Jo yawns as she stirs awake, her hair falling in her face when she lifts her head off her pillow. She looks around, her bleary eyes landing on the bare, scratched up back next to her.

She mindlessly brushes her fingers across the freckled skin then pulls a random shirt out of her drawer. She smiles when she sees the Halo Waterfowl logo printed across the front.

She tugs on a pair of socks on then heads down the stairs, stepping over the discarded articles of clothing.

"Fun night?"

Jo jumps, gripping the handle of the fridge. "Holy shit!" She wraps Riley in a huge hug, laughing quietly. "I missed you." She pulls back then hits him in the chest. "You asshole, you scared me."

He chuckles, taking her small hand.

"How was your trip? Tell me all about it!" She says, pouring him a cup of coffee. Riley smiles and takes the mug from her, watching her sit across from him at the table.

He tells her everything, his heart smiling at the expression she's giving him. She's never been to Nashville before and Riley promised to take her one day.

He leaves out the fact that he might be getting signed to a label and can actually drop out of college. He wants her to kick ass at her degree and graduate.

He's afraid that if he drops out, she will too.

There's a small grunt that comes from the steps. It's Sean in nothing but his boxers low on his hips.

He stops in his tracks, mid eye rub and looks at the man sitting next to Jo. "Who the fuck are you?" He says in a deep, sleep filled voice.

"Riley."

"Riley?" He tries to place that name. He's heard it before. "Why are you here?"

"I live here."

"What?"

Riley looks between Jo and Sean. "I live here." He repeats.

"With- With Jo? Y'all live together?"

"Yeah." She says.

Sean feels his chest get tight as he looks between Riley and Jo. "That's- that's- that's cool." He forces himself to say, obviously worked up. "Are y'all friends or...?"

"Friends." Riley nods.

"Best friends." Jo corrects him and Riley hides a smile behind his mug.

"I should get goin'." Sean says awkwardly, turning to pick up his clothes. Riley catches a glimpse of parallel red lines that cover his shoulders and lower back.

He doesn't like Sean.

He doesn't like what he did to Jo.

He doesn't like that they hooked up.

A few minutes later, Sean is coming back down the steps with his hat on his head, his boots on his feet and his guitar case in his hand.

"I'll talk to you later." He mumbles against Jo's lips.

She nods and watches him walk down the street back to the motel he was supposed to be staying in.

"Are you serious about staying in school?"

Jo is taken aback by the question. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Riley bites his lip, trying to figure out a good way to tell her the news. "What would you do if I got signed to a label in Nashville?"

"Be incredibly proud and happy for you."

"I'd have to drop out."

"Okay." She nods. "Would you have to leave too?"

"No. I can... I can work out a schedule and like travel back and forth."

"But wouldn't that be like... pointless when you can just live there?"

He runs his hand over the back of his neck. "I don't want- I don't wanna lose you." He admits, a blush highlighting his cheeks. "And I don't want you to lose your education and everything you worked so hard for."

"Ri, I want you to do whatever you want to do. I don't want you to feel like you're- you're stuck because of me-"

"What if you come with me?"

"What?"

"To Nashville. You can transfer to U of T while I-"

"Riley, what are you talkin' 'bout?"

"You and me, we got this connection I've never felt before."

"Move to Nashville?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

She chews on her bottom lip. "I'll look into transferrin'." Riley grins and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "You're gettin' signed?"

"Big Machine, hopefully."

"That's so awesome." She smiles, giving his hand a squeeze. "But," She starts. Riley's smile fades slightly. "You gotta take me on a trip there before I uproot myself again."

"Deal."

+++

Jo squeals as she zips up her bag. She and Riley are heading to Nashville for some meeting he has at Big Machine and he invited her along.

She drops her bag by her door then goes to Riley's bedroom. She cracks the door open and is met with rhythmic snoring. She huffs as she tip toes across the carpet to his bed.

She suddenly jumps on top of him, disrupting him mid-snore. Riley grunts under his breath from the sudden weight on top of his body.

"Wake up!"

He cracks an eye open then shuts it again, acting like he's still asleep.

Jo huffs again, scooting up to straddle his waist, her fingers splayed out across his bare chest. She leans down close to his ear to whisper his name. Something stirs in his stomach and his body heats up.

She has no idea the power she has over him in this moment.

Jo ghosts her lips against his neck, her own body heating up from her own actions. They haven't slept together since they moved into the house.

Jo hasn't been fucked since Sean stayed over a couple weeks ago and who knows when the last time was for Riley.

He opens his eyes, his hands going to her thighs. She grins down at him. "Good Mornin, Starshine!" She says cheerfully.

"Don't."

"The Earth says hello!" She giggles at the look he gives her. He hates when she says that.

Jo had made him watch Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and he had made the comment that Willy Wonka made him uncomfortable.

She says it just to tease him.

Riley jabs her in the sides, cackling at the squeal she lets out. He gets her pinned to his bed and-

Déjà-vu.

Okay.

Maybe Riley is starting to get some feelings for Jo. How can he not when they act like this? It's like they're dating without actually dating.

More than best friends.

Less than partners.

Ugh.

"Get up, Riley Green! We gotta hit the road!"

He laughs and sits back, tucking an arm behind his head as he watches her sit up too. "I still gotta pack."

"What!? The hell're you waitin' for?"

He laughs again, running his hand through his bed head.

Jo takes a deep breath in at the sight of her best friend shirtless, the sheets pooled around his hips, a mess of curls and a half asleep smile. She blushes and looks down at her lap.

"I'll be ready by noon."

She huffs playfully and throws herself sideways, her legs coming up to stretch out and poke him in the side.

"Hey!" He says, grabbing her ankle, pulling her toward him. He laughs at her giggles but then pulls back. "I just gotta shower and- and pack."

"Sounds good." She says then hops out of his bed. "I'm so excited! I'm so excited, Ri! I've never been to Nashville before- hell, I've never been to Tennessee just through it! Oh, we gotta go to Broadway-"

"Joey." Riley chuckles.

"I'm so excited." She states then squeals, exiting his bedroom. "Get up lazy bones!" She shouts from the stairs.

Riley lays back in his bed with the biggest smile on his face. That was the cutest thing he's ever experienced. Jo is a one of a kind type girl and he can see that. She deserves the world.

+++

"How long of a drive is it?" Jo asks, criss-crossing her legs as she sits shotgun in Riley's truck.

"Three and a half hours." He responds, fiddling with the radio. "Hope you peed."

Jo gives him a look but when she turns her head, Riley can see the grin growing on her face as she tries to hide her excitement.

"We gotta hit U of T while we're there. Maybe- maybe I can go to Belmont or whatever else is there. Yeah! I can get in state tuition when we move here..."

She continues on but Riley starts to half listen. Four words she just said stick out.

Oh, Riley's heart swells at the thought. He can't wait. Maybe he'll grow some balls and try to make a move on Jo. Yeah, he can do that.

They're best friends now- practically inseparable so what would be the difference in dating?