Whitney and JC wheeled their luggage into the hotel elevator as they headed up to their floor.  The ride from the airport had found them in heavy traffic and they were both exhausted from their day of travel.  As the elevator doors dinged open they both got off on the ninth floor.  

“Let’s see…,” she said, eyeing the room numbers as they made their way further down the hallway, “You are here at 915 and I am… 921, right down there.” She handed him his key card and thanked her as he slid it into the door.  She wheeled her bag the few doors down across the hall and was about to swipe her room key when he called down to her.

“Hey, Whitney?” 

She turned to look back at him, “Yeah, is everything okay?”

“Yes, I just wanted to see if you wanted to go get something for dinner?  I am starving and I’m not in the mood for room service after being in the confined space of a plane for so long.  Want to go out somewhere?” He itched the back of his head as he waited for her response. 

“Sure, that sounds great.  Is it okay if I change first? I’ll be quick.” 

“That’s great.  You can just knock when you’re ready.” He gave a little wave and moved back into his hotel room.

She entered her room and pulled her suitcase up onto the bed and zipped it open as fast as she could.  She thrashed around in it pulling out a decent outfit to change into and out of her sweats.  She felt butterflies in her stomach and shook her head to herself.  Calm down, it’s just dinner. Platonic dinner. She settled on jeans and a black lace top and then brought her makeup bag into the bathroom to try to clean herself up.  

Ding. Ding. A text from Charlie.  Where are you?  Are you here yet?  When can I see you? 

She pursed her lips for a moment and then decided not to respond, grabbing her purse and heading down the hall.  She knocked on JC’s door and he opened it very quickly.  

“Were you standing right there?” she laughed as he looked at her sheepishly.  

“I was just coming right out of the bathroom, I swear I wasn’t just waiting by the door,” his cheeks reddened slightly, but he kept a smile on his face. His eyes slowly moved over her up and down.  

“Alright, what are you in the mood for?” she asked.

“The mood for?” he repeated, sounding far away…

“For dinner?” she raised her eyebrow.

“Yes, right, dinner.  Honestly, I will eat anything right now.  I am bordering on hangry.”

She nodded, “Okay, let’s move.  Barbecue? Chinese? Italian? Fancy? Fast casual?”

He followed her down the hall and hit the elevator button.  “You’ve spent a lot more time in Nashville than I have, so I say lady’s choice.”

She nodded, “Okay, I’ve got just the place.”  The elevator dinged and opened and they made their way downstairs.

**

Whitney took JC to a rooftop restaurant that was a famous barbecue joint with live country music and line dancing.  

“Wow,” he said, eyes wandering around the space as their waiter dropped their drink order off and then slipped away.

“Trying to give you the full Nashville experience,” she smiled triumphantly.

“You’ve exceeded my expectations,” he grinned and looked down at the menu.  “Now, what to order?  Everything looks amazing.”

“You’ll eat anything right?” she asked.  “Nothing you don’t really like?”

He nodded, “I am really an equal opportunist when it comes to food.”

“Trust me?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

“Um…sure,” he nodded tentatively.  She responded by taking his menu from him as the waiter approached their table.

“You folks ready to order?” he asked.

Whitney nodded, “Yes, we’ll do the smoker sampler with St. Louis ribs, jerked chicken and burnt ends.” JC’s eyes widened.

“And that comes with your choice of four sides along with our sauces, cornbread and pickles.  Which sides would you like?” the waiter readied his pen to write it all down.

She looked back at JC for reassurance and he nodded, giving her permission to continue to order for them.  “Let’s see…macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, black-eyed corn and…hmm…ooooh the banana pudding, yes.” She smiled and handed the menus over as the waiter left their table.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” JC said as he took a sip of his drink. 

“What can I say? I’m a professional,” she grinned, bring her straw to her lips.  

“Well, cheers to that and to you for all of this.  We’re on this trip recording this song because of you,” he said, clinking his glass to hers.

She pushed her hair over her shoulder and made deep eye contact with him, “It’s because of you, too.  Your songwriting brought you here, I helped a little, but you should give yourself more credit.” 

“Maybe,” he shrugged.

“No, really.  This is going to be great - your song is beautiful and a perfect fit for them.” 

“Thank you,” he met her eyes and they sat staring at each other for a moment before the ding ding alert noise on Whitney’s phone went off again.  She broke eye contact to look down at it.  

“Sorry about that,” she said as she looked down and three more ding alerts went off.  

Where are you?  When can I come over?  I need you now. - C

“Go ahead, you can answer it,” JC said, sitting further back in his chair.  

She looked up at him, “No, that’s alright.” 

“You sure?” he asked.  

“Yes, I’m absolutely sure,” she said, turning her phone on silent and shoving it deep into her purse.  

**

JC raised his hands up in surrender, “That was the best barbecue I have ever had…and I have spent a fair amount of time in the South.”    

Whitney grinned widely, “So expectations definitely exceeded?”

“Absolutely,” he nodded as he licked barbecue sauce off one of his fingers and wiped his hands with a napkin.  

“I’m just going to excuse myself to the ladies’ room,” she said, standing up from the table.  

“Hurry back,” he winked.  She smiled as she walked away.  He nodded his head confidently, patting himself on the back for that little quip.

His own phone dinged and he pulled it out of his pocket and noted the messages from his group text. 

How is the Nashville vacation going? - Jake

Not vacation, work trip! - Mark

Fine, fine, work trip? Jake

JC smiled to himself as he typed a response.  Long day of travel, but we made it and Whitney took me to a great bbq place tonight - just ate enough food to hibernate for a week. 

Whitney hmmmm….- Jake

(Eyes emoji)- Mark

Are you two alone at dinner? - Jake

(Eggplant emoji)- Mark

Yes, we went out just the two of us.  I asked her to join me. - JC

Proud of you, little engine that could - Jake

Are you two still hungry? (taco emoji) (peach emoji) (eggplant emoji) - Mark

WTF, Mark! - JC

Chill, Mark!  What are you going to do next? - Jake

Finishing dinner at this place.  There’s live music, but probably need to go back to the hotel soon to get ready for tomorrow. - JC

Live music! Is there dancing? - Jake

Well…line dancing? - JC

ASK HER TO DANCE! - Jake

What HE said! ^^ - Mark

I don’t know how to line dance! JC

Doesn’t matter, you’ve always been a good dancer and a quick study - DO IT! - Jake

(woman dancing emoji) (kiss emoji) (taco emoji) - Mark

JC put his phone back in his pocket and looked over at the dance floor.  Line dancing did look simple, not the sexiest moves, but everyone looked like they were having fun.  He could do this.  He would.  

Whitney returned to the table.  “Sorry, there was a little bit of a line.  Where were we?”

“Dance with me,” JC said confidently, as he stood up from the table motioning for her to follow him.

“What? Dance? Line dance?” she looked at him incredulously.

“What? Is the choreography too complicated for me?” he smiled widely. 

She laughed, “No, not at all.  It will probably be a cakewalk for you, I just didn’t think you’d want to.” 

“I’m full of surprises,” he smiled, reaching out for her hand. 

**

JC and Whitney headed towards the entrance of their hotel, laughing hysterically the whole way, tears in their eyes.

“That was…hilarious,” he slapped his knee.  

She continued to giggle, “I can’t believe that woman threw that cowboy hat on you.” 

“She was relentless and older than my mom!” he wheezed.

She continued to cackle laugh as they made it the doors and he opened it for her.  “So funny!”

“I haven’t laughed this hard in so long.  I haven’t even really had this much fun in a night since I can remember,” he sighed, still wiping the tears from his eyes.

“This may have been the first night off you’ve ever really had since I’ve known you,” she said.  She looked down in her purse to check for her room key and noticed her phone lighting up with 17 new messages.  Shit, Charlie.  

“Thank you, I needed this.  This was just perfect,” JC said, resting a hand on her shoulder as they headed side by side to the lobby elevator.  

As JC hit the elevator button she turned and slowly took in the lobby decor and the grand staircase and the bar and a fireplace and Charlie.  Shit.  Charlie at the hotel bar staring straight at her and motioning for her.  She panicked as the elevator dinged open and he headed in, “Hey, JC, sorry, I have to get something before I go up, go on ahead and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Oh, are you sure?  I can come with you,” he offered. 

“No, no, that’s okay.  Quick errand, don’t worry about it.” 

“Okay, thanks for tonight Whitney.  I’ll see you in the morning,” he said with a slightly disappointed tone as the doors closed. 

His text alert went off again in the elevator.

Did you dance? - Jake

JC responded by texting some photos he had taken on his phone of the dancing and the crazy older ladies that brought him a cowboy hat and a selfie of him and Whitney on the dancefloor.

Touchdown? - Mark

We don’t all move at your speed, Mark!  (eyeroll emoji) BUT did you kiss her goodnight?!? - Jake

No, she had to run an errand. It was a really fun night though. - JC

KISS HER TOMORROW - Mark

Or just take another small step forward, you think you can, you think you can (train emoji) - Jake

JC smiled to himself as the elevator door opened and he headed down the hallway.  He could take another small step tomorrow, he could.

**

JC had decided he would work out in the morning before they needed to head to the studio. He would usually sleep as late as he could, but the idea of being in the studio today was giving him excited nervous energy and he wanted to burn some of it off and calm himself down.  He headed out of his room towards the elevator and turned as he heard someone else opening their door.  He blinked twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.  Charles appeared to have just left Whitney’s room.  Figures.  JC picked up his pace towards the elevator trying to avoid this interaction.  He pushed the button hard and pulled at his sweatshirt hood strings nervously.  He groaned inwardly as the elevator took forever.  He felt Charles alongside him as the elevator continued to take forever.  They stood in silence until the doors finally opened and they both slid inside.  Charles hit the lobby button and JC hit the fitness center button on the 2nd floor.  

JC coughed awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with Charles.

“I…,” Charles clearly felt caught. “I stopped by this morning to bring Whitney coffee, you know, kick off the big studio day.”  JC stared at him, but didn’t say anything.  Charles continued, “We’re all so excited to record today, excited to collaborate with you, JC.” 

The elevator stopped on the 2nd floor as JC moved to get out.  He turned back towards Charles, “Whitney doesn’t drink coffee.”  He turned back around and left Charles looking guilty as the elevator doors closed.