Tennessee Whiskey AU

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

"When I'm away, you'll be all I ever think about. When I come home, you'll be all I ever talk about. When I'm away, you'll sing this song as you think of me. When I'm away, I'm away, will you wait for me? If you believe, if you believe, if you believe then show. Don't be afraid, I'm more than a shot in the dark. But baby I've got to know, Before I've got to go."

How do I talk to my brother about all this shit without sounding like a complete lovesick pansy. Hard when I feel in fact like a lovesick pansy. It's only been a couple of hours without her and already my hands itch to touch her, my lips are dying for a taste of her. Fuck, what the hell is going on in my head right now. I look at Josh. He's sat there waiting for me to say something. Anything. My minds gone blank.

"Yes I have feelings for her." I shudder a little at the word.
"Christ that nearly killed you." Josh laughs.
"Don't get yourself too excited. I met her a few weeks ago. If I'm being honest I'm not sure she sees much of a future between us. I basically spend my time between loving her and trying to stop her from bolting." I take a large swig of my drink.
"Well that's just too funny. You fall for the only woman that doesn't want to be locked down by you. Slightly fucked up there you know?" I'm so glad he finds all this so funny. He's right though. Part of me wonders if that's the attraction. That she's not falling at my feet. I know there's more than that but the idea has been in the back of my head for a while. And yes I know how fucked up that makes me. "Why is she not following you around like a love sick puppy. I thought that was your type?"
"Very funny dickhead. No I have to pick the one that's fighting this every step of the way."
"Wow, you mean to tell me baby brother has met his match. I so can't wait to meet her. You got any pictures? I wanna see what she looks like."
"Pervert." I joke. I still take my phone out my pocket and flick through a few until I find one of her I would actually be willing to let my brother see. What can I say I have plenty of the ones that are just for me. I may have to move them somewhere hidden.
"Fuck, fair play. You've done ok there. So tell me what exactly is wrong with her? Besides the fact she's with you of course." Laughing like a jackass again. Fuck long night.
"I have no idea what to tell you man.What do you want to know?"
"OK I will start easy.  What does she do?"
"She's a singer in a band." He groans.
"Not again Jen we've been through this. You have a weakness man. Some of them haven't even been that good." He says before I can stop him and explain.
"Hold on a sec and hear me out will you. She's so much more than that. She's incredible. Like she works the family ranch, she owns her own bar and restaurant where she's also the chef. She teaches dance lessons and competes. Plus she writes the songs as well as sings in the band she's in. There's so much more to her. And she's good man. Steve was worried too a few were when I told them, but now they've met her and heard her sing they see it."
"OK my first concern is how sure are you that she isn't just using you to get the band noticed? Just because they are good doesn't mean her intentions are. I'm guessing they are the band you've had all over your social media recently."
"Let me stop that one before it starts. She had no idea who I was when I met her. Before you start yes I believe that. Trust me my ego took the hit on that one. Plus they really don't need my help. They have a record deal. A single and album released. I only shared it because I wanted too. Trust me I caught hell from her because of it. She didn't want me to do it."
"OK, as long as you're sure. I will trust your gut on this one. Even if it hasn't always been the best in the past."
"I'm sure." I say with a nod. I couldn't be surer of anything else. "Your second point?"
"Not point. Question. She teaches dance. Flexible?" He asks with a smirk.
"Dude you have no idea." I laugh. "There are videos I will show you later. Plus there's something else. If I said she has Olympic medals for gymnastics, that give you a better idea." I say with a smug grin. I know what he's implying. I couldn't deny it if I wanted to. I'm sure it was written across my face the minute he asked his question.
"Shit no wonder your smiling and lot worn out." He raises his drink to cheers with mine.
"Fucker." I mumble but I'm still smiling. "It's still too soon for everyone to get caught up in lovey Dover bullshit." I say even if I'm not sure I believe it. Actually I know for a fact its bull. It how she feels though. I picked up on that one earlier. She feels too much too soon and doesn't trust it. Not me I think, I hope. But the feelings. She doesn't know how to trust them. I'm sure the only reason she said love you on the phone was because I would put money on them being at least three bottles of wine down by now.
"You say that but then your head runs away with a million thoughts."
"Yeah." I say wiping my hand over my face to try to clear it of where my thoughts are heading. "She looks at me sometimes like her Knight in shining armour come to save her from the ghosts of her past. I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I'm capable of being what she needs. I want to be, I really do. She wrote this song about me. I haven't listened to it but I know the general gist. It's kinda stuck in my head and I can't seem to move past that I don't agree with what she wrote. It's all about how I'm onw of the good ones."
"Not something I ever thought any woman would say about you, well except for mom." He's joking but it's the same thing that went through my mind. Hell I'm not even sure mom would. He sees my face and stops laughing. "Shit, you really think that?"
"Yep. Told her as much. Then proved it today when she needed me. She started to wonder if I was one of the bad ones instead."
"I feel like I'm missing something."
"Her ex. Definitely not one of the good ones. Not even one of the bad ones either. He's worse than that. The kinda ones guys like you and me would want to inflict serious harm to."
"Yeah, you maybe, but I'm a lover not a fighter remember."
"Yeah, you usually tell me I'm too much of a pretty boy when it comes to getting into fights." It feels good to just enjoy spending time with him. He's all loved up and engaged now so him and I don't get together anywhere near as much as either of us would like. Maybe if I did move to Austin it would mean I was closer to them as well as Scar. "All jokes aside. Even the lover of you would want to hurt this twat. Especially after you meet her. Try to figure out how he could do that to anyone let alone her. It's left her with some trauma that she hasn't dealt with, which makes things hard at times. That's just one of the complications. The biggest, but not the only one. It's not one that I think is unjustified either."
"How bad we talking here cause the way you're talking, it doesn't sound good at all?"
"It's not my story to tell, but in the interest of getting some big brother advice I will say bad. Like he nearly killed her bad."
"Fuck Jen. How long ago? I can't imagine even wanting to look at anyone again for a long time after that."
"Nearly two years. And no she hasn't. Which is one of the smaller complications I guess."
"Shit. If you're the first person she's been with since then you are going to have to tread very carefully."
"Complication remember."
"What else? What other things are complications?"
"She lives in Texas."
"So all that you're leaving here to broaden your horizons and you end up with a good old Texan girl after all."
"Yeah, Steve made the same mistake. Kept calling her my cowgirl. It bit him in the ass. She's British." I say and watch Josh's eyes widen.
"Hold on. So that sexy ass woman who sounds pretty awesome, all round perfect for you has an English accent to go with it."
"Yep. I have got to say it was pretty hard to leave her earlier."
"Stop. You were in Texas? For how long?"
"Austin. That's where me and the guys went for our weekend away. We got there Thursday,  the rest left yesterday but I wanted another day with her."
"You left there, her to come here?" I nod slowly. Confused by what he's not getting. "Why?"
"You're joking right. Mom would killed me if I wasn't here for thanksgiving."
"You could have brought her with you."
"Oh yeah, imagine how that would have gone. I turn up with a woman unannounced. Mom would have had the wedding planned by Christmas." I joke, but we both know I'm right. He picks up his phone.
"Will she be asleep?"
"Doubtful. Her and her friends getting drunk last I heard." He shoots me a look. "No, these woman can drink." Is all I say in response. There is no chance any of them are leaving anytime soon and will probably still be sober enough to work tomorrow. Something that has to be witnessed trust me.
"If her family is British do they celebrate thanksgiving?"
"I don't think so. I'm not sure. Not something I asked. But I don't think so. There was no mention of it when I asked about coming here."
"The plot thickens. So you asked her then?"
"Mentioned is probably more like it. But she's had a rough day. Hence the getting drunk with her friends."
"Dare I even ask what you boys are on about."
"Hi dad." I say getting up to hug him. "Probably best not to. Same as always when it comes to me and Josh."
"Is mom still up?" Josh asks.
"Yes son. We were watching TV upstairs. Why?"
"I'll be back in a minute." He says as he rushes out the door.
"Should I be worried?" Dad asks watching his son run out.
"No but I think I should." I mean I'm laughing but I'm so worried right now. Josh looks like a man on a mission and if he's involving mom that's never good.

Dad and I chat for a bit while we wait for him to reappear. When he does finally come back mom is trailing behind him. Great now I'm in an ambush.
"Call her." Is all Josh says.
"What's going on?" I ask now feeling petrified. These pair are dangerous.
"Josh told me you wanted this woman to come here but thought I'd either die of shock or start planning your wedding." This from mom who is stood next to me with her arms crossed and I feel like a kid all over again.
"Her names Scarlett mom. Also am I wrong that either of those things are a strong possibility. I also said she had had a bad day."
"Has you leaving made that day better or worse do you think?" Mom's asks and I feel myself getting ready to duck at anytime from the smack round the head I feel coming.
"I don't know at this point. She's not one of those woman that needs me. She's with friends." I answer honestly.
"Well do as your brother said and call the girl and we will ask and find out." Thanks dad. Even he's invested in what ever this is now.
I call her number and it rings for ages. Just as I'm finally about to let out a breath of relief. She answers. Well fuck.