irritated. “Yeah, sorry. Lily needs the computer again but—”
    “Lily can wait a damn minute. I’m not getting off here until you tell me what the hell is going on.”
    She glanced up. Thankfully Lily must’ve decided to let her say goodbye in private. “I need to ask you something. I don’t want to, and technically it’s none of my business.” She pulled in a lungful of air. “But did you and Mia…when you were on tour together, did you—”
    “Seriously?” She watched as Trace raked both of his hands through his hair. “Are you going to ask me about every woman I’ve ever come into contact with? It may not seem like it, but believe it or not, I didn’t actually sleep with every single female I met before you.”
    “Trace…that’s not what I was trying to say. It’s just, things between me and her are strained and she seems to hate me and I just wanted to know if you’d—”
    “Kylie, I really need the computer. Please .” Lily was back and she had her whiny voice on.
    “One minute,” she said, gritting her teeth and glaring at Lily with everything she had.
    “I’ll tell you what, compile a list and I’ll circle the yeses. That work for you?” Even through the computer speaker, he sounded pissed.
    “I’ll get right on that,” she snapped back at him. He’d asked what was wrong and she was trying to tell him and he was being a dick.
    She reached up to slam the computer shut, the online equivalent of hanging the fuck up on him, but his expression was apologetic. “Wait. Kylie, please. My bad. I shouldn’t have gotten so shitty. It’s just, I’m under a lot of pressure right now and things with the tour are crazy.” He paused to scrub a hand over his face. “None of that is an excuse for being an asshole to you first thing in the morning. Or ever. Forgive me?”
    She rolled her eyes. Only Trace Corbin could make a girl forgive him without ever actually apologizing. “Yeah, I get it. I shouldn’t be so—”
    “Kylie!” Lily was literally stomping mad.
    “Hey, Lily’s freaking out and—”
    “Yeah, I hear. Look, this isn’t exactly the kind of conversation we need to have on here anyways but I’ll see you in a week in Nashville. Okay?”
    She smiled and the tightness in her chest loosened slightly. One more week. It couldn’t come soon enough. “Okay. Call