Chapter Fourteen #3
Christine felt the bus engines roar to life. She had mere minutes before it started rolling. She grabbed her stuff from her bunk and headed toward the door.
“Christine? Where are you going? We’re about to leave,” Matt said.
She looked around the bus. Multiple sets of eyes were on her, wide and inquisitive.
“Sorry, everyone. I’ve been alerted to a potential threat with me being here. I can’t put myself, or you, at risk. I’ve got to get off the bus.”
She didn’t give anyone a chance to respond as she stepped off the bus. Matt was right behind her. She heard him address the bus driver.
“Earl, give us a few minutes.”
Matt grabbed her luggage and carried it to her car.
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Matt said. “I feel you’re safer out with us.”
“I won’t be when I get back. I have to stay.”
“So, this person wins?” Matt asks.
“If I’m safe, I win,” Christine said, opening her trunk so Matt could put her suitcase in.
“Anything I can do?” Matt asked.
“No. Have a great run. Maybe I’ll see you at tae kwon do when you get back.”
Matt nodded. “Count on it.” He reached out and Christine went in for a hug. His arms felt strong, reassuring, and safe. He kissed the side of her head.
Christine released him and rushed around to the driver’s side. She didn’t want to get emotional, and she felt it coming on. She adjusted her rearview mirror and saw Matt watching her before turning around and climbing back on the bus.
She texted Julianna. I’m off the bus. Heading home. Thank you. You may have just saved my life.
She drove home, checked her surroundings, grabbed her purse and suitcase, and carried them up to her apartment. Once inside, she locked all three bolts. Her phone rang and she saw it was Austin.
“What the hell, Chrissy? I come out from writing a song to get your opinion and you’re gone.”
“Didn’t Matt explain?” she said.
“He did, but you know you’d have been safe. You’re in more danger there, alone, without a security team.”
“No, I’m in more danger if I’m seen out with you. I’m safe as long as I stay home.”
“This is crazy.”
“You’re right. It is. And I’m way too sane to keep going like this. I shouldn’t have gone anywhere near your bus. Lesson learned. Have a good run, and we’ll talk when you get back.”
“Promise?” he asked.
“Promise.”
Christine went into the bedroom, unpacked her bags, put on her pajamas, and started binge-watching The Queen’s Gambit .
She’d heard a lot about it but couldn’t imagine a show about chess being fascinating.
She was wrong. She didn’t shower or get out of her pajamas for the whole weekend.
She turned down Julianna’s offer for dinner and skipped a guitar pull even though some of her favorite songwriters were performing.
It took all her energy to go to work on Monday morning.
The only thing she looked forward to was walking into the dojang and hoping to see Matt.
AFTER WORK, CHRISTINE LEFT FOR her tae kwon do class. She parked as close to the building as she could and then got out of the car, looking in every direction before fast-walking to the door. She felt like a fool being afraid of every shadow. When and how would this ever end?
“Christine?”
Her body gave an involuntary shiver, and a smile appeared on her lips when she heard Matt’s voice. She turned.
“Matt. So good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too. We missed you this weekend. Did you get time to relax?” he asked.
“As much as I relax anymore,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
“I can’t imagine living the way you are right now. We have to find this person. It’s got to be someone close to us. Maybe someone one of us works with?” he said.
“What would make you say that?” She turned toward him, intrigued by this thought.
“Austin and I were talking about it. They know too much. And they know it too fast. It’s got to be someone who interacts with us regularly. I didn’t say anything to Austin, but my first thought was Phoebe.”
“Yeah, I’ve gone there a few times, but Julianna swears it’s not her style,” Christine said, scrunching her face.
“You don’t believe her?”
“I think Julianna is too close to Phoebe to see her true colors,” Christine said.
“Maybe. It’s worth keeping an eye on her.”
“Did you mention her to Austin?”
“No, but he’s said some things that make me think he might wonder, too,” Matt said.
“Then why still date her?”
“What do they say? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Plus, I think he enjoys the casual nature of their relationship.”
“Sex without commitment?” Christine said.
“Something like that. Austin and I tossed around a bunch of ideas to keep you safe and find this person. He’ll probably call you this week.”
“Anything I’ll like?” Christine asked.
“Probably not,” Matt said, chuckling. “But try to keep an open mind.”
“Awesome.”
“I think your class is lining up. We’ll chat soon, okay?”
“Absolutely. Thanks, Matt.”
He gave her a hug and she held on. If she could just start dating him, she’d be perfectly safe.
And happy. Being in Matt’s arms felt natural.
They fit together, in personality as well as physicality.
She’d have held on forever but the class was about to start.
As his hands slid from her shoulders, she felt her sense of security slip, too.
MATT WAS RIGHT. She didn’t like Austin’s idea.
“I don’t want you to live here anymore. I want you to live in Julianna’s complex,” Austin said, sitting on her couch, facing her.
“Julianna already offered, but I can’t impose on her. Two grown women living together can get too close.”
“I want you to live in her building, but in your own apartment.”
“Oh. Did I win the lottery? Funny, ’cause I don’t even play.
Look, Austin, I want to drive a Mercedes, but I have an old Toyota.
I don’t have family money like Julianna, and I’m not a rich and famous singer.
I’m a lowly song plugger. One of Nashville’s musical matchmakers. I live in an apartment I can afford.”
“Not anymore.” Austin had a tentative smile on his lips, like he was proud of something and nervous about it at the same time.
“What did you do?” Christine put her hands on her hips.
“I bought you out of your lease. Paid off your last few months and ended your contract.”
“How dare you!” Her face turned red, and her eyes narrowed.
“I dare to try and keep you safe. I’m the cause of all this, and I have to fix it.”
“You can’t fix it.”
“I can try.” Austin jumped to his feet and started pacing. “Just listen to me. I fixed it so your rent there is the same as it was here.”
“That’s not possible.”
“It is possible.”
“If you’re paying the extra money for it, then no. I won’t be your charity case.” Christine folded her arms across her chest and shook her head.
“You aren’t my charity case. Banks are willing to work with people who have money. I have money. I worked out a deal. You can move in to the condo right next to Julianna.”
“Did you pay off the tenants to move?” Christine asked, her words clipped.
“I made it work. That’s all I’m going to say. You’ll have password-protected parking, a lobby entrance, and a guard posted downstairs at all times.” He took her hand in his. “You’ll be safe.”
“I can’t let you do this.”
“You don’t have a choice. I’ve already done it. I hired movers to come here tomorrow and take everything there.”
“Tomorrow? How?” Christine asked.
“I’ve been working on this for a few weeks. I didn’t want to mention it until I knew I could pull it off. And if I gave you too much time to think about it, you’d say no.”
“I am saying no. Austin, you have way overstepped your bounds.”
“I know. Please, Chrissy. Do this for me.” He put his hands in a prayer position.
She looked away from him and said nothing.
“I know you’re angry,” he said.
“I’m freaking pissed.” She stared at the wall.
“Let me do this for you. Please.”
She stood up. “I’ll be back.” She walked into her bedroom and shut the door, leaning against it.
She was a rational person and knew this situation was not her fault.
She had done nothing wrong, nothing to incite this vile person who was determined to destroy her.
Yet she was also in potential danger. And she did feel safer in Julianna’s complex, where tenants could park their cars in a locked garage and have access to a secure elevator.
At her apartment, she had to leave her car, walk up two flights of stairs, and stand outside in an open foyer to unlock her apartment door.
Even though the community was gated, the gate was only secure against cars.
Anyone could walk right in. That wasn’t the case at Julianna’s.
She thought of the saying “Pride cometh before a fall.” It was her pride telling her to say no.
Her brain knew this was the best thing for her.
How could she reconcile the two of them?
A light knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts.
“Christine?” Austin asked. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No. Give me a minute and I’ll be out.”
Christine took a deep breath and prepared to answer. She walked up to Austin and he stood. “Okay. I’ll do it. For my safety. Although it won’t take a genius to figure out I’m living there. Before long, my stalker will know.”
“But there, they can’t get to you. There are cameras all over the place. If she tried to follow you in, she’d get nailed immediately. Shy of you going into complete hiding, this is the best we can do.”
“Then let’s do it.”
Austin gently pulled her into his arms. “Thank you, Chrissy.”
MOVERS CAME THE NEXT DAY, EMPTIED her apartment, and set everything up in the new condo.
It was slightly smaller than Julianna’s place but much bigger than her old one.
She couldn’t help but make plans for the spare bedroom that included setting up a comfortable space for listening to music.
It would be her zen-style room. She’d need more furniture.
She was excited at the thought of a new beginning.