"Anything else? Anything in your bedroom?" Riley asks as he carries a box out to the moving truck.

"I don't think so." She responds, looking around her now empty house. "Ready?"

"Yeah." He nods. "You?"

"Absolutely." She smiles. "Come on."

Lottie bounces behind Riley and she locks the door, setting the key on the front porch light.

She grins as she hops in the passenger seat, her legs cramped up so much that her knees are touching the dash. The moving truck didn't look this small when they picked it up. "I can't believe you bought another house."

"I think you're gonna love it." He winks back, creeping his way to the street.

"You gonna tell me anything 'bout it?"

"It's in Franklin."

"C'mon, Ri. You've been keepin' this a secret for weeks now."

"You'll see it when we get there."

She huffs playfully and drops her head against the back wall. "Wait, Franklin? What the hell?"

"Felt like I was back home without actually being back home. I wanted you to have that same feelin' but positive, y'know?"

"You're too sweet." She reaches over and squeezes his hand. "Thanks." Riley blushes back, keeping his eyes on the road.

It's a quiet drive, peaceful, down to Franklin. It's about an hour south of Nashville. Lottie dozed off when they hit the city limits, she's always been able to fall asleep on car rides no matter the length of the trip.

Riley keeps the radio on a low volume as she sleeps, a hand resting on her ankles while her legs are stretched out across the cab of the moving truck. She's got his sweatshirt clutched to her chest while hers is bunched up between her head and window.

He pulls into the long dirt driveway and his smile grows. He bought this property with Lottie in his mind; she's always wanted a big house with a lot of land and he got that.

He'd do anything for this girl.

He parks the truck and turns it off. "Wake up." He whispers, rubbing her shin. "We're home." Lottie nods still asleep. "Lot..."

She stretches her legs out and yawns, rubbing her eyes. She looks over and him and smiles. "Hey."

Riley smiles back then slides out the cab. He fidgets with his keys then unlocks the door. "Home sweet home." He tosses his keys on the kitchen counter. "I'll start grabbin' 'em boxes."

Lottie smiles to herself as she watches him head back to the truck. Her eyes are trained on his ass in those damn carhartt's and she blushes. There's a part of her that's telling her to just spill how she feels about him but the other part is telling her that he doesn't feel the same or want the same thing.

Riley, on the other hand, wants her to be his girlfriend and maybe his wife someday. He's head over heels in love with Lottie that it's borderline painful. He wants to tell her how he feels but doesn't want to mess things up again.

She sighs as she watches him carry some heavy box in and she blushes again. "You are so strong." She mumbles, biting her lip as her eyes are trained on his muscular arms.

"I know that look." Riley smirks, setting the box labeled 'dishes' on the table.

"What look?" She asks innocently. "I ain't got no look." He chuckles and pops a hand on his hip. "I know that look." She shoots back, copying his stance. "Them boxes can wait."

"We- we rented the truck by the hour."

"Cheaper than by the day." She takes a few steps toward him. She twists her fingers in his the fabric of his untucked shirt. Riley's breath hitches as he glances between her face and her hands.

He can't take it anymore.

Riley grabs Lottie by the waist and tosses her over his shoulder. She laughs loudly, squealing when he playfully smacks her ass.

He drops her on a bare mattress, the two laughing as she bounces on her back. "Wait." She says, her hands on his shoulders.

"What's up?"

Lottie sits up and looks up at him. "What're we doin'? Me and you, what is this?" Riley sits back.

He doesn't know what to say.

Lottie doesn't either.

"I'm in love with you." He finally admits, his heart practically assaulting his ribcage. "I have been for some time."

Her body heats up at his words. "Really?"

He nods. "Yeah."

She swallows hard and looks away. "I- I'm in love with you too."

+++

"I've never felt so bored before. I don't wanna write music, Ri." Lottie sighs, tossing her pen on the kitchen table. "I can't do this right now. I need a break." She runs a hand through her hair as she stands. "We should go out."

"Where?"

"Broadway?"

"Really?"

"What?"

"Nothin'. If that's what you wanna do, we can do it." He stands.

"I'm gonna get dressed."

Lottie changes from the clothes she's been sleeping in to her favorite flares and a cute tank top that she tucks into the belted waistband.

"Are you ready yet?" Riley asks from the front door, his keys tight in his hand. "C'mon, 'fore 'em tourists clog up the damn street."

"Don't rush me, Riley Green." She shoots back, stepping into a pair of boots then slinging her purse over her shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Been ready." He bites back a smirk as he opens the door for her. He smacks her ass playfully then turns to lock the door.

"Watch yourself, Ri." She teases, scrunching her nose up. "I know you's my boyfriend and all now but I can still kick your ass."

He laughs and heads to his truck. Lottie follows and hops up in the shotgun seat, that pretty smile on her face as they roll up to Nashville.

+++

Lottie is drunk.

She feels pretty damn good right now.

She made friends with the band setting up at Kid Rock's bar and somehow talked them into letting her sing a song in exchange for a plug on her Instagram page.

She sits back down at the table across from Riley and gulps down her drink. "You should probably slow down, Lot." He says softly, reaching over to take her cup from her.

"Get your own. I'll be fine." She slurs back, pulling her hand away from him. "Mama ain't raise no bitch." With that being said, she downs the rest of her drink. "Ooh, we should do shots."

"No, I think I'm good-"

"Fine, I'll just have to do yours too." She says with a little bit of sass then slides out of her seat, slowly making her way to the bar smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. "Two shots of the Skrewball!" She shouts over the band's sound check. "Make that three!"

The bartender pours three shots. Lottie throws back one then carries the other two back to her table. "Here you go."

"I'm drivin' home. I'll stick to my one beer."

"Pussy." She sticks her tongue out at him. "You are what you eat." She's too drunk to worry about a filter. Riley blushes hard. She cackles when she catches a few glimpses shot their way.

They're served their meals and Lottie doesn't want to eat. She wants to keep this buzz she has going.

"C'mon, Lot." Riley sighs. "You've been talkin' bout this sandwich for days and now you don't even wanna eat it?"

Lottie looks up at him through her lashes and sighs back. "Fine." She takes a few bites then finishes her drink.

"Lottie, wanna sing one?" Her new friend asks from the stage. "C'mon up." She grins, leaning over to kiss Riley before she heads up the steps.

She picks up the mic then says something to the band that Riley can't understand.

His face lights up when he hears that first guitar lick. He knows exactly what song she picked.

She picked it just for him.

"As we sat on the front porch of that old grey house where I was born and raised. Staring at the dusty fields where my daddy worked hard everyday. I think it kinda hurt him when I said, "Daddy there's a lot that I don't know. But don't you ever dream about a life where corn don't grow?"..."

She knows it isn't a rowdy song, per se, but she knows it's one of his favorites. She hears him singing it all the time; in the shower when he's cooking and it's his go to warm-up song.

He can feel himself fall deeper and deeper into love with her and he's totally okay with it.

"Hard times are real. There's dusty fields no matter where you go. You may change your mind 'cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow..."

Lottie bounces back to her boyfriend with the biggest smile he's ever seen. "You did great."

"I know." She giggles, standing next to him. "Man, I love Nashville." He smiles back, slightly amused. She rarely drinks like this but when she does, she's a barrel of fun. "Let's get tattoos."

"Uh-uh, no way. I'll sit this one out."

"Wha- Why!?"

"I don't like needles, Lot."

"Oh, big tough guy scared of a itty bitty little needle." She puffs up her chest and arms to imitate him. "Boo fricken' hoo. C'mon! Live a little, Ri!"

"Lot-" She juts out her bottom lip and pairs it with puppy dog eyes that make him tingle. "Fine." She squeals and grabs his hand, tossing a couple bills on the table before tugging him down the street to a tattoo parlor.

+++

"I don't know, babe. It just seems like a bad idea."

"What!? No, it's a great idea."

"Matching tattoos? It's bad luck!"

"Pfft." Lottie waves him off. "Fine."

Lottie sits on the bench in the work area the tattoo artist has set up. She tells him what she wants and where she wants it and then, before she knows it, she's getting ink jabbed into her skin.

Her tattoo takes about an hour.

"Here is aftercare info and all that jazz." He says as he wraps up the fresh piece of art. She hands him a couple bills then she's sending Riley in.

He is incredibly nervous.

The tattoo artist gets the stencil all ready to go but Riley stands. "I gotta- I gotta run to the bathroom real quick.

"No problem, man."

Riley comes out to the waiting area and his worried eyes land on Lottie. "You okay? What's wrong?" She asks, standing.

"I'm- I'm scared." He admits, looking down.

"You don't gotta do this, Ri. I was just messin' 'round."

"I'm gonna do this but y'know..."

Lottie smiles and puts a hand on his back. "I'll go back with you." He nods.

Lottie gets him back on the chair and sits next to him, her fingers fiddling with his. She's asking him random questions to keep his mind busy instead of thinking about the pain in his chest. Before he knows it, he's getting wrapped up and informed about the aftercare process.

They ended up getting slightly matching tattoos without even knowing it.

+++