There's a pillow that makes contact with her back as she sleeps on her front, an arm hanging over the edge of the bed.

Jo grunts when she's whacked.

"What the fuck?" She huffs, lifting her head, totally unaware of her bed head and sheet marks covering the side of her face. "Riley? What the hell?"

"Wake up!"

She cracks an eye open with a glare that turns into a smile when she sees the look on his face. "What?" She whines, rubbing her face.

"It's your birthday!"

She whines again, pulling the blankets over her head. Riley chuckles as he tugs them back down. "C'mon, wake up!"

"If love me, let me sleep."

Riley shakes his head and grabs her foot, pulling her down the bed. She squeals then laughs when he picks her up.

"C'mon, I made you breakfast." He carries her to the kitchen then sits her on the counter. "French Toast with fresh strawberries and hashbrowns."

"You spoil me, Riley Green." She smiles back, taking a cup of coffee from her boyfriend, crossing her bare legs.

He hands her a plate then leans against the counter adjacent to her, the two digging into the beautiful meal together.

+++

Jo scratches the back of her head as she looks over her wardrobe. Riley told her he's taking her out tonight to a bar and she has no idea what to wear.

She shaved her legs so it's a dress or shorts. Probably a dress. Riley loves when she wears that tight red dress, he can barely keep his hands off her.

It's decided.

Jo pulls that dress from her closet and pairs it with a cropped denim jacket and her favorite sandals.

Riley's wearing his famed ass-hugging Carhartt jeans and a nice button up, his boots with a cowboy hat. She had made the comment that he looks so fucking good when he dresses like that.

"Joey, you ready?" He asks from the front door.

"Almost!" She shouts back.

When Jo makes her way to the front door, Riley's jaw drops. "Wow."

"Shut up." She laughs back, hanging him his truck keys. "Let's go!"

Riley sets his keys down. "I got an Uber so we could both drink."

Riley turned twenty one in the fall and Jo was the DD but now that she's legal, they both can get drunk. She smiles and takes his hand, walking out to the Uber.

+++

One for the bucket list; Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee on her twenty first with her boyfriend.

Jo's fingers are laced with his as they weave through the crowded streets of Broadway. Her grip moves from his hand to his bicep when they cross the street.

They just left Honky Tonk Central and are now on their way up the street. Jo pulls Riley across the street to Whiskey Row. "Are we bar hoppin' Miss Hanson?"

"We don't gotta drive home." She responds, fishing her ID out of her purse to present it to the bouncer.

They're let in then Jo finds a table in the back. They have to shout to each other over the band playing but it's totally fine. It's apart of being on Broadway in Music City.

"What?" Riley asks, leaning closer towards her.

"I said you look so sexy-" The band finishes a song and the bar goes weirdly silent as soon as she raises her voice. Everyone turns and looks at them and Jo blushes red. "...Tonight."

Riley laughs and leans over to kiss her temple. "Are you havin' fun?"

"Yeah, I am." She says genuinely. "I haven't felt like this before."

"That's good, right?"

It's obvious he wants to make sure tonight is perfect for her. You only turn twenty one once. He wants to make memories that are permanently burned into her brain.

"Yes, Riley." She says sweetly, resting her clammy hand on top of his. "Stop worryin'."

They sit for a while, singing to each other along with the band playing and Jo starts to feel a little frisky.

She scoots closer to Riley, one hand on his knee, her opposite arm wrapping around his shoulders while her lips brush against his ear. He takes a deep breath in, coolly resting his hand on her thigh, boldly slipping up under the hem of her dress.

Fuck, Riley is using every ounce of self control he has to not tear that damn dress off of her, bend her over the table and have his way with her right here, right now.

His hand slides up a little more, his fingers ghosting across her burning skin to brush along her incredibly skimpy lace panties.

He knows what panties she's wearing just from that simple graze.

He clears his throat, his hand returning to above her knee and his grip subconsciously tightening.

Jo licks her lips as she sends a motion to their waitress, asking for the check and within minutes, the young couple are on their way back to the house.

+++

Riley and Jo have been living in Nashville for over a year. They've been dating for a year, too. She's been incredible, Jo has.

Riley's been working weird hours, he's rarely home but their relationship hasn't been affected whatsoever.

Right now, Riley is at the studio, working his thick ass off on his first ever album. Jo is feeling lonely in the house all by herself but she's supporting the shit out of her boyfriend.

She's been busy with school, busy with studying for her last college finals before she graduates in the spring.

Riley had promised her- pinky promised her that he'd drop everything to see her walk across that stage when she graduates.

Jo's sitting at the kitchen table with her long legs tucked underneath herself as she creates a study guide for her audio engineering technology class. She's got a glass of wine next to her and her phone on the other side of her laptop.

Her and Riley have been texting back and forth while he's at the studio, she hasn't seen him in days and they live together.

thinkin' about you

Doing what?

me

getting drunk

and fucking

Riley blushes slightly. They haven't had sex in a . She misses him. He misses her.

They can feel their virginities growing back.

I need you Ri

I know baby

I'll be home late tonight. I'm sorry

Jo groans at his text. It's starting to feel like maybe he's avoiding her. Maybe he's starting to get sick of her.

No, there's no way.

Maybe.

Jo rubs her face and clears her throat.

again?

Yeah I'm so sorry

I'll make it up to you

I promise

Jo sighs heavily. She misses him so fucking much. It's not fair but she came with him knowing that his schedule was going to pull him in a million different directions.

She refuses to leave his side, though.

After everything they've been through, Jo refuses to leave his side.

She's in love with him.

Jo shuts her laptop and heads to the bedroom, stripping down to her panties to pull one of Riley's Carhartt shirts on.

A few hours later, Riley finally comes home. He quietly kicks his boots off by the door and tosses his ball cap on top of the fridge before making his way to the bedroom. He quietly opens the door and smiles at the sight of Jo curled up in bed.

He loves this girl with everything in his body.

He strips down to his boxers then slides in behind her, wrapping an arm around her middle tightly. She hums softly, scooting back against him, pulling his arm around her tighter.

"I missed you." She whispers.

"I missed you too." He mumbles back, his hand slipping under her shirt, resting on her hip. His hand slips past her waistband, dipping between her thighs. Jo sighs quietly and Riley stops. "What's up?"

"Nothin'."

"Joey..."

The words are on the tip of her tongue but she can't bring herself to say anything. She doesn't want to ruin his time off, his time away from work. He just got home and he's obviously drained so she doesn't want to work him up.

"It's late." She mumbles, shutting him down. "I'm tired."

Riley turns on his back and looks up at the ceiling, the dim glow from the street lights outside the window highlighting their room.

Maybe Riley needs to take a little time off to reconnect with his girlfriend.

Yeah, maybe that'll do it.

+++

"You nervous?"

"For what?"

"Graduation this weekend."

Jo glances at Riley's reflection in the microwave. "Yeah." She admits, sighing quietly.

Things are still a little weird between them but it'll probably change after she graduates and gets a job so she's on- almost on- the same work schedule he is.

"I can see if Big Machine needs help."

"I got an interview with Big Loud next week." She mutters back.

"Hey." Riley stands from the bar, his hand going to the small of her back. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She nods and sighs. "Just a lot on my mind." Jo turns and leans against the counter, looking up at him. "You off today?"

"No. I gotta go in at ten."

Jo nods and looks down. Riley hooks a finger under her chin and nudges her to look up at him. They lock equally tired eyes then lean in, kissing softly.

"I'm so proud of you, Joey." He says, his forehead against hers. "Seriously."

"Ri, c'mon now."

"Seriously, babe. You- you transferred schools for me, you came here with me, you-" Ri kisses her gently. "I love you."

She freezes. "What?"

"I love you, Joey." He repeats. "Everything that you've done, you've done for me. That's just- you're such a great girl and I'm an incredibly lucky guy." His strong hand cups the side of her face. "Thank you."

"Riley, I-" She has tears in her eyes. "I love you too."

+++

"Where is he?" Jo asks herself as she watches people fill into the stadium where the graduation ceremony is being held. Riley told her he'd be there.

He promised her.

The song plays and tells everyone to get to their assigned seats.

"Josephine Marie Hanson."

She looks out at the crowd, expecting to see Riley cheering her on but he isn't there. Her heart drops and tears jerk in her throat when she realizes he broke his promise.

She sneaks out of the ceremony and heads back to the house.

Once she's inside, she throws her cap and gown on the table along with her diploma and lets tears fall.

She has so many different emotions rolling through her body right now.

She can't decide if she's upset that she's done with school or if she's pissed at Riley for not showing up.

He kept telling her that he wouldn't miss the ceremony.

He kept promising her that he'd be there.

Asshole.

The kitchen door opens and closes. "Hey babe."

Jo doesn't say anything. She just keeps glaring at the hardwood floor, her arms crossed as she keeps her back toward Riley.

"You okay?"

"You broke your promise."

"What promise?"

She whips around, tears dripping down her face. "You're askin' me that? Seriously!?"

"What- what promise?"

"Graduation!" She snaps, her voice wavering. "I graduated today and you weren't there!"

His face drops. "Shit. I'm sorry, Jo-"

"Whatever." She huffs, heading to the bedroom to change out of her dress.

"Jo, I'm sorry!" He says behind her. "Let me make it up to you-"

"Where were you? What got you so busy on a Saturday?"

He stuffs his hands into his pockets as he looks down at his boots. "Nothin'."

"Ri, please don't lie to me, okay? Please don't be that guy."

"I was talkin' to one of the new assistants at the studio." He rubs the back of his neck, one of the tell tale signs he isn't telling the truth.

"Riley." He licks his lips and looks down. "You didn't." He flushes red. "How could you?"

Riley keeps his head down.

Without saying a word, Jo figured everything out. She figured out that Riley had missed her graduation because he was too busy messing around with one of the new girls.

She scoffs and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry." He says weakly.

"What we're y'all talkin' 'bout that caught you up?" He mumbles something that she can't hear. "What?"

"She gave me a blowjob."

Jo's heart shatters.

"What?" Her voice is tiny, tears threatening to spill.

"I'm so sorry, Joey."

"Don't call me that." She's barely above a whisper. A tear slip down her cheek. "I can't believe you."

"Jo, please." He takes her hand but she quickly pulls away.

"Don't touch me." She wipes her face. "I gotta- I gotta go."

"Go where?"

"Away from you." She whispers, shoving some random clothes into her empty backpack. She pushes past him then grabs her keys from the kitchen counter.

"Jo- Jo!" Riley watches her leave him in a cloud of dust.