Blurring the Lines by Mia Josephs Read Free Book Online

that she was—from her wrinkled brow to the worry in her eyes to the slight frown on her face. The tour was bigger than him. About more than him. Other people counted on him being on his best game and being involved.
    “I’ll get it together. I promise.” The words were more for himself than for her.
    She shifted and glanced back toward the house. “You sure you up for playing today?”
    He chuckled as Griffin stepped back on to the porch and Lita’s smile filled her face as she watched him. He’d never had that—not in the way they did.
    “Today I’d be thrilled to play anything that’s not my own.”
    “I’m about to play guitar with Christian Meyer.” Griffin laughed. “While we get ready to tour. My life is awesome.”
    Chris and Lita chuckled with him as he sat, and Chris liked the kid even more for being honest. Hopefully they’d all blend together as well as they had the other day because trying to write underneath the watchful eye of Lita James was not going to help.
     
     
    “We need to talk timelines, Chris,” Max said as he stepped onto t he dimly lit porch. Once again uninvited, but welcome.
    Chris didn’t move, or move his gaze from the ocean—he’d been there all day and was still considering sleeping on the porch instead of inside. “Lita was here today.” He took another drink of his tea. The stuff was supposed to help him sleep, but normally just made him have to pee half the night. He should probably stop drinking it before bed.
    “I let her in.” Max paused. “I’m serious, Chris. They’re ready to finalize your tour dates, start hiring crew, and you have four completed tracks. Four. That’s not going to cut it. I’ve put them off for now, but it won’t work much longer. The only reason they’re moving forward without your whole album in hand is because I’ve told them we’re just putting final touches on background sounds and because you’ve delivered for them in the past. Over and over. And there’s Lita. That’s all we’re hanging on to right now.”
    The patience Max had held in for so long was waning.
    “Yeah. I know.” Chris’ hands shook as he pulled the tea to his lips. One drink. One. Would it help? Give him his life back? His ability to write? His fingers shook at the ache of need he was told would probably never completely go away. One phone call and he could be high. One. So much weight in such a small number.
    “What do you need? What do I do at this point? If you’ve got nothing, Chris, fine. But I need to know so I’m not looking like an asshole out there trying to sell you to Carl at xLx Records.”
    “Screw Carl.” Chris wasn’t in the mood. “I’d like to get Corinne back down for another weekend. Or at least get her info from you so she and I can talk.”
    “Not happening.” Max shook his head. “You wrote a ton while she was here. What’s wrong with it?”
    It wasn’t...right. Not yet. Chris set down his mug with shaking hands, his mouth drying out at the thought of lacing his tea with Daniels. “Why are you being such a dick about Corinne?”
    Max took the lounge chair next to Chris and flopped his legs up, dress shoes and all. “Because I won’t let you break her heart, Chris. That’s why.”
    Chris frowned and finally sat up to face his friend. “Why do you think I’m such a prick?”
    “It’s not who you are, it’s what you are.” Max’s tanned face was set in determination. “I know your track record. I know hers. And I’m not discussing Corinne.”
    Chris sighed. She’d left four weeks ago. The first week had been okay, but three weeks of not being able to write was slowly spiraling him back to a dark place. “I think I need out of town.”
    Max broke away from Chris’ gaze to stare at the ocean. “Look. You’ve had a good run. A great one. Maybe the timing’s just not right. Maybe Lita should move forward without you.”
    It was the last place Chris expected to get that advice, but he wasn’t ready to give