The sun was bright, laying high up in the sky. The breeze was cool & swift; the air was warm. It was fitting, perfect day for Morgan's return home. It'd felt like he'd been gone for ever. In reality though, it'd been close to a year since he'd walked through these streets.
It now October 27, 2015. To him it felt like a new world, people now knew his name outside of this one horse town. Of course, he wasn't letting any little bit of fame get to him.
He was here, back home in Sneedville, Tennessee & he couldn't be happier.
He turned the corner & his eyes widened at the new sign hanging on the old Chairman's place. Chairman's had been a coffee shop that he'd grew up in. His sister had worked there & so had his mom at one point. He found his love for music in that coffee shop.
Before the coffee shop, Morgan thought that baseball was all he'd ever be good at. He was for sure that baseball was what'd give him a name everyone knew. Now looking at it, he was for sure it'd be music. He couldn't wait to move to Nashville & start on his career as a country singer, but he had to come home first.
"The hell is this?" Morgan mumbled too himself, reading the sign that was shinning bright in neon. 'Heaven's Bar'.
Morgan opened the door, walking in going up to the counter, looking at all the liquor that took the coffee's & cakes place. He looked around at the place, noticing all the things that were different & a few things that just hadn't changed.
"Morgan Wallen? That wouldn't be you would it?" Morgan turned his head, seeing a very tall man with wavy black hair & a black beard with some grey in it. It was Randy Whitemore.
Morgan chuckled, shaking his head. "It'd be me, Randy. What happened to this place?" He pointed around them, taking in more of the designs.
Randy gave him a soft laugh, "I bought the place. It's my bar now."
Morgan gave him a slow nod. He looked from Randy to around the room. Randy had worked with Morgan's dad for years. "Randy, why name her Heaven?"
Randy smiled, pointing across the room. "Named 'er after my daughter. Hopefully one day she can run this place & then pass it on to her kids." Morgan followed the point to the girl.
She was young but very pretty. Morgan remembered seeing her before in the halls at school. "She's your daughter? I didn't know that."
Randy only nodded, waking away from Morgan & to a customer waiting to order his beer. Morgan payed no mind to that & got up, walking over to Heaven Whitemore.
He took note of her every look. He medium length dark brown hair, her pale but tanned skin, her glasses that hid her hazel eyes.
He cleared his throat, she looked up to him, a small smile playing on her lips as confusion covered her eyes. "Uh, anybody sittin' here?"
Heaven slowly shook her head. Morgan wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans, looking around the room. "Mind if I sit with ya?"
Heaven shakes her again, moving her feet off the chair for Morgan to sit down. She couldn't help but notice his blue eyes & smile. She felt her heart clench. She'd seen him in school before he graduated but she never realized how hot he really was. This man was gorgeous.
"So I hear ya dad owns the place now, named it after ya. That must be cool." Morgan says, looking anywhere but at Heaven.
"Yeah, it's not bad, I guess." She responds, looking deeply at Morgan, her eyes begging him to turn to face her. "How was The Voice?"
Morgan smiled, now turning to look into Heaven's hazel eyes. His breath hitched in his throat as he looked at her. "It was fun, really fun. It's put my name out there & it's what's gonna start my career."
Heaven nodded. "It'd been to stressful for me. Even though I couldn't sing if I wanted too."
Both of them laughed, smiling really big at each other. Morgan couldn't help but notice Randy, her dad, watching them from at the bar.
"Hey, uh, wanna get outta here?" Morgan asks, smiling over at Heaven.
"Oh, uh, sure." She replied, standing up & grabbing her small bookbag. "You wanna go to the home game?"
Morgan looked at the clock on the wall. Seeing how late it was getting. "Yeah. Who we playing?"
☜♡☞
Heaven pulled out a number 16 jersey. Smiling in Morgan's old beat up truck as she pulled it on over her long sleeve shirt.
Morgan smiled at her as he parked the car, jumping out & running around to the other side. He opened the door for Heaven. She smiled at him, her cheeks lighting up with a bright red.
Morgan took her hand, leading her to the ticket booth. Morgan was now wearing a cowboy hat & it looked so good on him.
Walking down towards the bleachers, Morgan sighed, looking down at the football field. "Can't belive I've done graduated. It's been years now."
Heaven smiles up at him. "Yeah, I can't believe this is my senior year."
"Touchdown, baby!" Morgan shouted, clapping his hands with a big smile on his face. He looked over to see Heaven smiling a wide smile, one that melted him, making him feel something he'd never felt before in his life. "I think we're gonna win, Darlin'." He said, leaning into Heaven's ear.
She felt chills go down her spin. She looked up at him, staring into eyes. "It's only halftime, cowboy."
Morgan smirked. "Have some faith."
"I have plenty of that."
The scoreboard finally ran down, the game was over. Morgan turned to Heaven, smiles on both of their faces. Morgan leaves down, picking up Heaven's chin with his pointer, slowly bro gong her lips to his. Both of them could've swore they heard fireworks going off from around them. It was a magical moment that neither of them would forget.
☜♡☞
"Whatcha think?" Heaven asked, causing Morgan to remove the pillow covering his face. He chuckled lightly at the costume Heaven was sporting. "Why are you laughing! I'm Castiel, Angel of the Lord."
Morgan threw his head back, laughing even harder. Heaven's dad was having a Halloween party at the bar & Morgan said he'd pick her up at her house.
Heaven shook her head, walking over to her bed, slowly crawling on top of Morgan. He stopped laughing & looked up into her eyes. "Howdy Cas."
She scoffed, shaking her head. "Hi Cowboy." She leaned down, slowly placing her lips on Morgan's. Their kiss was soft & passionate.
They jumped off each other, hearing someone clear their throat. They looked up to see Randy.
Morgan sat up quickly. "Uh, hey sir."
Randy shook his head. "Morgan." He looked over to his daughter. "No boys are aloud in this room, young lady." He looked back to Morgan. "Especially not ones who are too old for you."
Morgan sighed, looking over at Heaven. She stared at the ground, not daring to look at Morgan or her dad.
"You're 17, he's 21! I don't wanna see this again." Randy said, turning to walk out. "Morgan."
Morgan nodded, getting up & walking out the door. All he wanted was to look back, run over to Heaven & kiss her lips, telling her he'd see her later.
"Morgan." Randy said as they got out the front door. "She's too young for you, you're a man now. Not to mention you're leaving soon."
Morgan nodded, a sad smile on his face. "Yes sir. I know, you're right."
"Nashville is calling your name, son. It isn't calling my daughter's name."
Morgan nodded, going to walk away. He looked to see Miss Jane & Harley waking up towards the house carrying bags of candy.
"Need any help with those, Miss Jane?" Morgan asked with a smile.
"No thank you, sweetie." She replied, looking up to her husband & then down to her son, before looking up to Morgan again. "I expect to see at tonight's party, right?"
Morgan nodded with a small smile. "Yes ma'm."
☜♡☞
It was 2 am. Heaven walked over to her window, looking out to see Morgan standing there waiting for her. She smiled, slowly opening her window & jumping out. She ran across the yard, jumping to Morgan's arms.
They'd been sneaking around for the past two weeks. Sneaking into her dad's bar to hang out & sneak some whiskey. They'd occasionally write a little on a song. Morgan wanted to walk into that studio in Nashville with the perfect first song & no one was a better writing buddy than Heaven.
They'd finished the song last night. 'Man of the South.' It was perfect way to start.
Some nights they'd drive all the way to Chattanooga. Having to drink from a paper bag so no one would see what Heaven was drinking. They were both falling for the other. Hard.
Morgan took Heaven's hand, running her down the road to where he parked his old beat up Chevy truck. He leaned her up against the door, moving slowly down to kiss her lips. They'd never took it all the way. One reason is that Heaven wasn't 18 yet & the other was they both wanted it to be special for them both.
"Guess who turns 18 in a couple days?" Morgan teased down to Heaven, his lips hovering over hers, his breath fanning on her face.
She smirked, staring at his lips. "Me." She looked up into his eyes just in time to see him smile before kissing her again.
"That's right, Darlin'." He said, pulling away. His smiled shifted. "And then I have to leave."
Heaven smiled sadly up at him. "We can make it work, Cowboy." She looked down to her feet, kicking a rock. "I-I love..you."
Morgan sighed, letting his head fall back, him looking at the stars. "I love you too, Cas."
She wiped her head up with a smile. "You think you're funny."
Morgan shook his head. "Naw, I know I'm funny."