Chapter 1
There was nothing special about the day. It was just an like any other day on the tour bus. Everything revolving around one person. That being the 1986 Entertainer of the Year. The 4 time Female Vocalist winner. Even this far, her husband thought, it was the end. She had hit the big time and she'd be bored right away. Wait, I should say "Ex-Husband". Her parents were so glad when she finally stuck it to him and left him. 11 years of an unhappy marriage is just too much for a young woman, who pinned herself down too soon. She felt like her wings had finally opened and it just took that little jump for her to fly.
Reba sits on the couch of the bus. Everyone was still in the restaurant. She sat there in complete silence. And a thought suddenly crossed her mind, seeing her tour manager boarding the bus. She had been promoting him a lot lately. She loved the way he thought. But this time, when she looked at him, she was loving the way he looked. The way he unbuttoned the top 3 buttons of his shirt, the way his jeans rested on him, His shyness and his passion for working with her. She memorized his every feature as he came closer to her. He sits next to her. A smile is bolted to her face. She couldn't deny it, her crush was huge on him. Especially now, with no one holding her down anymore. She could finally feel the way she wanted to feel about people.
"G'mornin' Reba." Narvel says acknowledging the smile on her face. It just made him so happy to see it. Especially, so early in the morning.
"Mornin' Narvel." Reba replies quietly. She was just so busy thinking about him. Even if he was right in beside her. She pans his sitting body. Narvel finds himself doing the same, but stopping at her breasts, but shooting his eyes up to hers again. Without getting caught. Something he couldn't deny, was his crush for her. She seemed so different now that Charlie was gone. And since he was recently divorced also, he felt different too. But it was more significant on Reba. You could see, she'd matured, she felt more at ease. And Narvel really liked that.
They sat in complete silence, not really sure what to say or do, they were like middle schoolers, but in their 30's. Reba's smile turns to embarrassment. Narvel's smile gets bigger and unintentionally puts his arm around her. Reba suddenly finds herself completely taken by him. He was so gorgeous and she felt stupid for being so blind to it until then. She rests her head on his shoulder. Her red hair contrasting off his black t-shirt. His smile isn't going away. She knows this is what he wanted. The rest of the band comes on after finishing their breakfast. Reba's head shoots up. Her band leader comes on first. He stops in his tracks in front of them before going to his bunk.
"Are you guys…?" He asks pointing and making a circle with his finger. Reba shoots up.
"No! We're not." She says making the same motion, then standing with her hands behind her back embarrassedly. She could feel her face getting as red as her hair. Narvel just smiled at how cute she was.
"Oh, it just looked like it because you were like laying on.." Kirk says but gets cut off when Reba glares at him.
"C'mon guys let's get a move on!" He shouts going to the front to gather everyone. Reba sighs making her whole body go up then sink down again.
"What would be wrong if we were…?" Narvel says making the little finger motion Kirk had started doing.
"I'm not saying there is anything wrong if we were…" Reba replies doing the same.
"Why were you so weirded out about it then?" He asks standing up in front of her.
"Because Narvel, I just got divorced, I don't want them to think I'm not hurting from my divorce." Reba says standing there with her hands on her defined hips.
"But you're not." Narvel broke in, nicely.
"So, I don't want them to know that!" Reba ranted. "How did you know anyway?"
"I just did, you're obviously not sad. You're so cheery and peppy." Narvel convinced honestly. Reba chuckles.
"I'm not peppy. I'm anything but peppy. I'm more glad I'm not with that son of a bitch anymore." She drawled looking down and playing with the hem of her shirt. Narvel chuckles and stares into her eyes.
"Would you like it if there was an "us"?" Narvel questions going closer to her and slipping his hands into his back pockets.
"Us? Yeah, I would." She smiles looking up at him. Narvel wets his lips.
"So, would you want to make an "us"? Like right now?" Narvel continues.
"Right here, right now?" She adds unconvinced.
"Yeah, we should get together in Nashville this weekend." Narvel smiles and can taste the success.
"I'd love that. But, I'm still unpackin'." She whines remembering the apartment filled with cardboard boxes.
"I'll help you! Then we'll go out for dinner or something. Okay?" Narvel chimes proudly.
"Alright, sounds..sounds great Narvel." Reba stutters happily. Her first date in 11 years. And it was with her crush. She felt like she was in high school all over again.
"C'mon, let's go up front." Narvel says taking her hand and pulling her to the rest of the band and they ease their way to their next tour date. Just waiting impatiently for that weekend.