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Rayna lightly knocked on the dressing room door before entering with a big grin on her face. She was so excited about debuting the label on the Opry stage and doing it with Deacon by her side made it that much better.
Deacon looked up from playing his guitar on the couch in the Into The Circle dressing room backstage at the Opry.
She shut the door behind her. "Congratulations on your big Opry debut!" She exclaimed. He laughed. "Thank you."
She looked around the room at all the pictures on the wall. "When was the last time we were in this room?" She asked. He smiled. "Probably the night you made your Opry debut. It seems like a million years ago but I can still remember you breaking Roy Acuff's famous lamp that set over there in that corner." Rayna giggled. "Hey I did not break that lamp all by myself. You couldn't keep your hands off of me. I was just trying to keep quiet!"
Deacon blushed. Rayna glanced over at the clock then smirked at Deacon. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him, stroking the collar of his button down shirt. "You know we still have 45 minutes until we go on. Maybe this time we could manage not to break anything." Deacon chuckled, watching Rayna lean in for a kiss.
His lips met hers. She tasted so good he thought to himself but then something hit him and he pulled away. "Actually there's something I want to talk to you about." Rayna sighed, reaching out her hand to stroke his stubble. "I've been waiting a really long time for this. I've been thinking about it ever since yesterday." Deacon licked his lips. "You have?" He asked surprised. She nodded moving closer to his lips and giving them a peck.
She pulled back. "I even shut my cell phone off." Deacon laughed then gave her a look. "Ray, there's a sign that says to shut your phone off." She shrugged. "Okay then let's you know." She leaned in for another kiss.
He let her wrap her arms around his neck. She felt so good in his arms he thought. He let his hands travel down her hips. She started unbuttoning the top button on his shirt. He chuckled. "Ray, I really need to talk to you." She signed. "Alright."
She sat up, placing her hand on his knee with a playful smile. His eyes watched her hand traveling up his leg. He felt his breath catch in the back of his throat. He let out a soft sigh. She raised her eyebrows at him knowing it was driving him nuts. "You were saying?" She asked teasingly.
He grabbed her hand in his, hanging on to it. "I'm trying to be serious here. It's important." She sighed again. "I have something important to tell you too." He wrinkled his forehead. "You do?" She nodded. "Yeah." He shrugged his shoulders. "Ladies first."
"I thought about what you said the other day." He smirked. "What did I say?" He asked.
She draped her legs over his lap. "That we should spend time with the girls together." He nodded listening to her continue. "Spring break is just around the corner and I rearranged our schedules so we could spend some family time together before I head out on the road with you and Scarlett."
"That would be nice." He said. Rayna smiled. "I even set aside some time for the two of us to be alone." She used her free hand to pull her closer for a kiss. "Now what is so important that you have to tell me?" She asked.
There was a knock at the door before it flew open. One of the technicians stepped in. "Ms. Jaymes? Watty would like to see you." Rayna stood up, looking back at Deacon with a pouty look. "I'm sorry. Can it wait?" Deacon nodded as Rayna left the room.
After Rayna left there was another knock on Deacons dressing room door. "Come in." He shouted. In walked Megan, she was carrying a bundle of flowers. He gave her a confused look. "Too much?" She asked as she set them down. "I didn't know what people got for Opry debuts so I went with flowers." She said. Deacon smiled. "No they're perfect. Thank you!"
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you nervous?" She asked kissing him. "A little." He nodded wrapping his arms around her waist. "You'll be great! You're playing that song you did at the festival right?" He nodded. "That's the one!"
All of a sudden the door flew open and in walked Rayna. "It's your turn to tell me what was so impor-" She froze when she saw Megan standing there with her arms wrapped around Deacon's neck and Deacon's arms wrapped around Megan's waist. Megan turned to face Rayna. "Excuse me. I understand you're the Queen of Country music around here but have some respect for people's privacy."
Rayna ignored Megan's comment and stared at Deacon with hurt in her eyes. Tears starting streaming down Rayna's face as she quickly turned and left. "Rayna." Deacon yelled after her.
Deacon stepped out in the hall, following Rayna's fast pace. He caught her arm and stopped her. "Rayna please." He jerked her back.
"How could you?" She asked. Deacon saw the hurt in her eyes. "Ray-" He pleaded. She shook her head to stop him. "Here you are warning me to stay away from Luke because he's a cheater but you're doing the same thing!"
Deacon loosened his grip on Rayna's arm feeling the sting of her words. "Don't you dare compare me to Wheeler. I did not cheat." Rayna rolled her eyes. "Clearly Megan is still your girlfriend and you and I slep-" She swallowed hard, not able to get the words out.
She turned to leave again but he stopped her, making her face him. "Megan and I were on a break when you and I slept together." Rayna smirked trying to mask her pain. "So that makes it okay?" Deacon took a deep breath. "No but-" She waved her arms cutting him off.
"God Deacon you are so-" She made a fist, feeling the anger course through her veins. She continued. "Insensitive. You used me for sex and here I am thinking I meant more to you than just that." Deacon grabbed her arm again. "You do. You are so much more than that to me." Rayna rolled her eyes again. "I should've known when you pulled away from me in there." She shook her head in disbelief. She watched him think of what to say. Before he could say anything she spoke. "I have to go." She turned and walked away.
He watched her walk down the hall knowing it was useless to try to stop her again. Eventually he returned to the dressing room where Megan was. She greeted him with crossed arms. "What the hell was that about?" Megan asked annoyed. He was so sick of Megan judging him when it came to Rayna. "You shouldn't have said that to her!" He snapped. She threw her hands up to defend herself. "You said you were going to talk to her." Deacon shifted his weight on his feet and covered his mouth with his hand. "I-" He started to say. "You didn't?" Megan stated more than asked.
Another knock on the door stopped them from saying anymore. The door opened and the technician walked in. "Deacon, we need you in the wing. Rayna is about to go on."
Rayna marched through the hallway of the Opry pissed off. Bucky tried to chase after her. "Rayna you're about to go on don't you think this is a little sudden?" Rayna turned abrupt to face Bucky. "This is my label, my stage, and if I want to change the song at the last minute I will."
Bucky tried to reason with her. "The band doesn't know this song." She shook her head carelessly. "Well they better learn how to wing it then." Rayna stood in the wing.
"Please welcome Ms Rayna Jaymes." The announcer said. Rayna stepped out to the stage waving at the audience. "Rayna it is so good to have you back." The announcer said. Rayna smiled as she took the mic. "It's so good to be back. I would like to sing a brand new song. I haven't rehearsed it with the band yet so I am going to ask them to leave the stage and I'll play it on the piano." She announced.
Deacon made it to the wing and stood next to Bucky. The band looked confused but left the stage anyway. "What is she doing?" Deacon asked Bucky. Bucky shrugged. "Winging it I guess."
Rayna took a seat at the piano. "It's called Insensitive." She said. She closed her eyes hoping to get through this song before playing the first few keys. She found a good melody and started singing.
How do you turn your eyes from the romantic glare,
How do you block the sound of a voice you'd know anywhere
Oh I really should've known by the time you drove me home
By the vagueness in your eyes
Your casual goodbyes
By the chill in your embrace
The expression on your face
That told me maybe you might have some advice to give on how to be insensitive
Deacon listened in the wings knowing it was about him. "You ready for your debut?" Bucky asked. Deacon nodded getting an idea of his own. Once Rayna finished the crowd clapped. "Wow Rayna that was amazing! Where do you find time to write such a beautiful song and have your label?" The announcer asked. "Oh I manage." She smiled. "Well please introduce our next act." The announcer requested. She nodded.
"As ya'll know I have been looking for new artists for Highway 65 so I thought this next artist would be a perfect fit. Please welcome Deacon Claybourne." The crowd cheered as Deacon walked out onstage. He walked up beside Rayna feeling the cold shoulder.
"How y'all doing?" Deacon asked as the crowd cheered back. "If any of you were lucky enough to be at the Music City Music Festival you may have heard this next song called 'Playin' Tricks.'" Rayna said.
Deacon smirked. "Actually Ray I loved your courage to come out here and sing a brand new song so I wrote a brand new song I would like to debut if that's alright. Is that alright with y'all?" He asked the audience. The audience clapped.
He turned to face Rayna who was hiding every emotion behind her smile. He could tell she was pissed. "Alright-well-then." She said clearly surprised. "The stage is yours." She waved to the crowed and walked off.
The band stood in the wing, confused whether to go back onstage or not. Deacon picked up a guitar and sat on a stool. "This next song is called Alone with You." He started strumming.
I'm gonna put on my new shirt
Shine up these old boots
Take a deep breath
Try to keep my cool
I know you're going to be there
And I'm going to bring somebody I barely even know
And when you turn my way, I'm gonna pull her in close
And the crazy thing about it is I ain't into her at all
I just wanna see if you still care
I know you're gonna be there
The crowd cheered as Deacon finished his song and left the stage. "Deacon Claybourne everybody." The announcer said. Rayna stood in the wing when he brushed passed her. She sighed.
Deacon walked back into the dressing room where Megan sat. "What happened to the other song you were going to sing?" She asked. He shrugged. She started to speak again before he could think of a good reply. "It was about her wasn't it?"
He stared at her blankly. "Who?" She shot him a look. "Rayna. That song was about her." Deacon sighed, pretending to be busy packing up his guitar into its case. "I don't know about that." He said. "Come on Deacon, I know you and I know how much trouble you've been having writing a song and all of a sudden you're out on stage, singing a song that just came to you?" She asked.
He snapped his guitar case shut and turned to face her. "You're right, it was about her. Everything I do is about her. It's not fair and it's not right but I can't bring myself to let her go. I don't sleep well at night because I hate thinking about her with someone else. Even if I moved a million miles away, I would still thinking about her. I can't be faithful to you or anyone else because my heart belongs to Rayna. I love her." Deacon confessed.
Megan nodded taking it all in. Her eyes started to get teary. She let out a deep breath to stop herself from crying. "Well this sucks." Megan relied. Deacon brushed her arm. "I'm sorry." He apologized.
"Take care Deacon. Rayna is a lucky woman to have someone like you." Deacon smiled as he watched Megan walk towards the door. "Hey Megan." Deacon called. Megan turned to face him. "Yeah?" She asked. "Thank you for being so good to me through everything. I would never be here if it wasn't for you. You take care too and I hope you find someone who deserves you." She nodded and walked out.
Deacon waited a few minutes then walked out of the dressing room himself. He found Bucky standing outside Rayna's dressing room. "Hey Deacon! Good job tonight!" Bucky said with a smile. "Thanks Buck. Is Rayna still in there?" He asked pointing towards the dressing room door.
Bucky shook his head. "No she just left with Luke. According to Tandy he confessed his love for her the other day and then put it out on Twitter that there were seeing each other." Deacon looked like he wanted to punch somebody. "Do the girls even know? Why would he do that? That's the first thing Maddie checks in the morning!" Bucky shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine." Deacon shook his head in disgust.
"I imagine they haven't made it passed the back door with the paparazzi if you needed to talk to her real quick." Deacon nodded. "Thanks Bucky!" Deacon took off searching for Rayna.