Annie walked away from Top Shelf with a smile. She changed her flight again from Wednesday morning to Tuesday afternoon. It didn’t make sense to spend additional time in Los Angeles. She was eager to see Raven and her family, and get the SUV in front of her sister.
Annie needed to hear a friendly voice, so she called Charley in the Lyft on her way to the airport.
“So, it’s all over. How was the final concert?” Charley asked.
“It was the most amazing thing ever. I’ll never forget it.”
“Tell me the afterparty was mind-blowing. Tell me everything,” Charley said.
Annie didn’t want to tell her everything. Even Charley wouldn’t be able to help her process it. “There were fireworks at the end, and all the bands and singers sang the last song with Bristol. It was so much fun. I didn’t stay long at the afterparty. I had to get my luggage off the bus and find a place to put everything, and by the time that was done, it was super late.”
“My friend, the rock star,” Charley said.
“I’m not a rock star, but I did learn so much on this tour about the industry and about myself,” Annie said. Her thoughts drifted back to her time spent with Bristol. Their good-bye had been swift. So many words and feelings weren’t said, but Annie knew Bristol wanted space.
“Do you need me to pick you up?” Charley asked.
“No. I’ve already scheduled a Lyft. I’ll swing by tonight though.”
“Can’t wait to see you. I’m glad you’re coming home.”
“I miss you, too.”
Annie avoided talking to her sister because she was emotionally drained from the tour and would probably end up ruining the surprise. She ended up scrolling through social media and liked several posts from fans on Instagram. She jumped over to TikTok to follow Reece, because in his videos she would see glimpses of Bristol’s life. The kid had posted at least two dozen videos since the one he and Bristol made on the tour bus.
Her flight was at one thirty and would get her into Denver at five. She had an appointment at the dealership at six and was hoping to be at Sarah’s by seven thirty, right before Peyton’s bedtime. Peyton started all-day kindergarten today. Annie knew she would be wound up wanting to talk about it until she dropped off to sleep, exhausted.
She got to the airport, took a few selfies with fans who recognized her, and slipped into first class without any problem. She slept the entire trip, waking only when the tires bumped on the tarmac. Everything about today felt rushed.
At 7:14, Annie pulled up in Sarah’s driveway and honked. She had stopped a block away to throw on the giant red bow the dealership provided. The SUV was charcoal gray with heated seats that Annie tested on the drive over. Strange that it was still hot in California but there was already a chill in the Denver evening. Sarah opened the door and stared.
Annie jumped out of the car and yelled, “Surprise!”
“You’re home.” Sarah ran down the steps and hugged her.
“I’m home,” Annie said.
“Did you get a new—wait a minute.” Sarah took several steps back when she noticed the red bow and Annie dangling the fob in front of her face. “No! Shut up. Seriously?”
Annie couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. “It’s what you asked for and the very least I could do.” She thrust the fob into Sarah’s hand. “She’s all yours.”
“Auntie Annie!” Peyton pushed open the storm door and squealed when she saw Annie. She was already in her pajamas and carrying her elephant stuffed animal that she slept with every night.
“Peyton! Come here!” Annie braced herself as Peyton flung herself into Annie’s arms. “I’ve missed you. How was your first day of school?”
Her blue eyes widened with excitement. “It was so cool. I had the best time.”
Annie hugged her tightly as more tears welled in her eyes. It was amazing how much she’d missed her family. “I was going to call you, but then I thought you would be busy with homework, so I thought I would wait until I knew you were done.” Peyton’s tiny giggle made Annie melt.
“I don’t have homework. I’m only five.” She held five fingers up to reiterate her age.
“What’s going on out here?” Chase walked down the stairs and hugged Annie. “Welcome back. Did you get a new car?”
“No, but I did!” Sarah said. She waved Annie over. “Get in. Let’s go for a drive.”
“Can I come?” Peyton asked.
“No, sweetie. We need to put in your booster seat. Besides, it’s bedtime, so Daddy needs to take you inside and read you a story. We’ll be back before you fall asleep.”
Annie gave Peyton one last hug and transferred her to Chase’s outstretched arms before crawling into the passenger side.
“I want the full story, so be back in ten,” he said.
“Years! Ten years!” Sarah yelled and waved as she slowly backed down the driveway. She stopped at the bottom and hugged Annie hard. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to, and I promised you that I would. The paperwork is in the glove compartment. The check for the sales tax is in it, too. The only thing you need to do is get it insured and registered.”
Sarah cupped Annie’s face. “I’m so proud of you, sis. You did it. You hit it big.”
“It’s only a car. Besides, I have an idea for what I want to do next.”
“You’re going to get a manager, right? And then sign with the biggest record label, right?”
Annie shrugged. “I met with Top Shelf this morning, and they promised me everything I wanted, but it didn’t feel right. I know the importance of going on tour and staying in front of an audience, but I like my life. I like what I’m doing. And with the added boost of having been on tour with the most famous pop star of our generation, I’ve gained followers. A ton of followers.” She emphasized the word ton.
Sarah pulled back into the driveway after the slowest drive around the neighborhood and put her new car in park. “I’m overwhelmed with everything. You’re home again. You bought me a car. A fucking car! Peyton started school today. Where did the time go? I just don’t know where to land right now.”
Annie hugged her sister again. “I get it. But everything is good. I’m good, your daughter is good, you have a job you love, you have a new car, and you don’t have to check on Raven for a long time.”
Sarah pointed at her. “That cat hates me. Like it wants to slice my throat when she sees me walk into the apartment.”
Annie sighed. “If she had opposable thumbs, we’d all be dead.”
“I won’t tell anyone if you give her back,” Sarah whispered.
Annie laughed. “Back to the streets? Nah. I love her too much. That little psycho kitty. Let’s go inside, tuck Peyton in, and then I’m going to need a ride home.”
“I love you.”
“Because I’m the best.”
“Because you’re the best,” Sarah said.
* * *
“It’s Annie Foster, back from tour, and I’m here to sing a few songs and answer some questions.” It had been a week since the tour ended. Annie had met with Mountain Entertainment but didn’t feel a real connection with them, so she left without signing.
She was off. Nothing felt right since she left Bristol. Her first question during the livestream popped up. Annie repeated the question and answered it.
“How did I like the tour? It was amazing. One of the best experiences of my life.” She strummed a few notes before jumping into the biggest hit she’d had on tour. She scrolled through the questions and answered the ones she wanted to. “What was Bristol Baines like?” Annie felt both sad and elated at the question. “She’s such a wonderfully kind and gentle person. She always made me feel like I was good enough to be on tour in front of thousands.”
She sang a few more songs, answered more questions, and before she even realized it, the hour was up. Her tip jar brought in more money than any jingle gig. She was done writing them. Not talking to Bristol was driving her crazy, but she had to respect Bristol’s wishes. She was at a complete loss.
“Okay, let’s make a list,” Sarah suggested when Annie dropped by that night.
“What do you mean?”
“We need to figure out what makes you happy.” Sarah was the only one who knew the truth about what had happened in Los Angeles after the tour. She didn’t know the specifics, only that she and Bristol hooked up one night and that was it.
“What do you mean?”
Sarah grabbed a notebook and drew a line down the center of a blank page. “On this side we’re going to write down everything that makes you happy. And over here we’re going to write down what doesn’t and talk about it when we’re done. I’m going to start.”
Annie watched her write down Peyton, Sarah, Chase, Raven, Charley, and Bristol in the left column. In the right she wrote down being away from family, followed by being away from Bristol.
“Have you talked to her at all?”
Annie shook her head. “No. I’m honoring her wishes.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Not even a text?” She gave a low whistle. “I love you, but you are a genuine idiot.” She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. “Here’s the real question. Are you ready?” At Annie’s nod, she asked, “Do you love her?”
Sarah’s words were a sucker punch. Annie leaned over and rested her head in her hands. “It never occurred to me. I mean, Bristol Baines. She’s untouchable.”
“But she’s capable of love, and if she’s as torn up about being apart as you are, then you have to talk to her. She’s a person, sis. I mean, she’s used to being alone, but maybe that’s not what she wants.”
Annie had suppressed all emotions the minute she got into the car Bristol had ordered for her the morning after. She couldn’t even cry because then the driver would know that something had happened, and it would be on all entertainment news outlets. She kept her head high, slipped on sunglasses, and listened to music to drown out her thoughts. She didn’t collapse until she was safely in the airport-lounge bathroom.
Twenty-eight glorious hours. She was with Bristol Baines, in her arms, in her bed, for a solid day. Annie had never given herself so freely to another person. The only reason Bristol had her guard up the next morning was because she thought Annie was going to sign with Top Shelf and go on a path that was completely different from hers.
“Things are different now.” Annie suddenly sat up. “Sarah, things are different now.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t need to be on the road. Yes, the tour was great, but there was nothing wrong with what I was doing before.”
“As long as you’re happy, you do whatever you want. I’m proud of you regardless.”
Annie chewed on her bottom lip for a long time. Life was full of change, and big decisions didn’t come very often. “I have a lot to think about, don’t I?”
Sarah held Annie’s hand. “There are direct flights to Los Angeles daily. I’ll even watch Raven another week or for however long it takes. Just make sure Bristol isn’t allergic to cats, because that’s a deal breaker right there.”