It's been three or four months since Haley's been back in Lynchburg and Morgan is beyond broken hearted. He hasn't been able to focus properly on his music since she left and he misses her.

All three of them do.

Caleigh, Michael and Morgan had no idea the impact the cute bartender had on their lives until she was out of them.

Morgan is just in shambles; mopey and glum.

He's written one, maybe two songs, in the last few months and he hates everything about them.

Michael pushes the door open and sighs at the sight of his best friend laying on the floor next to the couch. "The hell're you doin'?"

"I can't get up." Morgan mumbles back, his arm over his face as he kicks his foot up on the cushions.

"Can't or don't want to?"

He takes a deep breath. "What do you want?"

"Checkin in on you, man." Michael says, walking over toward him. "Get up."

"No." Michael huffs then grabs his ankles, dragging him from his spot between the couch and coffee table. "Dude!" Michael grunts and stands straight. "Fuck off."

"You gotta do somethin' 'bout this." Michael sighs. "Call her; get closure or somethin' or start talkin' to other girls."

"No one'll ever replace her, Michael." Morgan whines, laying back on the floor, bringing his knees up and his sock-clad feet flat on the floor. "It stings, man."

"Go get her then." Michael grunts as he sits on the floor next to him. "I bet she's in the same boat you are."

"I doubt it. She's probably been too busy with the damn farm and house to even think about Nashville." He spits sourly. "I'm probably the last damn thing on her mind."

"Have you tried to talk to her? Calling her?" He shakes his head. "Fine." Michael slides his phone from his pocket and calls Haley.

"Hello?" She answers, leaning against a tractor as she wipes her forehead with her arm. "Hello?"

"Hey, how's Lynchburg?" He asks, looking over at Morgan.

"It's actually pretty great." She responds, surprising Michael. "Been workin' my ass off since I got back."

"Good, glad to hear it." He nods.

"How's Morgan?" She asks softly, looking down at her dust covered boots. "Is he okay?"

"He's alright." He shrugs. "You wanna talk to him?"

"Actually, I gotta get back." She says truthfully, her heart feeling incredibly heavy. "I'll call him in a couple hours."

"Okay, sure." He nods. "I'll let him know you asked 'bout him."

"Okay. Talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure, bye." She hangs up and sighs heavily, clearing her throat as she watches a white Ford pull up to the tractor.

"How're you doin', Haley Mae?" Preston asks, handing her a cold bottle of water.

"Same soup, just reheated." She shrugs, rubbing her tired eyes. "Exhausted."

"Well, go on back to the house, I'll finish this."

"No, I got it." She sighs as she stands. "Just another acre or so and I'll be in for supper." Preston leans down and kisses her before he hops back in his truck. She watches her flame drive back to the house.

Haley sighs again, shaking her head as he sets her phone in a side pocket of the cab then continues with her work, Morgan on her mind until she's done.

***

Morgan's heart pounds in his chest as his phone rings with Haley's name showing up on the screen. He hesitantly picks it up. "Hey."

"Hi." She says, kind of surprised that he actually answers her. "How- how are you?"

"Doin', y'know." He clears his throat. "You?"

"Doin'." She shrugs back. "How's your music?"

"Been on hold."

"Why?" She asks, picking at a loose thread of her cut offs. She's met with silence. "Oh."

"It's just been hard to get behind, right now." He admits, running his hand through his hair as he sits on the back deck, his elbows on his knees. "How's the farm life?"

"Dusty." Morgan chuckles, his heart aching as they talk but as their conversation continues, he feels like they're together again. "I hope you're doin' good. I miss all y'all and servin' drinks to y'all and the karaoke and-"

"Come back and visit."

"Morgan-"

"Just think about it. You've got a place to stay when you come home. I miss you so just think about it, okay?" He says quickly before he hangs up on her.

Haley sighs as she flips her phone in her hands, standing to head back into her house. "You okay?" Preston asks from his spot at the table.

"Yeah. Just miss my friends in Nashville." She shrugs. "Might go home and visit."

"You are home." Preston whispers, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Home with me and your momma and your brothers."

"Preston, they're my family too." She looks over at him with watery eyes. "I feel so bad that I left them."

"They're just your friends, Haley. It's not like you was married to 'em." He says kind of sourly. "We're your family."

"Preston." She sighs.

"I'm just sayin'. Y'ain't goin' back to Nashville."

***

Haley turns on her side, the mattress and floor creaking and groaning under her weight. She looks over her shoulder and sees Preston sleeping peacefully on his front, his arms tucked underneath the pillow. She sighs and sits up, pulling a hoodie on before she pads downstairs barefoot to the kitchen for a drink. She makes some coffee and heads to the porch to watch the sunrise with her feet kicked up on the railing, mug in her hand.

Preston snores awake, stretching his strong arms out, frowning when he feels empty sheets. He lifts his head and rubs his eyes before he heads down to the kitchen in just a pair of boxers.

"You okay?" He asks when his brown eyes land on the girl in a hoodie and a pair of panties.

"Yep." She nods, running her thumb around the circumference of her coffee mug.

"You're still thinkin' 'bout goin' to Nashville."

"Yeah."

"You're wastin' your time, baby." He shakes his head, standing across from her against the railing. She clears her throat. "You're where you belong."

"But-"

"I'm your family, this is your home." He says somewhat forcefully. "Don't leave me- leave us again."

"Preston-"

"Haley." He grabs the sides of her face. "You belong here with us."

"I-" He kisses her hard, practically pulling her up to her feet, their lips never breaking. He grabs her ass, keeping her close but she pulls away. "Preston-"

"You're not leavin'." He states, looking deep into her eyes with the sunrise lighting her face. "You're stayin' here with me."

"But I miss everyone." She whispers, looking off to the side like she's ashamed to admit her feelings. "And I'm gonna go see them." She pulls away from him and starts toward the door but she's stopped by a hand tight around her upper arm, yanking her back.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

"No, I can handle this myself." She pulls her arm away and starts toward the door again, stopped with a hand tight around her arm. "What the hell is your problem?" She asks, glaring up at him.

"If you leave, you won't come back." He says lowly, his grip tightening around her arm.

"You're hurtin' me." She forces out. "Let me go." She tries to wriggle her trapped limb from his strong grasp and eventually frees herself but she's whipped around with hands on her shoulders. She spins and smacks him hard across the face. "Don't touch me like that, fuckin' asshole."

"Haley." He keeps his voice low. "Don't talk to me like that."

She shakes her head as she heads back into the house. Preston stomps after her and grabs her again, shoving her against the wall. "The fuck is your problem!?"

"You're not leavin' us again!" He shouts back at her, his voice echoing off the walls. "I won't let you leave us again!"

"Get your goddamn hands offa me, asshole!" She shoves him away. A switch flips in his brain and he backhands her, the force and the sudden surprise catches her off guard, causing her to drop to the floor holding her bright red cheek. "Preston." She whimpers, tears in her eyes as she rubs her face tenderly. "You-"

"Oh brush it off. I barely broke the skin." He spits. "Get back to bed." He demands, grabbing her arms to get her to her feet. "We got an early mornin'."

Haley is stunned by this sudden violent side of Preston; he's never- not once- even raised his voice at anyone before but now here he is, bagging on her.

She silently makes her way back to bed, tears in her eyes as she lays under the sheets, trying to keep her distance from Preston, laying awake as she cries to herself.

***

It takes a lot of self talk to convince Haley to even think about heading back to Nashville. A couple days later, Preston had struck her again for not having dinner ready when he was done working out on the farm, leaving her with a fat, bloody lip.

While he's out working, she quickly sneaks out to her car, heading back to the city to see Caleigh and Michael and Morgan. She figured that if he doesn't see her, she'll be safe to leave.

Haley sighs at her reflection in the sun visor, swearing to herself when she sees the shitty coverup job she did on her bruised cheek and busted lip and settles with the fact that there's nothing she can do about it.

She starts up her Dodge and heads down the street, a small smile on her busted lips as she drives back to Nashville for the first time in months.