Sorry for the delay in continuing this story-but I do promise that I will finish it! Thanks for those who are reading and especially for the reviews-I really appreciate hearing from each and every one of you.

The next morning Teddy was up early. Frankly, he'd barely slept at all. His mind kept racing as he went over the numbers again and again, but the fact was, the Cumberland deal was over. And not only was the deal a bust, but in many ways, so were they. He walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboard door where the coffee supplies were located. He stood next to the counter, not really thinking as he automatically measured out six scoops of coffee as he did each morning.

As he was pouring the water into the coffeemaker, Rayna walked into the kitchen, her hair tussled, a comfortable robe wrapped around her body.

"See, this is what I love about being home," she said as she sat down on a kitchen stool. "Wonderful husband, getting up early in the morning to make me coffee…"

Teddy turned to look at her, then realized he'd only put in enough coffee for himself and reached for the jar again to measure out more grounds.

"Teddy?"

He started the coffeemaker and turned back to face Rayna. He stood for a moment looking at her, not speaking. He loved her. He loved the girls. He loved their family, their home. How could he have risked everything? How would he ever be able to keep her if he was a failure? If he became the thing that made her leave Deacon?

She came over and slipped her arms around him. "What's the matter?" she asked as she pulled him close toward her.

"I think I'm going to resign from the credit union board," he said as she leaned in toward him, the warm smell of the lavender lotion she used after her shower reaching his nose.

"I thought you enjoyed it, thought it was good for business?" she asked as she pulled back from him.

He turned away from her, reaching into the cupboard for two coffee mugs. He pulled them down and moved toward the refrigerator to get the half and half for Rayna. He closed the door and turned back to her slowly.

"Things aren't going very well, Rayna," he said. "I...I think it's either I resign or they're going to ask me to and I'd rather do it on my own terms."

"What's the matter?" Rayna asked, sitting down on the stool at the counter. "Is it the development deal?"

Teddy nodded slowly. "It's the recession. All the people who were so interested have suddenly disappeared. And we're going to start losing our options if we can't go forward with this next phase of the project."

"What does it all mean?" she asked, her face serious.

Teddy looked down at the floor and then back up. He took a deep breath. "I think...I think I'm going to have to declare bankruptcy."

Rayna stood up and moved over to him. "I'm so sorry, Teddy," she said as she held him, pulling him close to her.

And at that moment, with his world breaking all around him, he felt like maybe it was going to be alright.

Rayna spent the evening out with Bucky at a showcase. They were looking for a new opening act since instead of coming home and spending time with the girls, she was pushing up the launch of her new album and going back on the road. They had spent the afternoon with the accountant and there was no other way to sustain their lives than for Rayna to stay out there making money.

In the early years, it had felt more like a partnership between them. Rayna was up and coming, but she wasn't a big huge star. He had a solid position as an executive at his company before he decided to go out on his own. They'd had that great house and Maddie had been their daughter, the center of their lives.

It was easy to pin all of the changes on Deacon's reappearance in Rayna's life, but nothing was ever as simple as that.

At least he wanted to think so.

He heard the door open downstairs, Rayna moving around in the kitchen, and then the sound of her coming slowly up the steps. He sat back up in bed and turned on the light on the table next to him.

"You didn't need to stay up," she said as she crossed the room, pulling her heels off and dropping them at the foot of the bed.

"How was the music?" he asked.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and slid the bangles off her wrist. "Good-might have potential for this tour, but she seems a little too pop music for my taste. Her manager, though...this guy Glenn...he certainly talked a good game."

He waited while she disappeared into the bathroom. He could imagine her at the dressing table. Brushing out her hair, taking off her earrings. In the early years he'd go in and watch her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Rayna came back in wearing a soft t-shirt, a tube of lotion in her hands. She sat down on the bed and began to rub the lotion into her hands and arms.

"I miss this-when you're gone," he said, rolling on his side to watch her. She was quiet. He knew what she was thinking-that if he hadn't gotten them into this mess, she would be home.

"I miss it too, hon," she said as she finished rubbing the lotion into her skin and slid under the covers, resting her head on the pillow.

He thought about saying more, then turned out the light and rolled onto his back, hoping sleep would find him.

He woke up to the sound of water running in the bathroom. He looked over-Rayna's side of the bed was empty.

The water shut off and after a moment she came back and slid under the covers next to him. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling in the dark room. The thoughts just kept running through his mind and he knew he couldn't keep them to himself any longer.

"Do you regret it?" he asked quietly.

"Regret what?" she replied.

"Me...doing what we did, getting married." It was quiet for a minute, then he felt her hand slide into his.

"Why would you ask that?" she replied. "I love you, Teddy. I love our family, our girls, our life."

"I know," he replied. "I'm not questioning that, but do you regret not telling Deacon, not giving him that chance."

Rayna kept his hand in hers, rolling on her side, her right hand now gently touching him on his chest.

"Just tell me, Rayna," he said, quietly. "Cause, I these days, that thought just keeps going around and around in my head. It's making it...it's making it hard…" His voice caught.

She slid closer, her arm now sliding across his chest and around him.

"Do I wonder what would have happened?" she replied. "Of course. When I made that choice, Teddy, it didn't just affect you and me. It changed Maddie and Deacon's life, too. Was it the right thing? I don't know if I'll ever know. But I know one thing…"

"What?"

"This. Our family. This is what matters the most to me. Believe that. And try to stop playing the 'what if' game. What we need to do is focus on the 'what is'."

The next morning Teddy was downstairs making breakfast for the girls when Rayna came in with her suitcase. He pulled the slices of toast from the toaster, buttering them and sprinkling them cinnamon and sugar as Daphne had requested.

"Why are you going again, Mom?" Maddie asked, a whine in her voice. "I thought you were going to be home now."

"I know, sweet girl," Rayna said as she encircled Maddie with a hug. "And you know I miss you like crazy."

Teddy looked over at her, wishing that everything could be different.

"But, the good news is, your dad's gonna be with you! When I was your age, I would have given anything to have my daddy home with me," Rayna shared.

"Paw Paw didn't take you to dance class?" Daphne asked.

Rayna laughed. "No, he most certainly didn't. You girls are the luckiest in the world. You have the best dad there is."

There was a knock at the door and Bucky walked in. "You ready, Rayna?"

She kissed each of them again and then was gone. This time off to New York to do a talk show. Promote a new album. Get a new tour together. Be the breadwinner.

Teddy looked over at the girls, chatting with each other as they finished their toast and juice. This was his family. And they loved him.

TBC