Riley Green as Himself

Lottie winks at Riley as she's setting up the stage for her set at a bar in Nashville. She's got her guitar set in her stand while she's fiddling around with the cables.

"Here." Riley says, handing her a drink he ordered for her. "Need help?"

"Yeah, actually." She hops to her feet and stands at the mic. "Soundcheck." Riley slides behind the small soundboard and starts messing with the controls. "Check, Check, Check." She says then clicks her tongue.

"Okay, guitar." Riley says. Lottie picks up her guitar and plays a few chords. "Sounds good." He smiles. "You nervous?"

"Nah." She takes the drink from his hand and downs it. "It's six." She clears her throat and hops back up on stage. "Okay."

"Good luck, Lot." He winks at her and she blushes. Sure, living with Riley in such close quarters kind of sparked a few tiny flames within Lottie and her body but she's been forcing herself to keep seeing him as her best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

"Hey y'all." She says into the mic, licking her lips. "I'm Lottie Cross and I'm from, uh, small town just outside of Jacksonville, Alabama. I've been livin' here in Nashville for a few years or so with my best friend just tryna make my dreams come true." She chuckles at herself. "Anyways, I take requests and any tips y'all wanna bestow upon me right there in that bucket."

Riley smiles, leaning back against the chair he's sitting in. She's been trying to get signed to a label ever since she moved to Nashville. Riley got signed when he moved a year before her to Big Machine. He's been helping her write songs for herself and vise versa.

"This next song is one me and my best friend wrote a while ago." She shoots a wink at him. "It's called, uh, Dance Her Home. Riley, get on up here." He grins and grabs his beer, joining her on the stage.

"Here she comes a walkin' in, cotton dress a swishin'. Smoke is thick and the lights are dim and she sure got me wishin' for a little bit of time out on that ol' dance floor. If she gives me half a chance at romance I'm gonna dance her home..."

She laughs, nodding to a few more patrons that find a seat at the bar. When the song ends, the bar is full and she's beyond pleased with herself.

And after her two hour set, she's packing her things back up with the help of Riley. "Hey." She glances behind her and sees a boy standing there with soft brown waves and a Tennessee Vols ball cap. "Killer set, darlin'." He smiles.

"Thanks." She tucks her hand in the pack pocket of her curve hugging flares. "Glad you enjoyed it."

"Enjoyed the singer more than the songs but," He shrugs, looking her over. "I'd love to buy you a drink." She blushes but it's hidden by the dim lighting of the bar. "Morgan." He holds his hand out.

"Lottie." She shakes it. "We just gon' stand here or are you gon' by me a drink?" His face lights up and they head to the bar where she orders some tropical drink she had glanced at and he gets a Bud Light.

"How long've you been singin' in Nashville?" He asks, resting his cheek on his fist with his elbow against the table they're sitting at.

"Few years." She says after she takes a swallow of her drink. "What're you doin' in Nashville?"

"Same thing you are. Pursuin' my musical dreams." He shoots her a heart fluttering goofy smile and she blushes even harder.

"Been playin' honky tonks and dive bars since I was eighteen and I love it."

"Where're you from?"

"Butt-fuck middle of no where." She slurs out, feeling loose-y goose-y from her third strong drink. "Small town in Alabama. You?"

"Small town outside of Knoxville."

"Hey Lot, you ready to go?" Riley asks, picking up her amp. "Oh, hey."

"Ri, this is Morgan. Morgan, Riley." Lottie says, sneaking a drink from Morgan's glass.

He politely shakes his hand. "You ready?"

"Sure." She nods, standing on shaky legs.

"Hey, lemme get your number." Morgan says, stopping her with a hand around hers. "If you want."

"Sure." She repeats, taking his phone to put her number in. "See you later, then?"

"Yea you will." He smiles back, checking her backside out as she heads to the door.

She laughs as she bumps into the doorframe but Riley catches her. "I'm- I- I think I'm drunk."

"I think you are too." Riley bites his lip to hide an amused smile. "Let's just get you home."

+++

They finally make it to their house in the outskirts of Nashville; Goodlettsville to be exact. It's a small house. It's hidden by some trees just off the road. Two bedrooms and one bathroom but a nice kitchen and the privacy they both wanted.

Riley parks his truck next to her Jimmy and shuffles to the passenger side. "Woah." She groans, sliding- actually sliding- out of her seat to her feet, gripping Riley's strong bicep. "I- I gotta lay down." She starts to crouch to the ground.

"Lot- Lot, we're almost to the- no don't lay down-"

"Just for a sec." She breathes, dropping to her back as she rests her hands on her belly. "My feet are sleepin'."

"What?" He asks, laughing quietly. "C'mon, let's go inside 'fore 'em bugs start bitin' cha."

"I'm sour."

He shakes his head and grabs her by the waist, tossing her over his shoulder. "Oh no." Her belly rumbles. "No- I'm gonna puke."

Riley tosses his keys in the direction of their kitchen table as he heads down the hallway to their shared bathroom. He sets her against the tub and lifts the seat of the toilet just in time for her to upchuck the copious amount of random booze in her rather empty stomach. She grunts as she pants, her waves framing her flushed face. Riley sighs as he pushes her blonde locks out of the way of the bile exiting her throat just in time.

"My phone." She mumbles, gripping the rim of the clean toilet, her eyes squeezed shut. "Goes off." Riley slips the cell from her back pocket and unlocks it for her. "Who's it?"

"Uh, unknown number sayin' it's Morgan from Crossroads and he wants to get together for lunch this week."

"Really?" She breathes, slumping back against the wall.

"Yeah." Riley feels a pang in his chest. "Stay here. I'm gonna get you some water, okay?"

She scoffs. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

Riley runs his hand over her hair before standing to head to the kitchen. He grabs her a glass of water then returns to the bathroom. He sits next to her when he sees her kneeling in front of the toilet again.

"You did great at the bar, baby." He says in a soft voice. "You got the place packed."

"Oh please- ugh." She coughs and wipes her mouth. "They's only interested 'cause Riley Green was singin' with me."

"Yeah, for one song. This might've been your big break."

She rolls her eyes. "I've been in Nashville for three years and haven't even been able to score a fuckin- bleg." Her head drops to his shoulder. "A fuckin' appointment with a label."

"Good things take time, Lot."

"Time is fuckin' bullshit." She grumbles, twisting her fingers with Riley's. "Chuck's right. I'm wastin' my time."

Riley pulls away from her. "Take that back."

"I'm not good."

"Charlotte Cross, don't you dare say that. Don't even think it. You just gotta be patient, okay? I know it's been hard but you gotta believe in yourself."

"Save the speech, Ri." She gets to her feet. "I'm gonna go to bed." He scoffs out a sigh and shakes his head. Lottie shuts her bedroom door behind her and strips down to her panties before pulling on a t-shirt that used to be Riley's before she claimed it as her own and he's totally fine with it. She huffs, throwing her honey blonde hair into a messy bun before she climbs under her sheets.

A couple hours pass and she's still wide awake, more sober and incredibly bored.

Lottie slips out of bed and tip toes to Riley's room. She quietly opens the door and peeks in. "You awake?" She whispers.

Riley responds with him lifting the sheets for her to join him. It isn't uncommon for them to share a bed. They've always done stuff like this so it's actually kind of weird for Lottie to sleep alone.

She honestly hates sleeping alone.

Riley turns on his side to face her. His eyes are closed as he wraps an arm around her middle, pulling her back flush against his bare chest. She sighs heavily, her eyes closing as she focuses on the soft exhaling that fans across the back of her neck.

+++

"You look nice." Riley says when he sees Lottie come around the kitchen corner. She's dressed in a cute tight tank top and her favorite flares. She's got her hair in lose waves and her make up is minimal. "What's the occasion?"

"I got a date." She tells him, setting her purse on the table before plopping herself in the chair across from him. "Remember Morgan? Yeah, he's pickin' me up at six."

"Where're y'all goin'?"

"Uh, I'm not sure." She chuckles. "He told me not to worry 'bout it." Lottie pulls her boots on then shoots Riley a smile. "It'll be nice to be out again, y'know, on a date. I haven't been on a date in a while."

There's a soft knock on the door. "How do I look? Do I look okay?" She asks as she stands, straightening her jeans.

Riley's heart aches. "Beautiful." He smiles and she returns it before spinning on her heel to answer the door.

"Hi!" She grins. "Come in, I gotta grab my purse."

Morgan takes a few steps in and is greeted by Riley. "What's goin' on, man?" He asks politely.

"Same old, same old." He responds, crossing his arms. "What're y'all up to tonight?"

"It's a pretty, uh, lowkey night. Some dinner and a little live music, y'know."

Riley smiles. "You should take her dancin'. She'll love that."

Morgan smiles back. "Thanks, man."

"Ready?" Lottie asks. Riley takes a deep breath in and another smile pulls on his lips. She's wearing the perfume he got for her sixteenth- his Mama's idea.

"Yeah."

"Be careful with her, man." Riley says as Lottie wraps her arms around his middle.

"I will, promise." Lottie rolls her eyes as she grabs Morgan's hand, pulling him outside.

Morgan opens the door for her and she audibly swoons. "Where we goin'?"

"Kid Rock's Big Ass Honky Tonk."

"Kid Rock has a bar in Nashville?"

"World famous honky tonk, live music, great food, y'know." He shrugs, glancing to his left as he rolls through a stop sign.

"A pulled pork sandwich sounds so good right now. If I don't get that sandwich in my belly soon, I might cry." He laughs, looking over at her. "I love Broadway, love the vibe, love the live music and the dancin'. It's honestly everythin' I've been lookin' for since I left Jacksonville."

Morgan smiles as he pulls into a parking garage and parks his truck. "C'mon." He takes her hand and the two are on their way to lower Broadway.

+++

"I love this song!" Lottie says over the music. The band is playing One of These Nights. "The Eagles are just- wow." She takes a sip of her water, swaying slightly in her seat.

"C'mon!" Morgan grins, grabbing Lottie's hand to pull her out to the empty place up front in front of the stage. She's grinning ear to ear as he starts dancing with her, her heart swelling with infatuation. Lottie rests her head against his chest, her eyes closed while his hands go from hers to her waist.

When the song ends, Lottie reluctantly pulls away and returns to their table and takes a few more drinks of her water. "I love dancin'."

"Hey listen." Morgan wraps his fingers around her hand, his thumb brushing across her knuckles. "I got you an appointment at Big Loud."

"What?"

"I talked to the head honcho, Christian, and scored you time on Friday. I hope that's okay."

"Okay-? Shit!" She leans over and hugs him. "You- I don't- That's amazing. Thank you."

"I just know you're gonna go far, Lottie." He says. "Just don't miss it."

"I won't." She squeals and giggles just over the moon about this favor he did for her. "Thank you."

"But," He starts and her face immediately drops. "I want something in return."

"What's that?"

"A second date."

Her scowl turns back into a relived smile and she laughs. "You got me for a second. You didn't have to do that for another date, Morgan. I'm really diggin' the vibes you got."

He blushes and turns his attention to his drink. "I'll text you with the 'deets'." She laughs, wiping her hands off with her napkin after she finishes her pulled pork sandwich. "You're gonna do some great things, darlin'."

+++

Riley, Lottie and Morgan make their way down the hall to Christian's office. Morgan knocks on the door. "Yeah."

"Hey, I've got Miss. Lottie Cross here." He tells him, poking his head into his office.

"Oh, awesome. Yeah, send her in."

Morgan grins at Lottie and Riley as he pushes the door open. He leans over and kisses her before retreating down the hall into another room.

Riley gives Lottie's shoulder a calming squeeze as he sits next to her in the expensive looking black leather chairs across from the graying haired man in a pinstripe style suit. "I've heard a lot about you, Miss Cross. Morgan speaks pretty damn high of you."

"That's cute." She smiles back, rubbing her hands together between her knees.

"He showed me a few videos you posted on, uh, Instagram and I just gotta say, I fell in love with your voice and your style and your lyrics." She blushes. "That originality is exactly what we're lookin' for here and, darlin, you fit the bill."

"Really?"

"Yes ma'am." He nods, spinning in his chair to the printer behind him. "I would like to officially offer you a spot here at Big Loud." He moves a few picture frames out of the way as he slides a sheet of paper toward her with a fancy looking pen on top. "Here's your contract that I've typed up and all's you gotta do is read over it and sign."

Lottie looks at Riley who has an even bigger smile than she does. He picks the contract up and reads it over with her, explaining what formal jargon she doesn't understand.

"How long is this for?"

"Three years. After that y'all get to decide if you want to stay here or not. If you do, it's a five year 'tract after that."

Lottie looks over Riley who is glancing between the contract in his hand, the man to his right and his best friend. Lottie picks up the black pen and signs her name at the bottom of the contract with the date at the end of the line. Lottie Cross has been signed to Big Loud and she is just over the moon.

+++