A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers. The songs used in this chapter are I Feel a Sin Comin' on by The Pistol Annies, Pledge Allegiance to the Hag by Eric Church, Momma's Broken Heart, by Miranda Lambert, Drink a Beer by Luke Bryan, Over You by Miranda Lambert, and I Cross My Heart by George Strait.


Chapter 51

Dallas

"I feel a sin comin' on. I feel a right that's about to go wrong." Sadie sang out to the crowd.

"I got a shiver down to the bone. I feel a sin comin' on." Scarlett added her voice to the song.

"I gotta buzz in my brain. Drunk on a love goin' down like champagne." Maddie sang.

"I gotta feelin' it's gonna leave a lipstick stain and I'll be the only one to blame." Layla came in.

"And you can see it all over my face. Sweet temptation all over the place. Give me tall dark and handsome mix it up with somethin' strong. I feel a sin comin' on." The four sang together along with Daphne. Maddie played the bluesy licks on her guitar.

"Please Jesus don't hold me back. I know it ain't mine, but I want it so bad." Juliette joined them on stage for the night since she was in town with Luke's tour.

"The smoke and the whiskey's got me feelin' easy. And the lights are all fadin' to black." Rayna wailed.

"And you can see it all over my face. Sweet temptation all over the place. Give me tall dark and handsome mix it up with somethin' strong. I feel a sin comin' on." The ladies sang in unison.

"And you can see it."

"And you can see it." Sadie wailed out.

"All over my face."

"All over my face." Maddie showed off her range.

"Sweet temptation all over the place. Give me tall dark and handsome mix it up with somethin' strong. I feel a sin comin' on. I feel a sin comin' on."

"How ya'll doin' tonight, Dallas?" Rayna amped up the crowd.

"It's my pleasure to introduce you to the Angels of the Angels and Outlaws tour." Juliette took over. "We have Maddie and Daphne Claybourne, Layla Grant, Scarlett O'Connor, Sadie Stone, and Ms. Rayna Jaymes."

The crowd roared with approval.

XXXXXXXXXX

They let JC kick it off tonight since it was his hometown crowd.

"There's a little dive on a dead end road called the Cross Eyed Cricket Waterin' Hole where you can hear the sound of a steel guitar and gettin' loud and rowdy with PBR. But at the top of every hour man you can hear a pin drop when ol' Jack drops in a quarter and play Merle on the jukebox and we stop." JC pumped the crowd up with a new song he'd just written for his album. He winked at Maddie at the Cross Eyed Cricket line.

"Sadie, did you see that?" Rayna whispered to her friend.

"I saw it there may be hope for those two yet. I plan to pry a little later and find out what went on between the two of them last night." Sadie replied.

"And tip our hats and raise our glasses of cold, cold beer. They say country's fadin', but we're still wavin' that flag round here. And when it's time to go you know you're welcome back where the people pledge allegiance to the Hag."

"When the weekend comes and the weather's clear there's a hotspot fifteen miles from here. Where you can always find a few dusty trucks with the windows down and the radio up. We sit there poppin' tops shootin' bull and singin' songs, but you can bet your boots that when Haggard comes on."

"We tip our hats," JC tipped his cowboy hat. "And raise our glasses of cold, cold beer. They say country's fadin', but we're still wavin' that flag round here. And when it's time to go you know you're welcome back where the people pledge allegiance to the Hag."

"One of these days when my time has come you can take me back to where I'm from. Put me on a westbound train and ship me off in the pourin' rain." Deacon sang softly.

"Don't cry for me when I'm gone just put a quarter in the jukebox and sing me back home. And tip your hats and raise your glasses of cold, cold beer. They say country's fadin', but we keep wavin' that flag round here. And I know it'll keep on comin' back long as people pledge allegiance where folks still pledge allegiance I pledge allegiance to the Hag." JC finished his song.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I cut my bangs with some rusty kitchen scissors I screamed his name 'til the neighbors called the cops. I numbed the pain at the expense of my liver. Don't know what I did next all I know I couldn't stop. Word got around to the barflies and the Baptists my momma's phone started ringin' off the hook. I can hear her know sayin' she ain't gonna have it. Don't matter how you feel it only matters how you look." Maddie launched into a song she and JC had written about her breakup with Colt.

"Go and fix your makeup girl it's just a breakup run and hide your crazy and start actin' like a lady cause I raised you better gotta keep it together even when you fall apart, but this ain't my momma's broken heart." Daphne came in on chorus as usual.

"Wish I could be just a little less dramatic like a Kennedy when Camelot went down in flames. Leave it to me to be holdin' the matches when the fire trucks show up and there's nobody else to blame. Can't get revenge and keep a spotless reputation. Sometimes revenge is a choice you've gotta make. My momma came from a softer generation where you get grip and bite your lip just to save a little face."

"You write this with her?" Deacon turned to JC with an arched eyebrow.

"I may be a little guilty of that." JC chuckled.

"Between you and me it's perfect. It's Rayna to a T." Deacon laughed.

"Go and fix your makeup girl it's just a breakup run and hide your crazy and start actin' like a lady. Cause I raised you better gotta keep it together even when you fall apart, but this ain't my momma's broken heart."

"Powder you nose, paint your toes, line your lips and keep them closed. Cross your legs dot your eye don't ever let 'em see you cry."

"Go and fix your makeup well it's just a breakup run and hide your crazy and start actin' like a lady. Cause I raised you better gotta keep it together even when you fall apart. Well, this ain't my momma's broken heart."

"Cute, Madison, really cute. I hope like hell that made you feel better, because you've got a hit on your hands." Rayna told her when she came off the stage.

"You really think so?" Maddie asked brightly.

"Oh, I know so." Rayna replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Now, a lot of people might not know this, but seventeen years ago we lost our drummer in an accident and I lost my best friend. So, tonight with ya'll's permission we are gonna pay tribute to him. It's only fittin' since he was a Dallas native. Vinny, this one is for you, buddy." Deacon looked over at the side of the stage at Vince's parents.

"When I got the news today I didn't know what to say so I just hung up the phone. I took a walk to clear my head and this is where the walkin' led. Can't believe you're really gone. Don't feel like goin' home. So, I'm gonna sit right here on the edge of this pier and watch the sunset disappear and drink a beer." Deacon closed his eyes as he sang.

"Funny how the good ones go too soon, but the good lord knows the reasons why I guess. Sometimes the greater plan is kinda hard to understand right now it don't make sense. I can't make it all make sense. So, I'm gonna sit right here on the edge of this pier. Watch the sunset disappear and drink a beer."

"So long my friend until we meet again. I'll remember you and all the times that we used to. Sit right here on the edge of this pier. Watch sunset disappear and drink a beer. Drink a beer. Drink a beer." He cleared the tears from his eyes quickly.

"Vince Grayson wasn't just my drummer he was like the big brother I never asked for, but got anyway. This next one Deacon and I wrote together and there's no way that either of us could make it through this song alone, so we are gonna sing it for you together." Rayna came out on stage and sat down on a stool next to Deacon.

Deacon started strumming his guitar. "Weather man said it's gonna snow by now I should be used to the cold."

"Mid February shouldn't be so scary it was only December. I still remember the presents the tree you and me." Rayna sang softly.

"But you went away how dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be ok, but I'm not goin' to ever get over you." They sang together.

"Livin' alone here in this place I think of you and I'm not afraid." She sang.

"Your favorite records make me feel better as you sing along with every song. I know you didn't mean to give them to me." He picked up.

"But you went away. How dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be ok, but I'm not goin' to ever get over you. It really sinks in you know? When I see it in stone. Cause you went away. How dare you? I miss you. They say I'll be ok, but I'm goin' to ever get over you." Deacon played them out softly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"If I could then I would go back in time yeah baby. Back before he left you high and dry and maybe I could you should you a thing or two about what good love is supposed to do. He left you scared to love again, but where you're at ain't where you've been." JC strummed his guitar and looked into Maddie's eyes as he sang. They were covering This duet together. It had originally been Will and Layla's song, but since it had never been recorded Rayna had wanted them to do it.

"Let me dry your eyes and heal the hurt inside. If you're willin' to baby got a pocket full promise. Got it if you want it got a whole lot more to give if your heart can handle it." He was letting her know that it was ok to trust him with her heart that he would keep it safe.

"I've been broke I've been used can't take another go round honey. It's gonna take a little time you know the right kind of loving. If you ain't in any kind of love. Baby that's the least of my worries. So, now I plan and laid it all out there. If I'm gonna start guess I've gotta start somewhere." Maddie looked back into his eyes.

"You can dry my eyes and heal the hurt inside if you're willin' to baby. Got a pocket full of promise got it if you want got a whole lot more to give. If your heart can handle it." She felt herself surrender to him.

"We have all the pieces all the things we need to pit back together again." They sang soulfully to each other.

"I'm in," She sang.

"If you're in," He answered.

"Well, I'm in." She crooned.

"Let me dry your eyes." He moved a little closer to her.

"And heal the hurt inside." She took a step in his direction.

"If you're willin' to baby got a pocket full of promise got it if you want it got a whole lot more to give."

"If you heart."

"If your heart."

"If your heart can handle it. If your heart can handle it."

"My heart can handle it." She put her hand on his shoulder at the end of the song.

JC and Layla played the song that they had written together as well.

"Jimmy, that was freakin' amazin'." JC's older sister Hailey wrapped him in a big hug after the show was over.

"Thanks, Hales, it meant a lot that you were here to hear it." JC hugged her back.

"God, that brought back memories of seein' Vince play. He was a damn good drummer. But every tends to forget that he made a pretty good front man too." Hailey replied.

"Say, I just had the best idea ever." Max exclaimed. "We should all hit the Rusty Spur. It's basically a sport's bar so there is no age limit and they don't really check IDs even when they should."

"I think that sounds like a great idea." Deacon agreed.

"Yeah, the nanny can sit in the room with Daphne and the boys." Rayna added.

"What do you say to that Juliette?" Avery asked his wife.

"I say let's go for it." Juliette smiled at him.

"Rayna, can the sitter handle Cadence too?" Avery asked.

"With Daphne there to help out of course. You know that you're welcome to use the nanny any time that you need to." Rayna assured him.

"Let's wrap up this post show press stuff so we can get out of here." Sadie was excited to get out and just have a good time.


"Will, Will Lexington?" A tall man with an athletic build called to out to Will backstage. He had thick, curly black hair and smoky gray eyes. He was dressed in a tight gray t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

Will turned around when he heard his name called. "Yeah that's me." There was something familiar about the man to him, but he couldn't put his finger on where he had seen him before.

"Booth McCoy, though you probably know me better by my nickname, Shooter." He extended his hand to Will.

Will took his hand and shook it. "I know who you are. You play for the Predators. I also know enough about you to know that off the ice your nickname is Mack and no one actually calls you Booth."

Mack flashed him a smile that showed off his pearly, white teeth. "That's me. We were in town playing the Stars and I thought I'd come by and catch your show. I have to say that you don't disappoint at all. Luke Wheeler really lost out when he kicked you off his tour. Actually, I saw you when you played Mobile and Atlanta too. I've just now worked up the courage to say hi to you."

"Hey, man, you should have said somethin' sooner. I would have saved you the price of a backstage pass." Will smiled back.

"I thought I would admire you from afar for awhile before I made my move." Mack joked and pushed his hand through his hair. There was no question that he was gay he'd just refused to confirm or deny it to the media.

"Like what you've seen so far?" Will felt a little twinge of guilt at being so flirtatious because things between him and Kevin were up in the air.

"I have to say that I haven't had a complaint one. It's been worth every damn penny that I've paid out for backstage passes." Mack let his eyes drink Will's toned body in.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it." Will took off his hat and nodded his head. "I'm really flattered and all, but."

"You're with Kevin Bicks. I know that. That's why I haven't been more aggressive. I guess I'll be seeing you at the next tour stop that coincides with the team I'm playing that day." Mack went to walk away.

Will had a moment of indecision before he made a bold move. "Hey, Mack, we're all gettin' ready to hit a local waterin' hole you should join us. That is if you have time and you won't get into any trouble with your coaches."

"Yeah, I'd love to tag along if you don't mind." Mack agreed.

"We don't mind at all the more the merrier around here. This tour is like one big family." Will put a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Sounds like a plan to me then. I'm just using you to meet Deacon Claybourne anyway." Mack joked around with him.

"Hell, Deacon will get a big kick out of that. He's still gettin' used to this bein' a front man thing." Will bit his lip. He felt himself on the cusp of doing something that he really shouldn't be doing.

"I've listened to About a Girl so many times during my training sessions that I probably know the words to all the songs better than he does. What can I say? I'm a romantic and Rayna Jaymes is one lucky woman to have a man that loves her that much. The whole thing plays like a love letter to her." Mack made conversation.

"That's what I said too. That's how the album got its name. I told him all his songs were about a girl." Will laughed. He felt more comfortable with him than he had with Kevin in a long time.

"Mind sharing a cab with me to this bar? Or are you afraid that there will be a scandal?" Mack licked his lips playfully.

"I can do you one better, the tour has a whole armada of SUVs we can just use one of those and no one will pay it a second thought." Will offered.

"Even better." Mack agreed.


"Holy fuckin' shit, Jimmy. We've got to hang out with you and your new friends more often. Not only is Will Lexington your best friend, but we are havin' beers with one of the best hockey players in the league." Max's jaw hung open.

"Max, would you like Jimmy to go pass them a note from you that says check yes or no?" Hailey joked with her husband.

"At least then you could brag that you have a real manly man. It'd take one tough motherfucker to handle Shooter McCoy." Max winked at her.

"Jimmy, take him out on tour with you. I'm beggin' you. I can't even stand him sometimes." Hailey pleaded with her younger brother playfully.

"Hailey, be nice Pop had to pay him off to get him to marry you." JC zinged her. "Max, play it cool I'll get you an introduction in a minute."

"Fuck off, Jimmy." Hailey flipped him off.

"You know me I'm cool as hell." Max assured him.

"Deacon, Rayna, I got a new friend that wants to meet ya'll." Will walked up to their table with Mack.

"No introductions needed. Shooter McCoy, it's damn good to meet you. You are arguably the best center in the NHL." Deacon reached out to shake his hand.

Mack shook his hand. "Please call me Mack. Shooter is just a nickname the media came up with. It looks like you and I have a little mutual admiration going on. I've listened to About a Girl so many times it's almost embarrassing."

"I get that a lot. I didn't think it'd take off the way that it did. I'm always happy to hear that someone likes it." Deacon gave him a friendly smile.

Mack pointed at Rayna. "You are one lucky woman. It's obvious from his songs how much that man loves you."

"I know I am. Between you and me he's pretty lucky that I put up with him." Rayna winked.

"Hey, Will! Let's get a game of darts goin' see if the hockey player can hit that target." JC called out from across the bar.

"What do you say? Wanna help me shut my big mouthed friend up?" Will asked.

"I'm in." Mack said without hesitation.

"Deacon, Gunnar, Avery? Ya'll in too?" JC asked.

"Hell yeah," Came the rowdy response from the other three men.

"So why are we sittin' here studying Maddie?" Juliette asked looking between Sadie and Rayna.

"We are tryin' to figure out what is goin' on between her and JC." Sadie answered her.

"That should be obvious they like each other. The way I heard it when she broke up with Colt in Atlanta JC held him up against the wall by his throat for sayin' she was a whore just like her momma." Juliette relayed what little information she had.

"Teenagers these days I swear they are horrible. Jimmy got Vince's temper. The only difference is Vince would have punched him." Hailey added to the conversation.

"He would have had Will and Maddie and not calmed him down. Will told Gunnar about it and my boyfriend has to tell me everything that he knows." Scarlett informed them.

"Avery said that wasn't the first time that JC and Colt had words. Apparently when Deacon played the Opry. Colt told him to back off Maddie and JC had some choice words for him that I don't even want to repeat." Juliette was more than happy to add to the gossip.

"If I said or did half the shit with my mouth that Jimmy does with his, our momma would have taken a switch to me." Hailey rolled her eyes.

"If my daddy had known half the things I did with my mouth that weren't related to singing or talking when it came to Deacon he would have thrown me out long before he did." Rayna chuckled.

"Eww, that's gross, that is my uncle I don't need to know these things." Scarlett made a disgusted face. "Also, Aunt Ray, don't be so eager about those two together. That's Will's little silver tongued wing man. He's gotten him more guys than I care to think about and he's not even gay. I shudder to think about the things he can talk my sweet baby cousin into."

"Probably the same things that Deacon was talkin' me into at that age. He's a good boy, he always treats her like a gentleman and that's all I can ask for." Rayna shrugged.

"Ya'll are over thinkin' this thing. There is a much simpler way to find out what's goin' on between them without havin' to ask and decode surly teenager." Juliette lit up.

"Yeah, we have you ask you're basically still a surly teenager." Rayna quipped.

"You love me and you know it. Just hang tight and I will be right back." Juliette got up and fed some money into the jukebox. I Cross My Heart started to play.

Our love was unconditional

We knew it from the start

I see it in your eyes

You could feel it from my heart

"May I have this dance?" Deacon walked over and offered Rayna his hand.

"Of course you may." Rayna took his hand.

Gunnar took Scarlett's hand. "Shall we?" He asked with his usual dopey grin.

"We shall." Scarlett agreed.

"We never got our first dance." Juliette was surprised to see Avery's hand, but she took it with a smile.

Max just grabbed Hailey around the waist and led her out to the dance floor.

"If there's anythin' I hate to see it's a pretty woman sittin' all alone watchin' everyone else dance." JC's brother Bobby told Sadie.

"Well, when you ask so nicely there is no way that I can refuse." Sadie smiled and took his hand.

"Maddie, would you like to dance with me?" JC took off his hat and bowed.

"I'd love to dance with you, Jimmy." Maddie blushed and took his hand.

From here on after

Let's stay the way we where

And share all the love and laughter

That a lifetime will allow

The couples all pressed up close to each other on the dance floor and swayed along to the music.

"Ray, I'm sorry as hell that I was off on a bender and missed this in person." Deacon apologized for a gig he had missed when he was drunk.

"You're here now and that's all that matters to me, babe." Rayna kissed him to silence him.

I cross my heart

And promise to

Give all I've got to give

To make all your dreams come true

In all the world

You'll never find

A love as true as mine

"Not bad for a first dance considering how badly things could have ended up for us." Avery wrapped his arms around Juliette's waist.

"I don't think I've thanked you yet for not givin' up on me. Thank you for lovin' me enough to fight for me even when I wouldn't fight for myself." Juliette kissed him tenderly.

You will always be the miracle

That makes my life complete

And as long as there's still breath in me

I'll make yours just as sweet

"You have no idea how happy I am that we found our way back to each other, Scarlett. I was stupid and I was a bonehead, but you waited for me and that means more to me than you will ever know." Gunnar whispered to her as they danced.

"I love you, you big awkward dummy. Of course I waited for you. You're the only man that I want to hold me and twirl me around on a dance floor." Scarlett buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent.

As we look into the future

It's as far as we can see

So let's make each tomorrow

Be the best that it can be

"You're pretty light on your feet for a cowboy." Sadie was enjoying Bobby's embrace. He was the first man she'd let in since the whole Pete debacle.

"You're not so bad yourself." Bobby complimented her.

I cross my heart

And promise to

Give all I've got to give

To make all your dreams come true

In all the world

You'll never find

A love as true as mine

"Do you envy that?" Mack inclined his head in the direction of the dance floor.

"Yes and no. Sometimes it just feel like I'm not gay enough for Kevin. I blew up everythin' to be with him and to prove my love to him, but he lets his friends judge me for not bein' some sort of gay icon and I'm not so sure he doesn't feel the same way." Will admitted.

"Why do you think I won't confirm my sexuality to the press? Bein' gay is just part of who I am it's not all of who I am. You seem to understand that and if Kevin doesn't understand that about you then it's his loss." Mack advised him.

And if along the way we find a day

It starts to storm

You've got the promise of my love

To keep you warm

JC sang softly in Maddie's ear as they danced their bodies pressed close together. He had his arms around her waist and her arms were around his neck.

In all the world

You'll never find

A love as true as mine

A love as true as mine

They were still swaying together long after the song ended and they looked at each other like they were the only two people in the room. JC took his hat off and dipped his head to kiss her lips sweetly. "As long as you're my girl you will always be safe, cherished, and wanted." He mumbled against her lips.

"Please don't hurt me. I could take it from anyone, but you." She begged him.

"I promise you that I will do my best to never hurt you on purpose." He swore to her.

"Well, I guess that answers that question." Sadie commented to Rayna.

"I guess it does. It's not like I didn't see this comin' months ago. I'll be damned if I'm not torn between thinkin' they're cute and bein' a little sad that my baby girl is growin up." Rayna replied.

"Ya'll are welcome." Juliette injected smugly.

"Juliette, why don't you just go bedazzle you some sparkly pants or somethin'?" Rayna quipped playfully.

"Please, I have people who do that for me. And you're the one who should worry about the horny teenage boy with his lips all over your daughter right now." Juliette joked back.

"In fifteen years that's gonna be Cadence and I'm gonna remember this." Rayna warned her.

"In fifteen years that's gonna be Deac or Jayme with his tongue down my baby girl's throat. I don't know whether to be grossed out by that or to be a little relieved." Juliette shuddered.

"Now you know how it feels. Welcome to motherhood it can be very trying at times." Rayna smirked.


A/N: Here is the next chapter I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I may get crucified for this, but I'm taking Will's love life in a different direction. I just don't feel like he should have to stick with the first gay man that he was with after coming out and I'm about to have some fun with him and Mack together I promise you that this is a good twist that you're gonna like. I have a whole lot more twists headed your way as soon as I get them off this tour. I also promise I will work in some music from the Exes soon this story needs that and I've been slacking a little in that department, but now that I have Maddie and JC together I can focus on other big stuff that's been in the works. Until next time please review.