AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm pleased to announce that a dear friend of mine named Julia was the mastermind behind most of the ideas in this chapter and I will be mentioning her again in the future. I'm grateful for her ideas, suggestions, and help as I continue Deacon and Rayna's journey forward. Without further ado, please enjoy, and thank you to Julia! :)
It was early. The sun had just peeked out from over the mountains. Rayna felt the pain between her legs as she rolled over to find a sleeping Deacon. She could watch him sleep forever. Her hand pushed a stray hair out of his face. He slowly opened his eyes.
"Hello, beautiful! How are you feeling?" His voice was groggy from sleep.
"Mmmm, so sore...but happier than I've ever been in my life," she yawned. "Thank you for last night."
"Thank you for letting me be your first, baby," he responded. He put his arms around her and kissed her deeply. "I guess you're not up for round two, then," he winked.
She laughed and then winced as she sat up. Deacon frowned. "Are you sure you're ok," he asked half jokingly, half concerned.
"Yeah, you are just very well endowed and we went at it pretty hard," she laughed.
"It'll get easier with time," he assured her.
"Ugh, I don't want to get ready," Rayna groaned as she made it to her feet. "I've got that meeting with Watty."
"Then don't," Deacon suggested. "He can wait another day. Let's just stay here in bed together today." He was determined to keep her to himself for as long as possible.
"Babe, you know I can't do that. I've already postponed it once. He's been bugging me since my birthday to see him. I can't keep putting him off." Rayna kissed Deacon as he grabbed her hand. She pulled back and started to walk towards the bathroom for a shower, hanging onto Deacon's hand until the distance forced them apart.
Rayna showered and dressed. As she walked into the living room she noticed a delicious smell coming from the kitchen.
"Couldn't send you off without a bite to eat," Deacon said as he handed her a plate. "Besides, breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
She looked down and saw an omelet full of cheese and a few slices of bacon on the side. "Mmmm," she moaned approvingly. "Thanks!"
He walked back to the kitchen and brought her a glass of orange juice to go with it. "I can't remember if I told you but my sister is coming in to town today. I'm going to meet her at the airport and help her to her hotel, so I may not be here when you return."
"Oh, no, I didn't realize Scarlett was visiting! Did you want to let her stay here?" Rayna frowned, wishing she'd get to greet her too.
"No, it's ok, darlin'. I honestly had forgotten. She told me she was visiting when you first moved in and I didn't want to put her on the couch. Then you started sleeping in my room snd I forgot all about it until she called while you were in the shower. She's alright, though. She's only in for a few days."
Rayna nodded. "I'm still sorry for messing her plans up."
"You didn't," Deacon replied. "I would much rather be sharing this place with you." He took their dishes to the sink and cleaned up as she got ready to leave.
"Bye, babe," she smooched him as she headed out the door.
She arrived at Watty's office. "Watty," Rayna asked as she knocked on the open door.
"Ray, come in," he greeted her brightly. He came around to give her a hug. Rayna always felt a comfortable presence when she was in his company. "Please sit," he motioned to a seat.
Rayna did as he asked and took a breath, wondering why he'd been so eager to talk to her. She figured it was bad news since he requested an in-person meeting.
"The reason I asked you to come see me is that I have something to give you," Watty announced as he walked back around to the other side of his desk and pulled out a folder from one of the drawers. "Before your mother passed away, she gave me this and asked me to give it to you when you turned eighteen." He handed her the folder.
Rayna opened it up and her eyes widened. Inside were prenuptial papers. In the papers was a line that said, 'If Virginia passes away before Lamar, the estate and money is to be turned over to her youngest child on his or her eighteenth birthday. Lamar can only continue to reside there if that child agrees.'
"What does this mean," Rayna croaked, her mouth dry.
"It means you own that house now and the money that goes with it. It was passed down to your mother from her parents and now it belongs to you," Watty explained. "It means you have the power to kick Lamar out and cut him off."
Rayna couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could go home. Her home now belonged to her. "Why did she make this," Rayna asked, wondering how her mother knew Lamar's true colors before she married him. "And why do you have it?"
"Well, that's what her parents did as well. The house went to the youngest child when the parents died. She wanted to keep that tradition going and she knew Lamar wouldn't. Your mother only married Lamar because she got pregnant and it would have been frowned upon not to get married. She was never in love with him and she worried one day something would happen to her and he'd try to take advantage of the two of you, specifically you. She knew him inside and out. She gave it to me to give to you when you turned eighteen so you'd know. She was afraid you'd never find out if someone else didn't have the original copy. Besides…" Watty's eyes dropped and he clasped his hands like he was going to say something else, but he stopped himself. "She loved you girls more than anything and wanted to protect you," he added.
"So it belongs to me now," Rayna asked to make sure she was comprehending all of this correctly, "and if I don't want him there, I can kick him out?" She was rubbing her chin.
"That's right," Watty confirmed. "You are the sole owner now. He can never kick you out again."
"Well, thank you, Watty. This means more to me than you'll ever know," Rayna grinned as she stood and reached out her hand to shake his. He came around and gave her another hug instead.
"Anytime, Ray," Watty replied, "You know I care about you and Tandy. I wish you the best with the house."
With that, Rayna headed out. She hopped in her car, which Tandy finally convinced Lamar to allow her to get the night before her birthday, and headed back to Deacon's. She decided to talk to him before she went over to see Tandy and Lamar.
As she pulled up to the house she noticed his truck was gone. She went inside to wait for him to get back from seeing Scarlett.
"My sweet angel," Virginia observed as Rayna sat down on the couch.
"Momma," Rayna turned around and saw her mom standing in the doorway. "Hey, thank you."
"Of course. Did you really think I was going to let that asshole get away with this?" Virginia joined Rayna on the couch and put her arm around her. "I could never do that to my girl." She gave her a squeeze.
"How'd you know?" Rayna asked, amazed.
"I knew Lamar would kick you out the first chance he got because you're not his little girl…"
"I know, Momma, I'm grown up now," Rayna interrupted, rolling her eyes.
"No," Virginia looked her in the eyes, "Baby, Lamar's not your father. He never saw you as equals with Tandy and I knew he'd do everything in his power to get you out of that house."
Rayna's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What," she asked in shock.
"Watty was my Deacon, Ray. I was never meant to be with Lamar. He was a fun night that had a shocking ending. We were never happy together. I was in love with Watty. I stuck around because Tandy was Lamar's daughter but you were conceived with the man who I was truly and deeply in love with...whom I was supposed to end up with," Virginia sighed.
"You had an affair," Rayna stated in a nonjudgmentally tone. It wasn't a question.
"So did he, and with many women, but I was the only one who was ever to blame," she agreed. "I'm sorry baby," Virginia whispered as she hugged her daughter.
"I'm not," Rayna responded, "This is the best news of my life. I'm just shocked. I'm so sorry you had to live with him."
"Yeah, well, that's how I knew he'd kick you out. I knew I was only having one child with him so all others would be kicked to the curb. Meanwhile, he's grooming your sister to be on his side and keep the house to himself. I forced him to sign the prenup so you wouldn't lose the house and money. I forged another original copy because I knew his ways. He burned that copy after I died. The night before the accident, I secretly gave the real original to your father to give you when you turned of age. Now, when you confront Lamar about all of this, you need to bring an officer in for backup. He's not going to leave easily."
Rayna shook her head in disbelief. "So Watty…"
"Is really your dad," Virginia confirmed, "and both men know it. Hell, I was with him the night Lamar had someone run us off the road." Virginia looked at Rayna's expression.
"What?" Rayna was furious. "Lamar killed you?"
"He knew I was going to leave him. I couldn't stand him and couldn't bear to not be with my soulmate anymore. That's why I told you to come to Deacon's that night you got kicked out. Baby, don't make the same mistakes I did. Be with your true love while you can. Don't settle for second best." Virginia kissed her daughter on the forehead and vanished.
"I love you, Momma," Rayna cried out as tears streamed down her face. She needed to call Watty. She wanted to go over and kick Lamar out to the curb like he'd done to her. First, though, she had to talk to Deacon.