When Country Meets Pop

Chapter 6

Zayn's (POV)

Wow, Tammy's dad is kinda scary. He's got to be at least a foot taller than me, with muscles like a weightlifter. I wonder what he does for a living? When he said, 'welcome to the family' and pulled me into a hug all I could think about is I just got this man's blessing to see his daughter, but how? I've not said two words to him, he doesn't even know me. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining because, to be honest, I think I love her already.

"Zayn, Zayn, are you in there?" Tammy asked in a sweet voice.

"Sorry, guess I zoned out," I answered.

"Well, if we don't want Niall to eat all the food we better go eat," Tammy said.

So, the two of us quickly joined everyone around the table. Hey, I wanted my share too. From the very first bite, I was in awe of Tammy's mum and her cooking.

There was a lot of teasing and laughter around the table. Tammy and Niall tried to outeat each other, though I think Niall won.

Mikey asked if he could join us in the park to play football, but he called it soccer, and we told him he could.

Tammy's dad seemed to have a soft spot for Louis, but he asked Niall a lot of questions about his family. I wonder if he thought they might be related somehow.

The night ended too soon, and it was almost time for me to go. The boys had left a few minutes ago and Tammy and I were sitting snuggled on the porch swing gently swinging when she suddenly burst out singing a song about sitting on a porch swing and swinging.

"Wow," she said when she'd finished. "I hadn't thought of that song in forever. Guess I'm gonna have to see if I can play it tomorrow."

"I'm assuming it was a country song," I commented as I peered down at her.

"Yeah, Swingin' by John Anderson. I know that was really random, but sometimes a song just hits." She said looking up at me. "Does that ever happen to you?"

"Possibly, but I haven't much thought about it. What I have thought about is kissing you before I have to leave," I whispered to her brushing a kiss across her cheek.

"I'd like that very much," Tammy whispered back.

So, I kissed her sweet lips and whispered good night. I then stood up and walked off her porch into the dark night.

Tammy's (POV)

I watched Zayn leave and put my fingers to my lips, still buzzing from the feeling of his lips. I had wanted more than one, but my front porch wasn't the best place for that. I turned when I heard the door open, my dad stepped out and sat in the swing next to me.

"I thought Zayn would stay long enough fer me ta be Dad and tell him he needed ta go," Dad joked.

"Zayn is a gentleman Dad," I informed him. "He might be a pop star, but his Mama definitely taught him manners,"

Dad sighed looking at me and I knew the subject was going to be deep.

"Sweetness, ye are me only daughter and I love ye more now than the day ye were born, but I also know ye have grown into a beautiful young lady who is almost ready ta spread yer wings and fly. The last thing yer Mama and I want ta do is clip those wings.

"Now, I saw the way ye looked at that young man tonight, how yer eyes lit up when ye looked at him, and the flush on yer cheeks when he looked yer way. I also saw the way he looked at ye. The same way I look at yer mama, even after twenty years. Like she is me world, me reason ta be because she is. I wouldn't know how ta live without her." Dad sighed and stared silently into the dark.