Michael Hardy as Himself

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Jenna and Michael have been talking every so often before their date on Friday.

She's sitting at a table in the back of Whiskey Row enjoying the live music, waiting for him to join her.

When Michael steps into the bar, his eyes immediately go to her. She's stunning- hard to miss stunning- in her navy dress with her hair in loose waves framing her face.

"Hey Jenna." He says with a cute dimply smile, catching her off guard with a friendly hug. "Nice to see you again."

"You too." She grins back, resting her chin on her fist as she looks across the table at him.

Their conversations are so effortless, it's nice. It's like they've known each other for ever.

"So what do you do?" He asks, his brown eyes stuck on her.

"I work at a nursing home and at that bar." She states in a bored tone. She doesn't like her jobs but it's what she's doing until she can do what she really wants. "But I'm an aspirin' musician."

"Really?" She nods. "Me too."

"No way." She laughs. "You from Nashville? You don't sound like a Tennessean."

"Nah, Mississippi. You ain't from here either, right?"

"Kentucky."

"Kentucky Rain."

She playfully rolls her eyes, taking a swallow of her drink. "I moved here for college and I just stayed."

"Same here." He nods. "I got a degree in songwritin' and now I'm tryna make a name for myself."

"That's so cool. I had no idea you could major in songwriting."

"Middle Tennessee State." He smiles. She visibly melts, her cheeks heating up at the dimpled grin he sends her way. "What about you?"

"Lipscomb, film production."

"Ah that's cool." He nods back.

Michael and Jenna flirt with each other for a couple more hours before sleep's seductive grasp starts to tease her.

She hides a yawn with her hand, her eyes dark. She's been working since six in the morning at the nursing home, it's been a long day.

Michael smiles then mentally kicks himself. They've only known each other for a couple days and she's already making him tingle.

Like a gentleman, Michael walks her to the garage she's parked in.

"Hey listen." He starts, leaning against her car door. "There's a show at the, uh, at Losers next Saturday and I was wonderin' if you wanted to go?"

"Really?" She asks, scrunching her nose up. "You'd wanna see me again?"

"Hell yeah." She laughs outright. "Well?"

"Sure. That sounds fun."

Michael smiles again. "I can pick you up if you want?"

"My chauffer, huh?" She giggles. "I'll text you my address."

Michael nods, more to himself than her, then leans down to press a sweet, innocent kiss to her pretty red painted lips. She kisses him back, her fingers mindlessly twisting in the fabric of his Hawaiian shirt.

She tugs on his button up, pulling him toward her so she's pressed against her car, their lips still together.

Jenna makes herself pull away, her lipstick smudged and her cheeks pink. "Okay." She breathes out a giggle. "Michael."

"Jenna." He replies, his lips the same color as hers.

She laughs, using her thumb to wipe away some of the lipstick stuck to his skin. "Red ain't your color."

He blushes slightly. "I really liked hangin' out with you, Jen."

"We should do this again, then."

"I'll pick you up at four." He presses a kiss to her cheek then opens the car door for her. "Drive safe, Miss James."

She smiles to herself as she starts up her car, her heart beating out of her chest. She looks up and watches him walk away. Jenna lets a squeal out, a small giggle following.

She's never felt this connection with anyone else before and it's kind of scary. What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he just wants a fling? What if he's a liar or a creep?

Time will tell.

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"Who's playin'?" Jenna asks as she looks around the patio.

"A friend of mine." Michael responds, his hand grazing the small of her back as he walks them to the stage.

This past week has been nothing short of amazing. They've upped their talking stage to FaceTimes and phone calls, not just texting.

Their bond has become more strong and more comfortable and they're both on board with it.

"Hey!" He shouts, grabbing Jenna's hand.

"What's up, man?" The guy Michael was it the night they first met at the bar says, giving him a bro hug.

"Sean, this is Jenna. Jenna, Sean."

She smiles warmly at him, shaking his outstretched hand. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Yeah, you too." He nods, picking up on the vibe between them. "I gotta get set up." He says, excusing himself from the two.

Michael slides his hand to the small of her back again and guides her to the bar.

"I'll take a Bug Light." Michael says to the cute bartender then looks to his date. "What do you want?"

"Uh..." She trails off, looking at their selection. "Camp on the rocks." She orders, catching Michael off guard.

Whiskey? She's badass.

The other girls he's gone out with usually get cute little fruity drinks or those sparkling seltzers.

He pays for their drinks then walks back to the stage. "You ready to sing?" He asks Jenna.

"What?"

"You ready to sing?"

"Me? On the- up there?"

"You wanna wanna?" Michael asks, his arm around her shoulders.

"But it's Sean's show, right?"

"He's on at seven." He responds. "C'mon, it'll be fun."

"Okay! Yeah!" She grins, downing the rest of her whiskey before hanging him her empty glass.

Michael smiles back, walking on stage with her. "Hey Sean."

"Yeah."

"Can Jen borrow your acoustic? She's doin' a little- uh- acoustic set 'fore yours."

"Yeah sure." He nods, picking his guitar up off the stand. "Picks, here." He hands her a few mismatched picks. "She's all tuned up and ready to go. If you wanna plug 'er in, you can but just turn the amp on."

Jenna smiles between them. "Thanks."

Sean nods back then heads back to where ever he came from while Michael helps Jenna get set up.

"You got a set list?"

"Oh, I got a couple originals, some covers. You wanna sing one with me?"

"You want me to?"

"Hell yeah!" She says with a grin. Michael laughs. "Oh! I'm so excited."

She slides her jacket off and hands it to him, leaving her in her blue jeans and tight tank top. She kicks her Vans off then slings the guitar strap over her shoulder.

"Good luck!" He says.

Jenna leans over and kisses his cheek, giggling at the blush that forms on his face.

"Alright." She says into the mic as she lowers it. "Hey y'all." She waves to the small crowd. "My name's Jenna James and I'm gonna play a couple songs for y'all before Sean's set." She nods to herself, licking her lips as she plays a few random chords on the guitar to get a feel for the strings.

She starts her mini set with a song everyone probably knows: George Strait's Check Yes or No. She can't help the smile on her face as she hears some people singing along with her.

After that song ends, she's rolling into the next song she knows by heart, Storm Warning by Hunter Hayes. She can comfortably belt out the words with it being in her range and she blows Michael away.

He had no idea she could sing like that.

"This next one is one I hope my gentleman friend knows." She scrunches her nose up. "It's Let Me Down Easy by BlackBerry Smoke."

Michael laughs as he picks up another mic. He flips it on and joins her. His eyes on her the whole time.

She laughs when the song ends.

"This next one, heh," She takes a drink of her refilled glass. "This next one is an original, one that I wrote." She glances at Michael who gives her an encouraging nod. "It's an ode to my hometown. Here's Whole Lotta Nothin."

"The radio station plays the same ten songs, a country boys hardly livin' though he's never left home. Lyin' about struggles and growin' up broke. Daddy only made a million the economy's a joke..."

Jenna glances at Michael who's just in awe.

"...There's a whole lotta nothin' goin' on around here. You can listen to the Devil talking in your ear. You can drown in a bottle and pass through the years or you can pack it all up, face your fears There's a whole lotta nothin' goin' on round here..."

Her lyrics are kind of dark, kind of sad. She only mentioned her hometown once- hell, not even once. Just the state.

"Damn," Sean laughs. "You wanna finish my set for me?"

"Huh?" Jenna asks, looking around.

"They love you." He says.

"Oh." She blushes slightly. "Hey, thanks for lettin' me do this and use your stuff."

"Thanks for singin'."

"Wow." A guy says from behind them. "You've got such a sweet voice- unique voice."

"Thanks." Jenna responds. "Glad you enjoyed it."

The guy gives her a once over. "You wanna get outta here?"

"Excuse me?" She asks, not sure if she heard this stranger right.

"Wanna get outta here?"

"No. I don't." She states, looking him over. "I gotta boyfriend, anyways."

"That would be me." Michael says, going along with Jenna. She's uncomfortable with this guy hitting on her.

"Shit, man, sorry." He says then walks away.

"Sorry." Jenna mumbles, looking down.

"For what?" She shrugs. "C'mon, Sean's on in a few so let's find a table."

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