Bristol bit her lip to keep from screaming at Lizzy. She loved her, but every time Bristol wanted something, Lizzy was always there to tell her why she didn’t need it. She turned to Lizzy and folded her arms across her chest. Very quietly, she said, “I’m not asking. I need you to make it happen.”

Lizzy visibly bristled. “Fine. I’ll ask. Same salary and all the perks?” Her tone was cold.

Bristol knew she’d have to tread lightly. They had less than six weeks on the road, and tensions were high. This always happened. They got snippy near the end of the tour, spent time apart, missed one another, and came back stronger. It was a cycle.

“Yes. Offer her a seat on one of the buses. Fans are going to eat her up.”

Lizzy turned slowly. “Are you changing the lineup after one set? Because that’s going to piss off Fast Cars. Make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bristol asked.

“Let’s give her a week or two. Let’s see how she does when she’s not playing to the home crowd. Oh. Here comes Clarissa with the concert goods. Let’s get Annie and her family over here.”

Bristol stared at Lizzy’s back when she took a few steps away to bark commands on her headset. She didn’t have a lot of time to get ready, but she wanted to make a good impression on Annie’s family. It mattered what Annie thought of her. She smiled when she saw Annie’s wild blond curls bob through the throngs of people between them. Her sister was attractive, too, but looked tired and slightly frazzled, as though life was pressing her shoulders down and she was struggling to stay afloat.

“I like your music,” Peyton said.

Bristol knelt in front of Peyton and high-fived her. “I’m so glad you could make it tonight.” Bristol gave the concert goods to Peyton. “I thought you might like a souvenir.” She smiled harder when the little girl squealed with delight.

“Thank you so much for having us.” Annie’s sister, Sarah, introduced herself. Her nervousness was not lost on Bristol.

“I’m just thankful you and Lizzy ran into each other at the hospital, or I wouldn’t have Annie on the venue tonight,” Bristol said.

“We’re so proud of her,” Sarah said and wrapped her arm around Annie’s shoulder. The smile on Annie’s face was so pure that Bristol felt something inside her shift. Maybe it was the weight of the show and being on the road for months, but right now, in this moment, Annie’s genuine appreciation made her heart soar.