She sits with her feet kicked up on the coffee table and her laptop in her lap, a pad of paper next to her on the couch.
Michael comes around the corner with her ringing phone in her hand. "Here. Answer it." He says with a shit eating grin.
"Hello?"
"Cassie Leigh, you are killing it!"
She looks up from her laptop and furrows her brows. "Do I know you?" She asks politely.
"I'm with the CMAs and I wanted to let you know in person that you've been nominated for songwriter of the year."
She chuckles in disbelief. "I'm sorry, what?"
"You're nominated for songwriter of the year." He repeats. "Congratulations!"
"Oh wow, thank you." She chuckles again. "Thanks. Thank you."
"You're welcome. We will see you at the CMA Awards!"
She hangs up and throws her phone to the coffee table, pacing with her heart pounding in her chest.
"You okay?"
Cassie shakes her head. "I'm- I'm up for songwriter of the year."
"Me too."
She stops pacing. "N- No, I- that's not-"
Michael drops his hands on her shoulders. "It's just a nomination."
Cassie takes a deep breath and nods. "You're right but-"
"No. No buts. I know what you're thinkin', Cass. There is no bad blood between us if one of us wins against the other, okay?"
She nods again.
"Okay."
She rubs a hand over her face. "I've never been to an award show before."
"Oh, It's an experience you can't miss out on." He gives her upper arms a squeeze before stepping back. "It'll be fun but the most fun happens at the party afterwards."
"Oh yeah?"
"Oh yeah." Michael nods with a goofy smirk on his face. "Last year, a bunch of us partied at Morgan and we got some Polaroids to prove it." He laughs at the memories. "That's how I got the scar on my head."
"Michael, what did you do?"
"I- It wasn't anything important-"
"Nothing important?! I asked you about that scar how many times and you just wave it off? What happened?" He says nothing as he turns around to head to the kitchen.
Cassie suddenly leaps on his back, knocking him to the hardwood floor with her knees on either side of his torso.
"Babe?! What the fuck!?" He can't help but laugh.
Cassie knocks his ball cap off his head and starts combing her fingers through his hair to find that scar.
She pushes his hair up to expose the long, three inch scar at the nape of his neck."Michael!"
"Babe!"
"Tell me!" She giggles.
"Fine! Get offa me."
Cassie sits up and lets him turn over onto his back. "We got drunk at a bonfire and I tripped and smacked my head on the back of a tailgate."
"You are so lucky you didn't go paralyzed."
His face drops. "What?"
"You could've broke your neck and gone paralyzed. That woulda sucked."
Michael forces a laugh then pins Cassie to the floor. "Y'Know, we've been datin' for four months now."
"Has it really been that long?"
He nods. "And I wanted you to know that I love you."
Cassie grins. "What? Michael Hardy loves me?"
"Shut up 'fore I take it back."
She laughs as she sits up. "I love you too."
+++
"Wow."
"Shush."
Michael can't help himself as he checks his girlfriend out, his big brown eyes going from head to toe.
She's in a floor length dress, it's fitted around her torso and hips with a slit up to her knee. Her blonde hair is in a braid down her back- the open back exposes a tattoo that Michael forgot she had.
It's Psalms 18:2.
Michael takes her hand and spins her, letting the hem of the light blue fabric fan out, grinning at the smile on her face.
"You're stunnin', Cass."
"You ain't too bad yourself." She winks back, picking up her phone. "The car'll be here in twenty minutes."
"Hm. What can we do in twenty minutes?" He asks with a smirk on his face.
"I'm not messin' up my hair or make up, babe." She replies as she heads to her kitchen. "Take a shot with me 'fore we leave!"
"Okay." He chuckles, leaning against the doorframe.
"Here." Cassie hands him a shot glass. "Here's to this evening. I'm proud of you either way. Cheers." They clink then knock them back.
Her phone chimes and she quickly pours another shot. "One more for good luck."
She's extremely nervous for tonight; first award show, first nomination, etc.
After her fourth shot, he's escorting her to the Uber she ordered for the night.
She cackles as she slides into backseat, her hands wrapping around his arm while his hand rests on her exposed knee.
Cassie's eyes go from his hand on her leg to Michael's lips. She grabs his jaw and kisses him hard.
He kisses back with the same passion and it makes her already fuzzy head spin.
The car pulls over and lets them out when they reach the building.
Cassie's hand is tight around Michael's as they stand in front of the abundant number of cameras and their matching flashes, the bright lights leaving white spots behind her eyelids.
Michael wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close, his hand sliding down to her ass as he leans over and kisses her innocently.
She pulls back and laughs, bumping her nose against his before they move on down the carpet.
Cassie glances around then nudges Michael into a supply closet, groping the wall for a light switch.
Michael chuckles as they kiss again. He has no idea what's gotten into her but he's so on board with it.
Must've been the shots she took.
For sure.
She pulls back with her lip tucked between her red painted lip when she feels his phone buzz in his pocket.
Morgan Wallen:
Get your asses down to the table!
Michael rolls his eyes as he wordlessly opens the door, poking his head out to see if the coast is clear.
Hand in hand, the couple is weaving their way through the tables to their seat with Morgan and Haley.
If Cassie is being completely honest, she thought Haley would've ended things between all of them when she found out the truth but after long talks, they all worked everything out and they're closer than ever.
All of them are.
"Where the hell have y'all been?" Morgan asks, a beer in front of him.
"The uh pictures took a little longer than expected." Michael states, blushing when Cassie snorts.
"Excuse me, sir?" She asks, suddenly grabbing a waiter by his arm when he walks past. Michael calmly moves her hand off the stranger's limb. "I'll take Jack on the rocks, s'il-vous-plait."
"Yes ma'am." He nods back. "Anything for you?"
"I'll have what he's got." Michael hitches a thumb toward Morgan. "Thanks."
"Cassie, you alright?" Haley asks, taking a sip from her wine glass.
"She's just nervous." Michael answers, keeping a hold on her hand.
After knowing this girl for years, he's learned that when Cassie is nervous or anxious, she paces. He's also learned that Cassie has zero personal space when drunk and ventures off when she gets bored.
Tonight should be interesting.
He should've gotten one of those backpacks with the leash on it like what those busy mothers have for their wild children at Disney World.
He laughs at the thought.
Cassie pokes him in the side when their category comes up.
"And the winner of the Songwriter of the Year award is... Cassie Leigh!"
Her jaw drops and tears immediately form in her eyes.
Cassie throws an arm around Michael who laughs and hugs her back, kissing her sweetly.
She picks up her glass and slowly makes her way to the stage, holding onto the backs of some chairs.
She ditched her heels sometime after she sat down at the table- she's not a fan of heels.
Cassie walks on her toes to Trace Adkins, catching him off guard with a huge hug.
He hands her the award then steps back.
"Oh my." She laughs breathlessly. "Songwriter of the Year." Her glossy eyes land on Michael who's beaming a dimpled smile back. "I have so many people to thank. My mama and daddy, my little brother, my- my family at Big Loud; Joey Moi, Morgan, Ern. Haley Mae Mack, my best friend and most importantly Michael Hardy. Thanks y'all. I know I'm just gettin' started."
She trips over the hem of her dress and Trace Adkins is there to steady her like the gentleman he is.
"Sorry, I been drinkin'." She laughs, letting him guide her down the steps.
She feels bad that she won over Michael but also incredibly grateful. She can feel slight resentment from him but he's so good at hiding it. He's happy for her, truly he is but he's also bummed he didn't win.
But if anyone deserves this, it's her.