"He did what!?" Sam shouts, slamming his fists against his dining room table. "Are you fuckin serious!?"

"Sam-"

"That fuckin' asshole!" He gets to his feet, the veins in his neck and forehead sticking out. "I can't believe he would do this- do this to you!"

"Sam-"

"I swear to god-"

"Sam!"

"What!?"

"I want you to have the house."

"What?"

"I want you to have the house." She repeats, her hands on their sides against the table as she looks at them.

"Haley, Pops left you the house." Sam sighs, shaking his head.

"Sam, I'm still gonna be 'round. I just can't handle the house." She mumbles, her eyes trained on the sweaty palms of her hands. "Please do this for me." She bites her lip as he gives her a look that has her heart aching. "I want to keep it in the family, Sam. I can't put it up for sale, that would kill me- and y'all. Please just do this for me."

Sam looks down at his hands, twisting the wedding band around his finger. "I'm sure I can talk Harper into sellin'."

"Thank you." She gets to her feet and wraps her eldest brother in a tight hug.

"So what's goin' on with Preston?"

She shrugs in response. "I can't stay with him."

"Did he do that to your lip?" He asks, pointing at the small cut through her plump bottom one.

"I mean, I guess I deserved it." She scratches the back of her head. "Didn't have supper ready when he was done workin'."

"Haley." Sam sighs, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"Yeah, me too." She stands from the kitchen table. "I've been thinkin' 'bout movin' back to Nashville."

"What? Is that why you want me to have the house?"

"No, it's just that I couldn't handle it." She walks over to her brother and puts her hand on his shoulder. "I'll come home every weekend or somethin'."

"You were gone for too long, Haley. I don't want that again." She nods and sighs heavily. "Just promise that you'll come back."

"I promise."

***

Haley sighs heavily as she slides her last box I to the bed of Morgan's truck. She throws the tailgate up then turns to look at her family.

Sam sighs heavily, stepping forward to be the first one to hug her goodbye. "Make sure you come back."

"I will." She nods, fighting back tears. "Wes." She turns to the middle child. "I love you."

"C'mon now." He waves her off, tears of his own forming in those big blue eyes of his.

"Say it back." She says, looking up at him with her arms crossed and her hip popped like she always did when she was younger.

"Fine. I love you too." Her frown splits into a grin as she hugs him. "Jerk."

"Momma," She sighs. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, my Haley Mae." She laughs tearfully. "My baby girl's leavin' us again."

"She'll be back." Sam comments, earning a look from the youngest Mack member. "She promised."

"I will be back." She nods. "I swear."

Morgan puts his hand on her back, giving her family a sad smile. "I'll take care of her, I promise."

"You better." Sam says crossly as he steps closer and says into his ear, "you ever lay a fuckin hand on her, you're a goddamn deadman."

Morgan shudders, his face going bright red as he nods and swallows hard. "You got it."

"We should get goin'." Haley whispers, tears bubbling over her waterline. "I'll see y'all later." She sighs shakily as she grips the handle of her car. She gives the farmhouse one last look then climbs into her SUV while Morgan's in his truck.

Haley and Morgan share a look before the two start their trek back to Nashville, both their hearts incredibly heavy as they leave the Mack family once more.

***

"Haley." Morgan whispers, looking over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his girlfriend asleep in his bed, wearing nothing but a pair of panties. "Haley Mae."

"Fuck off." She mumbles, barely moving her lips as her face is smushed against the comfortable pillow beneath her head.

"I have somethin' I wanna show you."

"If it's your dick-"

"No, just look." She whines as she lifts her head, her hair stuck to the side of her face. "You just keep gettin' more and more breathtakin' each time I see you." He jokes earning a dirty, half-asleep look.

"What the fuck do you want to show me." She states, leaning up on her elbow.

"Just look." He grabs his laptop from the dresser across from the bed then sits back down next to her. "Look!"

"It's a house. Okay?" She squints at the screen, pulling the sheets up to her shoulders.

"In Murfreesboro." He says with a smile. "What do you think?"

"Why the hell are you lookin' at houses in Murfreesboro?"

"It's 'bout halfway between Nashville and Lynchburg." She furrows her brows. "Hales, this house is halfway between here and your family."

"But your work is here. Ain't that a far drive for you?"

"I'll make it work." He smiles.

"Morgan, are- are you serious?"

"Yes ma'am." She leaps over and wraps her arms around him, laughing as she hugs him tight. "Is that okay with you?"

"Better than okay!" She squeals to herself.

Haley's heart swells in her chest as she looks between the bright laptop screen and the man wrapped up with her. This is what real love is; sacrifices but also compromises. She knows that she's met the one she's supposed to be with. Yeah, he's made mistakes but he's human- it's not like she's all high and mighty either.

She leans down and kisses him sweetly, her fingers playing with his long wavy hair. "Thank you." She whispers. "You are such a great guy."

"I know." She rolls her eyes as she scoots off his lap and stands, pulling clothes on. "What're you gonna do?"

"We're gonna go down to Murfreesboro and look 'round."

"Okay." Morgan smiles that big goofy smile, reaching out for her hand. "C'mere."

She crawls her way toward him with an ornery look on her face. He sits back against the headboard, stretching his legs out. She sits on his lap, her fingers running over the cross around his neck. "I'm truly blessed to be with you." She says quietly, her blue eyes sparkling as she looks down at his chest. "I love you."

His face lights up with a shy smile, his cheeks hinting pink, he runs his fingers through her loose waves. "I love you too, Hales."

***

"What do you think?" The realtor, Jesse, asks, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"It's cute." Haley smiles at Morgan. "Small but not too small."

"Cozy." Morgan hums, looking out the front window. "Comfy."

"It's a great starter home, y'know, family starter home." Morgan and Haley share a look.

"Yeah, it is." Haley smiles at Morgan. "Fill a room with a couple babies."

"Someday, right?"

"Right." She nods, reaching out for his hand. "Would you, uh, give us a second?" She asks the realtor. He nods and heads to a different room. "I can see myself cookin' up a meal in that kitchen and I can see us fuckin' in the bedroom-"

"You like it?"

"I love it."

"Hey, Jesse." Morgan says with a smile. "We'll take it."

Haley squeals and wraps her arms around her boyfriend, matching smiles covering their faces.

The young couple are now homeowners.