“A vacation?  A vacation?  You can’t be serious!”  Mark slammed his beer bottle down on the table as he let out a boisterous laugh and pointed his finger at JC.  “You don’t know how to go on a vacation!  When in the hell was the last vacation you ever took?” 

JC put his hand up in protest, “Now wait a minute.  Just a few months ago I took a break.”

“No, no.  Being in the hospital doesn’t count – that’s not an actual vacation.”

“A little help here?” JC turned to Jake.

“Yea…going to have to side with Mark on this one, buddy.  Being hospitalized definitely doesn’t equate taking a vacation, unless your idea of cutting loose is eating jell-o and watching I Love Lucy re-runs.  In which case, you are going to love living in a retirement community in a few decades.”

JC rolled his eyes, “Very funny.  To be fair, this trip to Nashville is going to be more like a working vacation.”

Mark sighed, “This is so typical for you, JC.  A working vacation.  Why can’t you have a little fun?  Separate the work part of your life from the rest.”

JC raised his eyebrow, “Hold up, I can be fun.  I’m going to Nashville to record the song, but while we’re there I promised to sightsee and take in the scene there.”

“We?” Jake gave him a knowing smile.

“Whitney and I.; don’t give me that look.  She is my assistant and she graciously set up this recording opportunity for me so she is accompanying me on this business trip.  And, yes, we are supposed to have some fun while we’re there, too.”

Mark rubbed his hands together, “Please tell me that fun is code for sharing your hotel room bed with her while you’re both buck-naked?”

“I am going to pretend you never said that.  Especially the phrase ‘buck-naked’ – who even says that?  But, for your information, I did spend last night at Whitney’s.”  JC crossed his arms looking please with himself.

Jake spat out his drink.  “No way!  You do not operate that fast.”

Mark nodded and pointed his finger again, “That is bullshit!  I am calling your bluff!”

“Whoa, nothing happened.  I fell asleep on her sofa,” JC said, sheepishly.

“How did you end up at her place?” Jake toyed with the stirrer in his drink.

“I was coming home from dinner with Bianca and I was stuck on the lyrics to the song and I just thought she could help me through it.  Whitney is pretty good at that sort of thing.  Her apartment was on the way so I just took a gamble.”  He took a sip of his beer while he awaited responses from his friends.

“Wait, you just showed up at her place?  That’s got a stalker-vibe,” Mark shook his head.  “Plus, she is supposed to be my fake girlfriend.  I feel strangely territorial about this, but if you want to trade…”

Jake howled with laughter, “Why would you ever want to fake-date Bianca?”

Mark scratched his chin, “I feel like there could be some really hot hate-sex there. “

Jake scoffed, “If deceitful bitches are your turn-on.”

Mark shrugged, “I’d be willing to take one for the team, at least for a bang or two.”

JC frowned, “Just stop talking, Mark.”

“So, what happened after you woke up at her place?” Jake pressed.

He smiled as he remembered the morning, “She made me some tea and we had some breakfast.  I told her to take the rest of the day off to make up for me bringing work home with her.”

**

Whitney opened the door to let Charlie into her apartment.  He closed the door behind him and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her up.  She wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled as he slowly moved them towards her kitchen counter.  He pushed her up onto the counter before sliding his hands around to the small of her back. 

“Quite the entrance,” she mused, cocking her head to the side.

He slipped her hair behind her neck.  “Just wanted to leave an impression before my flight in a few hours.”  He ran his lips on the side of her neck before moving back to her lips and giving her a soft kiss.  “How did you manage some extra daytime for me?”

“Oh, JC gave me the day off since I worked so late,” she smiled. 

“Worked late?”  He pulled away from her slightly to study her face.

“Well, I was helping him write the song and he was having some writer’s block last night so he stopped by and…” she hung on the last word as she watched his facial reaction.  Charlie’s mood moves from curiosity to amusement.

“Really?  Writer’s block?  This guy is so original,” he rolled his eyes.

“Nothing happened,” she offered.

He chuckled, “Obviously.  I know you’re not that kinda girl - especially with that guy.”

She raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean by that?  What kind of a guy is he?”

Charlie scratched the back of his head, “You know…he’s stiff.  Very, um, vanilla?”

She let out a sigh.

He chuckled again, “I don’t know why you’re gettin’ defensive ‘bout this.  I know you’re my girl, so his feelings don’t matter.  I just think it’s a little funny – poor guy doesn’t realize he’s already lost this competition.”  He gave her shoulder a squeeze as he kissed her harder, before she could respond to anything he’d said.  “So, when are you gettin’ down to Nashville?  I know the flight is on Monday.”

“Our flight will get in around 6 or so…closer to 8pm then Central Time.”

“So, where are you going to be staying?”

She rested her hands on her lap, “The Hutton Hotel over on the West End.”

He nodded, “I think I know which one that is.  You did book two rooms, right?”

She rolled her eyes, “Yes, I booked two rooms.  I couldn’t book two adjacent rooms, but he and I are just down the hall from each other.  I’m hoping to get at least one personal night so that I can spend it over at Hillary’s and get some girl time.”

He nodded, “She misses you.”

“I miss her, too.  I miss everyone.”

He smiled, “Everyone misses you, too.”

“It will be great to catch up with everyone,” she smiled.

“Alright, let’s get caught up here before I head off the airport,” he moved in for another kiss as she laughed and welcomed it.

**

Whitney heard noise in the driveway and looked out the window to see the town car pulling in.  “JC, the car is here,” she called up the stairs.

“I’ll be right there,” he called back.

His luggage was already neatly stacked by the front door.  She opened the door to greet the driver and he shook her hand as he started picking up the bags to load them into the trunk.  She headed over to her own car to pull her luggage out from the backseat.  She hadn’t planned on packing much, fitting most of her essentials into one medium-sized bag.  Hillary, however, had convinced her that with the crazy list of activities she was planning, multiple outfit-changes would be imperative.  Whitney had compromised and also brought a garment bag for a few dressier options.  She pulled the two bags out of her car and locked the car as she made her way to the town car.  JC had made his way downstairs, but was nervously wandering the first floor.  She handed her bags to the driver and stood in the entryway looking in.  “JC?  Is everything okay?”

He stood in the kitchen with his hand on the door of the opened refrigerator, staring blankly into the contents.  “Oh, yeah…I just get a little nervous flying.”

“Really?” she was surprised at this revelation, given how much travel he had done over the years.  She surveyed him and realized he was in the most casual outfit she had ever seen him in.  He wore simple grey sweatpants and a red v-neck t-shirt. 

As if reading her mind he looked up, “I like to be really comfortable when I fly.  I have a change of clothes in my carry-on though,” he smiled. 

“Good to be prepared,” she nodded.

He reluctantly chose two bottles of water, offering her one and the two made their way back to entryway of the house.  Whitney assured that she had the tickets and all the other necessities to get them through security.  JC motioned for her to slip into the car first and he followed behind her.  The driver closed the trunk and made his way to the front and the car made its way out of the driveway.

“To our adventure in Nashville,” JC smiled, moving his water bottle up and motioning it towards her.

“Cheers,” she grinned, mirroring his move and taking a sip.  “To a memorable visit.”