America's Sweetheart

five | duet

Edited - 03.19.2022 (1:09am)

"EL! You have to get ready for the tour. We all know that if you don't start packing now, you won't have enough clothes," Gabby shouts at me from the foot of my bed.

I hear a groan from downstairs and know that Colton isn't in the best shape for sound check right now. I get up and quickly brush my teeth before I walk down the stairs and to the kitchen to make the three hung-over houseguests some coffee. I laugh and put the grounds and water in the maker and turn it on. I begin gathering the ingredients for a small, non-greasy breakfast. I make some buttery eggs first and load them into a bowl before setting them to the side and making some toast. I make three plates and see Lilly and Gabby run up to the island and sit down quickly, pigging out on their platefuls of eggs and their toast.

"Ugh," Colton almost gags, "how are you two eating when you drank a lot more than I did?"

"Emma's eggs and toast work wonders for a hangover. Then you wash it down with some of that witchcraft coffee that she makes, and you're like a new human," Lilly stops eating long enough to make me grin and Colton sits down and rolls his eyes, not believing her.

I continue eating my eggs and toast while Colt picks at his. I pour four cups of coffee when the maker beeps, signaling the coffee being finished. I put a spoonful of the "secret ingredient" in each of them and hand the wolves their cups. I place Colton's in front of him and chuckle because now he's scarfing down the food. Gabby and Lilly take their coffee and walk to the living room.

"They weren't wrong. You can cook," Colton says and pick up his mug.

"Thank you."

"Cinnamon sugar."

"What?"

"The ingredient. It's cinnamon sugar, right?"

My eyes go wide. I smile and nod my head while saying, "No, I'm not telling you."

He grins and gives me a thumbs up and walks around the counter with all three of their plates. It's now that I realize why he is being voted sexiest man alive. He has removed his tee shirt from last night and only has his red and black flannel on, but the top half is unbuttoned. His curly hair has gotten a little shaggy, but it looks really good. I can't take my eyes off of the thing around his neck though. There is a silver chain around his neck, accentuating his naturally tan skin, but proving to me the truth behind how much he is still devoted to the small town he came from. There is a cross sitting in the center of his chest and my knees almost go weak because this man could not possibly get any more perfect. God definitely broke the mold with this one.

I look away and blush because I was just blatantly checking him out in my kitchen, ten feet away from my clueless best friends. He clears his throat and I see him looking at the floor, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. I take in my own appearance and get even more flustered. I have on a pair of Nike shorts, which have ridden up and are now a little too short, and a Nike sports bra under a sweater that is crocheted, so you can see straight through it. I pull the shorts down the the length they normally are and take the plates from him, placing them in the dish washer.

I slightly rub underneath my nose and turn away. I walk over to the couch, looking through my phone to see if I have any emails or texts that I need to answer. I catch a glimpse of a time and open the message. It's a group chat with Colton and I, as well as our managers and team. I look back into the kitchen and see the cowboy on his phone, brows furrowed, leaning on the counter.

"Do I need to take you back into the city?"

He looks up and smirks, "Nah, I already packed a couple days ago. My shit is already on the bus."