Georgia

Chapter 6

Caroline

I don’t even know what to think watching him up on that stage, singing and moving his hips. He looks incredible and the fact that he hasn’t taken his eyes off me once is just crazy. All these beautiful girls screaming his name, dancing in front him and he's staring at me.

Luke and the band start up another song.

"You make me want to hold you like a hammock on a summer day
Tell you how I’m gonna take your cares away
You make me want to"

I'm swaying to the beat, completely lost in his voice, unable to take my eyes off of him.

"You can blame it on my southern boy ways
Why I’m always running away
I don’t know if I can ever change
But you make me want to
You make me want to"

After the last song, he's walking towards me looking me in the eyes the whole time. He pulls me to him, his face coming down to meet mine and our lips touch.

It's like everything else just disappears, the music coming from the trucks, everyone talking and laughing, the crackling of the bonfire, its gone. The only thing I can hear is our breathing and my racing heartbeat. The way our lips move together, our breathing in sync, how my body just sort of falls into his. After what seems like an eternity he pulls his lips away, resting his forehead on mine.

My heartbeat slows, my eyes still closed too scared to open them fearing that maybe that perfect kiss was all just a dream. He must have been thinking the same thing cause in a quiet voice he whispers, "It was real."

Luke drops his arm from my waist and takes my hand, our fingers laced together we sit back on the tailgate. We start talking about my mom, his brother, our families, my plans for college, his dreams of Nashville, just anything and everything. It feels like we've been sitting talking for hours when we look around and see there's hardly anyone left and the fire is dying down.

"Will you come somewhere with me? I want to show you something." Luke asks shyly.

"Right now I'd go anywhere with you, country boy." I say with a wink.

Smiling he says, "You are unbelievable" he lifts me off the truck and puts me down in front of him, "You know that, right?"

"Are you sure you only had one beer? Cause you're clearly drunk!"

"I am drunk." He pauses. "Drunk on you!" He says pointing his index fingers at me with the goofiest smile.

I burst out laughing, "That sounds like the title to a good country song."

"Hey you're right, I'll have to get to workin' on that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke

Her lips are softer than I imagined they'd be and I am completely lost in her kiss.

I finally pull my lips away, leaning my forehead against hers just trying to get my balance back. I don't know what I did to deserve this night with this perfect shy girl or how long it's gonna last but I know I have to make every moment with her count.

I take her hand and we're back on the tailgate. I ask about her life, wanting to know where she grew up, about her parents, her life back home, her plans for the future. Anything I can think of, I want to know everything. She does the same, asking about me. I tell her about Chris which is hard, I try not to talk about him too much, it still hurts.

"At first I couldn't believe it. I know people die in car accidents all the time but you never think it'll be someone you know. For it to be Chris, I couldn't let myself accept it." I say, trying to keep the tears back. "When I did, when I saw him lying there I just..." She squeezes my hand, scooting closer to me. "I just knew that I needed to be here, to be home."

I tell her about my dreams for Nashville. "Ever since I can remember music has been a part of my life. Dancing around the house with Mama listening to Dolly, riding in the truck with Dad singing Alabama songs. All I've ever wanted is to be up on a stage every night looking out and seeing thousands of people singing my songs."

Looking at me with a smile she says, "It'll happen for you Luke, I know it will. Seeing you up there, that is where you belong and what you're supposed to be doing."

"Is that just your way of saying my tractor plowing skills are bad?" I ask jokingly. She pushes against me with her shoulder.

"Yup, you got me!" She says laughing.

Two or three hours pass and we're still sitting there her hand in mine. I look around and see that pretty much everyone's gone. She agrees to let me take her somewhere. I open the passenger door to my truck and she gets in. I climb in the driver side and pull her over to me.

Driving along the overgrown path we pull up to the treehouse. I've never brought anyone here. Back in high school there'd be people up here hanging out all the time but for me it was always somewhere I came alone.