Riley Green as himself

=

Mags has become somewhat of a celebrity at the bar off Tanner. Her and her boys are there usually every Saturday for the karaoke. She's grown to love it.

But today is different.

She's sitting by herself at a booth, during lunch, with her notebook in front of her. She's been trying to write new songs for her new record deal; songs that fits her range and vibe instead of always writing for boys. She had to get herself out of her lounge to get a change of scenery to help get the creative juices flowing again.

"Excuse me, miss." A server says next to her. "The gentleman at the bar bought these for you." The girl sets down a whiskey sour and a small basket of French fries on a clear spot on the cluttered table. "The tall one with the beard and long hair." The two girls share a blush as they both look at the man she's describing. "He's real cute. You better get on that or I will."

"Thank you, Lucy." She says as she gives the mystery man a flirty smile. Mags takes a sip before turning her eyes back to her notes.

The man clears his throat before heading to her table. "How're you doin' tonight, Missy?"

"Hi." She smiles, collecting her papers. "I'm good. How're you doin'...?"

"Riley. I'm Riley." He holds his strong hand out.

She shakes it and gestures him to sit with her. "I'm Maggie."

"What's that short for? Margaret?"

"I wish." She mumbles. "It's short for Magnolia. My momma is real earthy."

"That's beautiful." She playfully rolls her eyes as she props her chin on the palm of her hand. Riley grins to himself as he makes small talk with the pretty girl across from him.

=

"So where's your car?" Riley asks, his hands in his pockets as they head out to the parking lot.

"Oh, It's at Big Loud."

"You walked here?" She nods, digging around in her purse. "Hold this." She practically shoves her notes in her gentleman friends hands as she looks for her cigarettes.

"What's this?"

"Oh just my-" she cuts herself off as she pops a cigarette between her lips and lights it. "Notebook."

"You write songs?" She nods as she pulls her zip up hoodie around herself tighter as a fall breeze blows through the street. "Here." He politely drapes his flannel around her shoulders. It's so big on her that it almost reaches her knees. "When you said you worked at Big Loud, I figured as an intern or somethin'."

"Well, Riley Green, I'm full of surprises." She winks with a cloud of smoke tumbling from her nose and mouth.

He chuckles. "What're you doin' later tonight?"

"Probably tryna come up with some more songs." She shrugs, looking up at him. "Nothin' too exciting."

"Well, c'mon. Let's get outta here." He takes her hand with her notebook under his other arm.

She keeps her feet planted. "Wait. Is this gonna end with me chopped up in little pieces and stuck in a freezer?"

"Not at all, darlin'."

"Okay." She follows him to his truck that's parked in the side lot. Riley opens the passenger side, handing her the notebook before shutting the door. He joins her and starts up his truck. "Where're we goin'?"

"I was gonna ask you that. I'm not from Nashville."

"Hm." She taps her lips. "I would suggest a bar but we're leaving one. Oh! There's this lake that has a bar. Yeah! Let's go there." She buckles up. "It's about half an hour east of here." She points their way out of the lot and he follows with a huge grin on his face.

=

Riley pulls into the gravel lot and parks. "Is this the place?"

"Looks like it." She shoots back, kicking her boots off before hopping out of the cab. Riley laughs to himself as he follows her to the lakeshore. "Damn. It's closed." She sighs as she looks at the wooden sign on the covered window. "Sorry."

"No big deal, baby." He says, his arm around her shoulders. "We still got that big beautiful lake out there and all the time in the world." They share the same look as they start stripping down to their underwear. She squeals as she kicks her jeans off before grabbing Riley's hand. They run down the dock and jump into the lake together.

"Cold! Cold! Cold!" She gasps, throwing her head back to get her curls out of her face. "Holy-" Riley laughs, pulling her to him. She bites her lip as she wraps her legs around his waist. She boldly leans down and kisses him, her fingers twisting in his soaked long brown curls.

"Y'know, you're so beautiful." He says, his eyes bouncing between hers and her lips.

"You're so-"

"Shut up and kiss me." She breathes, grabbing his jaw as she presses her lips to his. His big hands roaming her back before settling on her bralette clasp. He pops it open then tosses it to the dock, their lips never breaking.

=

The following morning, Mags stirs awake, confused as hell when she sees the bright blue sky above her. She rolls onto her front, her brows furrowing further as she reads a 'HALO Waterfowl' decal stuck to the back window of the bed of the truck she's lying half naked in. She rubs her eyes as she turns on her side, her head throbbing while she looks around the bed. Maggie lets out a squeak when the man stirs awake. "Hey."

"Uh, hi." She says back, grabbing a random article of clothing from the side of the bed before pulling it on. "Riley, right?"

"That's what my momma calls me." He mutters back, rubbing his eyes before pushing a hand through his wild bed head. "Maggie." He sits against the back window and stretches his long legs out. "Mornin'."

She smiles up at him as she copies his moves, leaning against him. "Gimme your phone." He reaches back through the slider and reaches around for it. She snags it from him and puts her number into it. "Shit, I'm late for work." She tugs her jeans back on after she sees the time. "Shit."

"I'm late for my meetin' if that makes you feel any better." He smiles, pulling his t-shirt on.

"You have a meeting? At Big Loud?"

"No, Big Machine. They wanna sign me."

"Get outta here! That's so exciting!" She says as she runs her fingers through her hair. "C'mon! We're late!" She climbs out of the bed of his truck with his flannel on over her tank top.

Riley and Maggie talk about anything and everything on their way back to the city, never a quiet moment between them for the entire half hour. "I gotta get inside." She rushes out as she slides from the cab before she grabs his jaw and kisses him. "Good luck with your meetin'!" She shouts as she books it down the street to the studio, still wearing Riley's big flannel. He chuckles as he watches her grow smaller and smaller before heading to building down the street.

"There you are!" Michael says, shaking his head. "You're two hours late!" She huffs in response, throwing her purse on the leather couch before grabbing a nearby lukewarm bottle of water. "Where were you?"

"Old Hickory Lake."

"What in the hell were you- you got laid."

"Pfft. I met a guy and kicked it off with him." She can't help the smile on her face. "Okay, I gotta record a couple tracks today, right?"

"Yeah- well, probably just one since you were so late." Gus mutters from the soundboard. "Get on in there." She grabs her notebook and water bottle then slides into the booth. "Pick one, I don't care which one, and we'll go from there." Gus says, holding a sheet of paper up against the glass of the window, using his pen to point to it. Maggie nods and opens her notebook up, flipping to a page. "Ready?"

"Absolutely." She says before she takes a couple calming breaths. "Neon Eyes. Dollar- in- a jukebox heartache, drinking off a dive bar highway. Thick smoke soaked up in tequila, told you I'd leave you with Neon Eyes..."

Maggie licks her lips once the song ends. "How was that?"

"Let's do the bridge again. I think your voice cracked- somethin' funky happened."

"I don't wanna be the one to say I told you so. Just let me push you away before you get too close. I can't go and make up your mind and I don't wanna be the reason behind those Neon Eyes."

"She's really... wow." Morgan says from behind Michael. "Her album is gonna fly off the charts, I swear."

"Oh yeah, for sure. Maybe when we go on tour she'll open for us."

"That'd be so much fun." Morgan grins, his arm around Hardy's shoulders. "Gotta bring that up to Christian."

"Absolutely-" there's a soft knock on the door. Michael cracks the door open. "What's up?" He asks the tall bearded man that he's never seen before.

"Is, uh, Maggie in there?" Riley asks, bending his knees slightly to be Michael's height.

"C'mon in." He says when Gus flips the switch, turning off the recording sign. Morgan's eyes trail from the chest in front of him up to the strong pair of eyes looking down at him. "Who- uh- who are you?"

"Oh, right, sorry. I'm Riley, I'm a friend of Maggie's." Michael's face breaks into a dirty grin. "Just wanted to see her before I gotta get outta here."

"Hey Riley." Mags says, hanging the headphones up on the stand. "What're you doin' here?"

"Wanted to talk to you before I head on outta here. Can we?"

"Oh yeah, of course." She gives the guys a smile before following the tallest one out into the hallway. "What's up?"

"I got a deal and I'm movin' here in a couple weeks. I just- uh- wanted to know if you'd wanna do somethin' then?" He asks nervously, his cheeks red.

"Sure! Yeah, I'd love to." Riley smiles as he fiddles with her fingers. "Just let me know what you're up to, okay?"

"You got it, baby." He winks, leaning down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Talk to you later, then."

"Sounds good." She giggles to herself as she watches him walk to the door. Maggie bites her lip as she turns back to the booth, ignoring the looks she's getting from her two friends. "I'd like to record that song again, Gus."

=

Maggie can't help the small grin that seems permanent on her face for the next few weeks. She's been in and out of the recording booth for the last several days while re-writing a couple of her songs. Morgan has been keeping his distance after seeing her interact with Riley. He thought about making a move on his ex but he was too late. She's been busy talking with Riley.

Mags is in the middle of a brainstorming session at her place with Michael when her phone starts going off. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." Riley says, dropping his tailgate as he's parked in front of his new house. "What're you doin' on Saturday?"

"Probably hanging out with my friends at a bar, singin' a little karaoke but I think I'm free all day." She responds, leaning back against her couch. "Why? Are you finally movin' here?"

"You know it." He beams back, tucking his phone between his shoulder and ear as he carries a box inside his new house. "I should go, I got a lot of stuff I gotta move in."

"We'll have fun. Let me know if you need any help, okay?"

"You got it." He smiles as he hangs up.

"That Riley?" Michael asks as he snaps the tab off his beer can. She nods. "What're y'all?"

"I dunno." She shrugs, blushing. "He's real nice to me and we get along without fighting every other minute." She spins her hair tie around her wrist. "How's Morgan? I haven't seen him for a while."

"He's been off doin' his own thing with writin'." He responds. "Been workin' with him some."

"Oh, that's good." She nods, pulling at the label on her iced tea bottle. "So, I got a few more songs and I'll have an album!"

"Your first album!" He matches her excitement. "Y'know, if your mom was still around, I'm sure she'd be as proud as I am right now."

"Yeah. It's a shame my dad cheated on her." She sighs. "Thanks for bein' here." She pats his knee. "I'm real thankful."

"Make sure you thank me when your songs go triple platinum!" He shoots back, making her giggle loudly.