Stars on Broadway - Morgan Wallen

Chapter 22 - Morgan's Reflection

The noise of the bar was a welcome distraction, the low hum of country music and the clatter of glasses giving Morgan something to focus on other than his thoughts.

He sat at a table with his two best friends, Hardy and Ernest, both of whom had worked with Georgie on her debut album. It had been a while since they'd caught up, and for once, it felt good to be surrounded by people who didn't expect anything from him.

But no matter how much he tried to push it aside, Georgie was still at the forefront of his mind.

"So, man," Hardy said, taking a sip of his beer. "I've been meaning to ask you about Georgie's song. It's blowing up, huh?"

Ernest raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Yeah, it's a hell of a song. Raw, real... kinda makes you wonder who it's about."

Morgan felt a knot form in his stomach, but he forced a grin, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, she killed it with that one. It's wild seeing how fast it's taken off."

Hardy shot him a knowing look. "And she wrote it while she was on tour, right? Must've been feeling some things."

Morgan shifted in his seat, trying to play it off like it didn't bother him. He'd been wrestling with the song ever since Georgie first performed it. The lyrics had hit him harder than he wanted to admit, and the heated phone call they'd had a few days ago still lingered in his mind. They'd both said things they couldn't take back, and now everything felt even more uncertain than before.

"Yeah," Morgan said, trying to keep his tone casual. "She's always been good at turning her feelings into songs. It's one of the things that makes her so damn talented."

Ernest leaned in, his smirk widening. "So, you gonna tell us if the song's about you, or do we have to keep guessing?"

Morgan shot him a look, his grin faltering. "It's not about me, man. We're just friends. Always have been."

Hardy raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Sure. Friends. That's why the whole internet's buzzing about you two."

Morgan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm proud of her. She's been working her ass off, and it's paying off. That's all there is to it."

But even as he said the words, a part of him didn't believe it. He cared about Georgie—more than he was willing to admit to anyone, even himself. But the pressure, the media, the constant scrutiny... it was all too much. And the last thing he wanted was for their friendship, whatever was left of it, to get swallowed up by rumors.

Later that week, Morgan found himself sitting in a familiar studio for an interview. It was part of the usual promotional run—nothing out of the ordinary. But he knew Georgie's name would come up. It always did these days.

The interviewer leaned forward, a friendly smile on her face. "So, Morgan, we've got to ask—you've worked with a lot of rising stars, but it seems like Georgie Day is really taking off right now. What's it like seeing someone you've been close with rise to the top so quickly?"

Morgan forced a smile, even though his mind was racing. "Yeah, it's incredible. I've known Georgie for a while now, and seeing her go from playing small bars in Nashville to selling out shows across the country... it's wild. I couldn't be prouder of her."

The interviewer's eyes gleamed, sensing an opportunity. "And what about her new song? There's been a lot of buzz about who it might be about."

Morgan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I've seen the rumors. But honestly, I don't get too caught up in all that. Georgie's a great songwriter—she writes from the heart, and that's what people connect with. It doesn't have to be about anyone in particular."

The interviewer nodded, but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "So you're saying it's not about you?"

Morgan smirked, keeping his tone light. "Nah, it's not about me. Georgie and I are just friends, like we've always been."

He could feel the tension in the air as the interviewer pressed on, but Morgan kept his answers short and controlled. He wasn't about to give the media any more ammunition than they already had. By the end of the interview, he was ready to get out of there.

The next morning, as expected, the headlines started rolling in.

@CountryBuzz: Morgan Wallen shuts down rumors about Georgie Day's new song—just friends or something more?
@RumorMill: If Georgie's song isn't about Morgan Wallen, who's it about? Fans speculate!

The internet was buzzing with speculation, and Morgan felt the familiar weight of frustration settle in. He had tried to play it cool, tried to keep things professional, but the more he denied the rumors, the more people seemed convinced that something was going on between them.

He picked up his phone and opened the latest article about him and Georgie, his heart sinking as he read the comments.

@Fan123: If Morgan's saying it's not about him, then who the hell is it about?
@Georgie&MorganShippers: I'm sorry, but there's no way that song's not about Morgan. I can feel it.

Morgan tossed his phone aside, running a hand over his face. He couldn't keep doing this—pretending everything was fine, pretending that his feelings for Georgie weren't real. But what scared him more was the thought of ruining what they had, of losing her completely.

As much as he tried to play it off, the truth was becoming harder to ignore.

That night, after a few beers and another round of overthinking, Morgan sat alone in his apartment, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd screwed everything up—that his inability to be honest with Georgie had put them both in a situation they couldn't get out of.

He missed her. Not just the way they used to hang out, the way they could talk for hours about anything and everything. He missed her—the way she laughed, the way she lit up when she talked about music, the way she made him feel like he wasn't just some big-name artist with all the expectations weighing him down.

But now, with everything out in the open, he wasn't sure if they could ever go back to the way things were.
And as much as he wanted to believe they could figure it out, the truth was staring him in the face.

He had feelings for Georgie. And he wasn't sure if he was ready to admit it, to her or to himself.