Free Bird - Morgan Wallen

Six

There's a knock on the window. "Hey! We're losing time!"

"Fuck off Hardy." The two get out of her car, Morgan goes to the back, drops the hatchback down and opens the small compartment that's pretty well hidden. He lifts the spare tire out, Dani watches and bites her lip, he looks so good right now, then Morgan pops the piece of fabric out, revealing a bottle of Jack Daniels and a guitar case carefully stored. "See?"

She grabs the bottle and heads to the riverbank, two folding chairs over her shoulder as Morgan follows behind with the guitar and an empty cooler. "Here you go." She says, handing Hardy a chair as she sets hers up, Morgan sits himself on the cooler, getting his guitar tuned up. "So what're y'all writin now?"

"Final touches on the one from earlier today, I think, unless your lover's got some other ideas."

"Let's see." Morgan says, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his front pocket. "Whatcha know about thumpin skeeters with your fingers-"

"Teach ya how to y'all with a southern drawl." Dani says suddenly. "Get you fallin 'fore the night is through-"

"And we'll park it in the boons and catch a little moon tan-" Hardy continues. "By the time you go back..."

"And you'll be city girl buzzin' over country boy lovin' tellin' everybody that you know, whatcha know 'bout that." Morgan looks up from the paper, that cute smile on his face. "Y'all, I think we got it."

"That's the chorus. That's the best chorus I've ever written." Hardy says, earning a playful smack on the shoulder. "We've written."

"You could use what we do here." Dani says to Morgan. "What we do on Saturdays in the summer sun."

"You sure?" She nods. "Whatcha know 'bout that Saturday summer heat."

"Deep creek creepin' down around a bend-" Hardy mutters.

"And whatcha know 'bout taken off whatcha bought at the mall, hang it all on a sycamore limb." Morgan writes it down. "Hell yeah." He stands, tossing the guitar strap over his shoulder, strumming some chords loudly. He takes the bottle of Jack Daniels and takes a big gulp, some liquid spilling from the bottle, rolling down his chin.

"Now what?" She asks, taking the bottle from Morgan. The two guys share a look before looking at the river. They have the same idea. Dani sits, taking a swig from the bottle before the guys all of a sudden grab her and jump in the lake together, fully clothed. "Why?" She shouts as she takes a deep breath, laughing.

"It's good luck." Hardy shrugs, pushing her playfully, making her lose her balance and fall against Morgan who catches her with an arm around her waist.

"I can get a party started, real quick." She says, looking at the guys. "Give me like twenty minutes." She makes her way to her car, hopping in and starting it up.

"Where is she going?" Hardy asks, tossing his hat to the riverbank. "She's soaking wet."

"Probably going to get wood and more beer." Morgan says, going to the cooler to take his soaking wet boots. "That girl knows how to get a party goin'."

"That she does." Hardy nods, sitting back in the lawn chair. "She was the life of the party at the frat houses in Knoxville."

"Really."

"Yeah, all the guys knew who she was." Morgan's face goes blank. "She didn't hooked up with any of 'em. She's not like that."

"Didn't think she was a partier." He mutters.

"She wasn't until we met."

"You're a bad influence, Hardy." He chuckles, taking a gulp of the whiskey. "That little lady is gonna be the death of me."

"Little lady? Dude, I called her that once and she kinda flipped. Yeah, she got real worked up." Morgan laughs. "Seriously!"

"I guess I'm the only one that calls her that."

"Must be."

+++

Dani returns with a bundle of firewood, two twelve packs of Shiner Blonde, ice and bunch of blankets and towels. "Here y'all go." She pushes Morgan off the cooler as she hands him a bag of ice and she drops the blankets on the ground to hand Hardy the firewood the heads back to her Bronco. "I also grabbed your guitar from his house." She returns with Hardy's acoustic. "Y'know, incase inspiration strikes y'all again." She sits down next to Morgan.

Hardy gets a fire going as Morgan passes beer around. "So what do y'all usually do out here?"

"This." Dani answers. "Mostly." She blushes as she looks down at the can in her hand. Morgan smiles as he looks over at her, his hand on her thigh.

"Sometimes skinny dippin', sometimes hookin' up."

"Guess that isn't happenin' for y'all." Hardy comments.

"We can still swim." She stands and strips her t-shirt and jeans off, standing in her bra and underwear, showing off her beautiful figure, Morgan follows her, encouraging Hardy to join.

"Y'all are crazy." Hardy mutters, standing in his boxers. "Can't believe I'm doin' this with y'all." He takes his glasses off and puts them in the cup holder of the chair.

The three run to the river and jump in, laughing loudly as the sun sets, enjoying the summer together.