Lexington, Kentucky

"The Horse Capital of the World"

Jenna's crouched against the wall outside the venue with her vape in her hand. She's panicking on the inside, she doesn't like being home.

She's killing time before her set which is in twenty minutes. She gets to her feet and starts pacing.

"Hey, there you are." Aaron says from the door. "C'mon, you gotta get ready."

"I am ready." She says, looking down at her clothes.

"Sweats? Nuh-uh." He waves her in. "Let's go."She sighs and follows him in.

She grabs a pair of denim overalls and a white lace bralette with no shoes. She braids her hair and sighs at her reflection.

"You look cute." Morgan says behind her.

She meets his eyes in the mirror. "Thanks." She turns and leans against the counter behind her. "Last show."

"Last show." He echos, leaning against the door frame with his hands in his front pockets.

"It's bittersweet." She replies. "Can't wait to get home to my own bed with my man, mmm!" She grins. That thought is the only thing that's keeping her going; seeing Michael in a couple hours.

"Jen, c'mon. You're on in five." Aaron says.

She takes a deep breath and nods.

Jenna gives Morgan's arm a squeeze as she walks past then down the hall to the stage.

She shakes her butterflies off as she bounces on the balls of her feet, ready to get this show over with so she can go home to be with her man.

She rushes out on stage and picks up her navy blue Gretsch hollow body guitar and slings it over her shoulder.

She starts her set with a song she wrote from a guy's perspective with the help of Ernest. This is more of a fun, 'off the wall' type song.

"I bet she didn't think twice about Amarillo. Hell, Denver all but once crossed her mind. She's flyin' down 40 like a bat out of hell for Memphis. She left me all alone in Montgomery tonight..."

Jenna grins when she hears the crowd sing with her, that fuels her adrenaline.

She shifts gears as she sits at her keyboard, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Well this could be the last time we ever talk. I'm gonna tell you how I feel then drop ya off. Yeah you'll beg me not to leave but what ya didn't see is gone written on the wall. It won't be easy but you ain't alone.

Breakin your heart is breakin mine. You ain't the only lonley one tonight. No there ain't a tear you can shed that I ain't already cried. Breakin your heart is breakin mine..."

She wrote this on a whim after kissing Morgan. She wrote the whole thing within half an hour and practiced it til it started to get annoying. It's kind of like an apology to him without it actually being an apology.

Jenna licks her lips as the band starts into the next song.

"...You and me will always be us, like comin' home headlights always means your truck. Like leanin' in's always gonna be my red wine lips mixed with your whiskey kiss. Friday nights, like your right hand's always gonna be in mine. Some things just fit perfectly like an old t-shirt and Levi jeans, you and me will always be us..."

She makes her way across the stage, smiling at the girls pressing themselves against the barricade to stretch their arms out toward her. She crouches down and squeezes their hands.

"...Like two kids and diamond rings will always mean crazy. Like stupid fights and I know I'm right means, I'm sorry baby. Like young love grows up..."

A different voice fills the room. That's not her singing. She's confused at first but when she stands, her face splits into a huge smile.

Michael stands in front of her with a mic of his own in his hand, singing the next verse of her song.

She keeps her excitement contained as she moves to the chorus and bridge. Her and Michael sing the final chorus together.

Jenna dances across the stage, belting out her song. She furrows her brows when she hears shrill shrieks from the audience. She turns back around, still facing the crowd as her and Michael sing together.

When the song ends, she's expecting to throw herself in his arms but he isn't there. Her eyes lower and she gasps when she sees Michael on one knee with a small velvet box in his hand.

Jenna's heart stops. She looks past him and sees Morgan with a hand over his mouth.

He says something she can't hear but gets the gist of it. She nods, laughing tearfully as she holds her left hand out. Michael slides the ring on her finger then stands and kisses her, hugging her tightly.

When her set ends, she's grabbing Michael's hand, pulling him back to the bus that she's positive is empty.

She pulls the shade on the door down then pulls Michael to the back lounge, again pulling the shade shut behind her.

Jenna shoves Michael down on the leather couch, straddling his hips as she unbuttons his shirt. Their lips never separate as she undoes his belt buckle.

+++

It's been about a month since Jenna and Michael got engaged but she cannot stop thinking about what she did with Morgan.

It's eating her up inside.

She has to tell him.

She has to come clean.

"Michael." Jenna says, sitting next to him on the brown leather sectional. "I need to tell you somethin'."

He looks up from his phone. "What's up?"

She already has tears in her eyes. "I- I gotta tell you this." She wipes away a few fallen tears. "I kissed another guy when I was on tour."

"You what?"

"I'm so sorry, Michael." She whimpers, watching him get up.

He doesn't know what to say. It's not like she slept with one but she kissed some other guy.

He's upset, rightfully so.

"When Florence died, I just broke-"

"Florence died?"

"I didn't- I didn't tell you?"

"No."

"She died when I was in Florida."

"F- Florida? That was like three months ago!" He clears his throat. "Who'd you kiss?"

"Just some guy I met at a bar." She lies, not wanting to ruin his relationship with Morgan.

He's silent.

That's probably more nerve wracking than outright anger.

"I totally get if you don't wanna see me no more and-"

"No, not that. I-" He clears his throat. "Need some space to think." He finally says, looking at her with tearful eyes.

"Yeah." She nods and stands. "I'll- I'll get outta your hair." She fights back tears as she stands.

He hates seeing her leave. He doesn't want her to go but he needs time to collect himself before he does something he might regret.

+++