Keep Me In Mind Chapter 4: You're Like Coming Home, a friday night lights fanfic

The week had come and gone and before Tim could even blink it was Friday. He had no complaints for the fast flow of the week; it was the weekend and he had a date. He arrived home late from work, so as soon as he walked through the front door he headed straight to the shower. Cleaning off the dirt he had accumulated during the day from working outside, he stepped out and dried off.

Tim decided on a pair of jeans and a black V-neck shirt. He didn't want to be too dressed up but he didn't want to look homeless either. He also took a few minutes to style his hair, which was something new to him. There's a first time for everything, he thought to himself. Grabbing hair gel, he first parted his hair then ran his fingers through either side. His hair was pushed back so it was out of his eyes. Once satisfied with his appearance he grabbed his keys and headed out of his apartment to his truck.

It wasn't hard finding out where Lyla lived; like he told her, it was a small town. It also helped that he was buddies with the previous home owners. So he knew before he even met her that a very beautiful woman was moving in to that house, and that beautiful woman happened to be her. Tim pulled up in front of her house and put the car in park before turning off the engine.

Getting out of the car he stood there admiring the house. She had already begun making little changes to it, making it more feminine. A garden looked to be freshly planted; it contained an assortment of flowers and bushes. He stood outside her door and was suddenly struck with nerves; hesitantly he raised his hand and knocked on the door. Within seconds Lyla opened it to reveal herself and Tim was stunned. In front of him, Lyla stood wearing a navy blue knee-length sundress with a denim jacket accompanied with brown cowboy boots.

Tim shook his head, but he couldn't get over the initial shock of seeing her, she was beyond beautiful. "Wow, you look great." He finally managed to say.

"Thanks." She replied slightly blushing. "Ready to go?"

"Yup!" Tim said as he clapped his hands in front of him. He waited for her to walk out of her house and lock up, putting her keys in a small purse that was slung diagonally across her body. He led her to the car and tugged on the passenger door but it wouldn't budge. He tugged on it a few more times but it still wouldn't move.

"Does this always happen?" She laughed.

"Yes." Tim was slightly embarrassed that his car wouldn't open. Then he was struck by an idea. Tim pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, this only made Lyla laugh harder. The door finally opened and he ushered her inside and then closed the door for her. He walked around to his side and hopped in and Lyla was still laughing.

"I'm sorry, it's not that funny. I don't know why I'm laughing."

"It was kind of funny." Tim told her as he laughed along with her; Lylas laugh was simply infectious. Tim put the trunk and drive and pulled away from the curb and set out for the destination of the night.

Lyla had finished work a little early, she was just easing her way into things at the new firm in Austin. Since she was done for the day, she decided on going shopping for new clothes. Her wardrobe was so mid-western, she thought to herself. She needed to spice it up a little, bring a little bit of Texas into her style.

By the time she was tired out, she had purchased three sundresses, two pairs of jeans and a fair amount and variety of tops. Lyla had also bought, the perfect pair of cowboy boots, they were a medium brown with a light brown design of swirls. From the moment she first laid eyes on them she had fallen in love with the pair, they were exactly what she needed to complete her new and improved wardrobe.

Once back at home, she spent her time getting ready. After a shower, she hot ironed her hair into loose curls and applied make up. Lyla had decided on wearing a black sundress with the cowboy boots she had bought earlier. A second after she had completed getting ready she heard a knock on the door, perfect timing she thought. Grabbing an old jean jacket and putting it on, she opened the door to see Tim standing there looking surprised. She gave him a small smile which he reciprocated.

Lyla couldn't help but be a little surprised herself, this man looked incredible. He dressed in simple attire, a black V-neck and jeans but he pulled it off well. It helped that the shirt was a little tight and she could see his tight muscles through the piece of clothing. She had butterflies in her stomach as she took him in; she couldn't help thinking he was unbelievably sexy.

"Wow, you look great." Tim finally said. Lyla couldn't help but blush at the comment, he was being so sweet and the way he looked at her had turned her to mush momentarily.

They exchanged a few pleasantries before they made their way to a rusty old truck that was sitting on the curb. It had characteristic, she thought, it was nothing special. When they arrived at the truck, Tim struggled for a few minutes to get the door open. "Does this always happen?" When she saw Tim's face she couldn't help but laugh, he looked embarrassed and frustrated but really cute all at the same time.

Finally in the truck, Lyla could not stop her laughter; she felt bad but Tim began to laugh along with her. She watched as he skillfully put the car in drive and began to drive towards their intended destination. "So where are we going?" She asked once she finally settled down and the laughter subsided.

"I was thinking The Grill?" He looked at her questioningly, hoping she would approve.

"Sounds good." She nodded in reply.

"Theres not many places around here to go for drinks. I'm pretty sure The Grill is more appropriate and probably quieter on a Friday night."

"I don't mind." One of the downsides of living in a small tow, she thought to herself.

A few minutes later Tim pulled into The Grill parking lot which was surprisingly empty, especially compared to her last visit. "Where is everyone?" She wondered out loud.

Tim put the car in park and turned the engine off as he turned towards her. "It's still a little early, but everyone usually goes to Smitty's or the Applebee on the other side of town. I like coming here Friday nights, you'll see why." Tim winked at her and got out of the truck and made his way around to her side. He struggled a few times before the door finally flew open, almost knocking him off his feet.

Lyla laughed. "Thank you, very much." She jumped out of the truck and watched as he slammed the door closed. Instead of closing it flew right back at him. Tim gave it a harder slam and the door stayed close. "I think it's time for a new truck." Lyla joked.

"I could never get rid of her, she's my baby." Tim replied as he put his hand over his heart and gave her a wounded look.

"Well I think your baby needs to go to the junk yard." Lyla teased.

"I am going to pretend you didn't just say that." Tim smirked at her as he held out his arm, signalling to go inside.

"Wow, it really is dead in here." Lyla remarked once they both stepped inside The Grill. There was a family of three at one of the tables and two men at the bar, but other than that the place was empty and rather silent.

Tim nodded and guided her to the middle of the bar and sat down beside each other. "Hey, Keith." Tim said to the bartender who was trying to keep himself busy but had no such luck.

"Hey, what can I get you?" The bartender asked.

"The usual and also a Coors Light." Tim told Keith. The bartender backed away to get their orders and returned a few minutes later with two pints of beer and placed it on the bar.

"I'm not much of a beer drinker." Lyla said a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Coors is safe, it's light and safe for beginners. It's good, trust me you'll like it." Tim told her as he pushed her drink closer to her and grabbed his own. Lyla looked up at Tim, she was a little skeptical of his claim that she would like it. She watched as he picked up his beer and took a swig, and she couldn't hide the grimace on her face. "Trust me, you'll like it." he told her again when he put his own beer back down.

Lyla gulped and pulled her drink towards her; it was light amber in colour and had a bit of foam on top. She took a leap of faith and grabbed her beer and put it up to her lips. She parted them slightly to take a small sip. She immediately scrunched up her face in disgust. "Ugh, that was horrible."

Tim just laughed at her and couldn't stop laughing; she was starting to feel a little self-conscious. "You're not supposed to sip it, take a big gulp. You're in Texas now, you gotta learn how to drink beer." He smiled at her as he reached out and put his hand on her arm, in an attempt to comfort her.

She took a deep breath before picking up her glass again and took a big gulp of beer. It effortlessly slid down the back of her throat and she had to admit to herself it didn't taste that disgusting. "It's not bad." She finally said as she put her beer back down on the counter.

"See I told you." Tim nudged her, trying to get her to smile herself. Seeing him so happy and smiling brought out her smile.

After they had finished two beers each, it had gotten late and The Grill was still empty save for a few people at the bar drinking. They had talked non-stop since arriving about all kinds of things. He found out that she always wanted to travel to Europe but never got the chance, her ideal destination was Scotland. Also, she had a younger brother and sister. He learned she loved to talk and continued to do so throughout the night, which wasn't a big deal because he wasn't a big talker. In the hour that they were there he had learned so much about her and also learned things about himself, such as he loved to hear her laugh.

Tim was amazed by this girl; she was unlike anyone he had ever met. There was something about him that drew him to her and he couldn't understand it. This was something he had never felt before with anyone. It didn't scare him so much but excite him, he wanted to treat her right, the way she deserved.

Once the conversation quieted and their second round of drinks was done, Tim got up off his barstool and headed to the far back corner. He could feel her eyes on him which made him smile. He walked up to the jukebox and pressed in the desired code.

Once back to where Lyla was sitting he held out his hand, wanting her to come with him. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to dance." He smirked at her as she grabbed his hand and hopped off the stool. He led her to the middle of the dance floor, which was deserted.

"Everyone will see us." Lyla said self-conscious.

"It's fine." He spoke softly into her ear.

"But there's no music."

"Wait for it." Tim grabbed one hand and placed it on his shoulder and grabbed her other hand and held it out to the side with his remaining hand resting on the middle of her back. A second later the song Tim had selected came over the speakers of The Grill. Lyla pulled back to look at him but he pulled her back into him so they were closer than before. Tim started moving his feet and Lyla followed his lead. The song was faster moving but he kept their movements slow and deliberate. He picked the song because he felt this described his feelings for her perfectly.

Ridin' restless under broken sky,
Weary traveller, somethin' missin' inside,
Always lookin' for a reason to turn around.
Desperate for a little peace of mind.
Just a little piece of what I left behind:
Well, I found it now: you're like coming home.

You're like a Sunday mornin', pleasin' my eyes;
You're a midsummer's dream under a star-soaked sky.
That peaceful easy feelin' at the end of a long, long road.
You're like coming home;
You're like coming home, all right.

"What song's this?" Lyla whispered.

"You're Like Coming Home by Lonestar." Tim replied.

"I like it." Lyla sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as she listened to the lyrics.

Go head an' let your hair fall down.
This wanderlust: it's gone now.
I'm here in your arms; I'm safe from the road again.
These are the days that can't be erased:
Baby, there isn't a better place;
You're like heaven: you're like coming home.

You're like a Sunday mornin', pleasin' my eyes;
You're a midsummer's dream under a star-soaked sky.
That peaceful easy feelin' at the end of a long, long road.
You're like coming home;

You're that innocence, that serenity,
That long-lost part of me.

"This song reminded me of you, that's why I picked it." Tim admitted shyly.

"You know I don't usually sleep with a guy I just met, last week-" Lyla began to say.

"It doesn't matter, let's pretend like that never happened and start all over again." Tim interrupted.

"Okay." Lyla smiled into his chest and continued to listen to the lyrics of the song.

You're like a Sunday mornin', pleasin' my eyes;
A midsummer's dream under a star-soaked sky.
That peaceful easy feelin' at the end of a long, long road.

"That song was beautiful." Lyla said when the song finally ended. She took a step back and looked up at Tim who was looking down at her with a small smile on his lips. He bent his head down and slowly brushed his lips against hers for a soft kiss.

"Would you like to listen to another one?" He questioned when they broke from their kiss. Lyla nodded so he let go of her and walked over to the Jukebox and pressed the buttons to play Kip Moore's song Hey Pretty Girl.

The rest of the night continued on the dance floor, Tim always picking the song, usually a slow one. To Lylas surprise he was an excellent dancer and he was sweet, considerate, and caring. She realized she really liked him; it didn't make sense because they just met last week, but he was growing on her. He was a perfect gentleman through the whole night and she realized it was something she could get used to.

She now stood across from him at her front door and she was looking up into his crystal green eyes. "Thank you for tonight, I really enjoyed it."

"Anytime." He winked at her. Tim raised his hand and grabbed onto the back of her neck and pulled her closer to him. She lifted her chin as he lowered his head and softly kissed her. It ended as soon as it began but it left her wanting more. He pulled away before she could act on her impulse to kiss him again and she frowned. He let go of her but before he turned to go he kissed on the forehead and smiled at her. "Good night, Lyla."

"Good night, Tim." Lyla reciprocated giving him a small smile in return. He turned on his heel and left her standing at her front door. She watched him get into his truck and drive away.

The cold hit her suddenly so she let herself inside the house. The second the door closed behind her, she heard a ringing. Reaching into her purse she pulled out her cell phone and answered "Hello?"

"Lyla! Hey, it's Jason."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I got all inspiration from Kip Moore's song Beer Money, I just love him. If you haven't noticed, I've been giving the chapters real titles and they are all titles of songs that are related to the chapter. So give them a listen because you'll never know what you'll learn. Anyways, give me any suggestions or ideas you have for this story because I need the help!