A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I've enjoyed reading the different perspectives in each review and reading what resonates with people. I'm glad to see a variety of thoughts on both Deacon and Rayna. It's been a little challenging to write them differently than we saw them on the show and I'm always grateful to read what your thoughts are on that.
Deacon
The next morning it was all over the news. When he went out to pick up the newspaper it was right there on the front page – Luke Wheeler Proposes to Rayna Jaymes. He wondered if she'd known. If she'd known the day before while they were celebrating their son's birthday and she just chose not to tell him. He didn't want to think that would be the case, but there were a lot of things she was doing these days that he wouldn't have expected. He walked around to the side of the house and threw the paper in the trash. He wasn't going to take it inside. Maddie was old enough to read it and he was pretty sure she didn't know yet.
He felt the burn of anger, thinking that this had happened and Maddie and Levi knew nothing about it. Levi wouldn't understand, but Maddie would. He'd avoided talking about Luke with them. Maddie didn't bring it up often. Levi would talk about riding horses or Luke's ranch occasionally, but that was it. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Except there was no reason for him to feel that way. As Rayna had told him over and over, it had been his choice to walk away. She was right, of course. And every time he thought about what would happen if he changed his mind, he would remind himself why he'd done it. He'd felt justified. And now she would be marrying someone else.
He would be taking the kids home the afternoon of Levi's actual birthday, so until then his plan was to keep the kids busy and keep himself busy so that he didn't have to acknowledge the headline on that newspaper.
The night before he was taking the kids back home, he couldn't sleep. As hard as he'd tried – they'd had movie nights and trips to the park and to the ice cream store – he couldn't stop thinking about the headline in the newspaper and the picture. Rayna standing on the stage, her hand up to her mouth, as Luke knelt down in front of her. He closed his eyes, trying to keep from seeing it, but it was impossible. It was the first time in a long time that he'd had a really strong urge to drink, to drink until he'd erased all of it from his mind. The pull had been so strong that he'd called Coleman. Cole had not been his sponsor for a long time, but he was the one who knew his history. His and Rayna's history.
Cole had come to the park while he was there with the kids. As they sat on one of the benches, watching Maddie and Levi, he had talked to Cole, hoping it would help. Cole had mostly talked him off the ledge, but it hadn't helped as much as he'd hoped. The day after he dropped the kids back at Rayna's he'd be back out on the road with the band. He just hoped he could make it through. Cole had suggested they go to a meeting together and spend some time together afterwards. He wanted to tell him no, but he'd decided it would be the right thing to do.
So, he was sitting in his living room, the house dark and quiet. Too quiet. He got up and picked out a guitar, sitting back on the couch. He started running through some of the songs he'd written recently, then some older ones. When he found himself picking out A Life That's Good, he stopped, tears rolling down his face. It's too late. I lost her. He had done this all wrong and had pushed away the only woman he'd ever loved. Would ever love. It's all my fault. I got nobody to blame but myself.
Rayna
At the knock on the front door, she walked down the hall and opened it. Deacon was standing there, his hands in his pockets, the kids standing in front of him. "You're home!" she said, a huge smile on her face as she spread her arms out to Maddie and Levi. They ran to her, happy smiles on their faces, and she hugged them tight. "Did y'all have a good time?"
"Yes!" they cried.
She looked back and forth between the two of them. "Well, we'll have a little private celebration tonight for Levi's" – she looked at him – "actual birthday and then we have some fun plans coming up." She stood up and glanced at him quickly, then back to the kids. "Go on and take your things upstairs. I want to talk to your dad for a minute." They went racing up the stairs and she watched until they were out of sight. Then she turned back to him. "Hey. You have a few minutes?" He nodded and she stepped back so he could walk in, then closed the door behind him.
He seemed a little on edge. They had worked hard to get to a place where they could be comfortable together, at least relatively speaking, but ever since she'd told him about Luke, things were different. There always seemed to be an undercurrent of...something. She felt sure he'd seen the news about the engagement and wasn't sure how he'd react. She walked back down the hall and through the kitchen, him following. They walked out onto the patio and she turned to face him. He looked at her pointedly. "So you're marrying Luke Wheeler, huh?"
She was right. The news had been everywhere. "That's right," she said, her gaze even. She knew Deacon wasn't a fan of Luke and the same was true for Luke. She just hoped everyone understood that it couldn't affect the kids.
"He ain't genuine, Rayna," he said.
She frowned. "How would you even know, Deacon? You've really not ever spent much time around him in the last couple years. People change." She looked at him pointedly. "Is this just because it's Luke?"
He shook his head. "Don't matter," he said. "I didn't say nothing to the kids. Just so you know."
She nodded. "I appreciate that." She looked away, then back at him. "Luke's coming over tonight and we're going to tell them. Then his kids are coming in town and we're all going to go to the beach together." She clasped her hands together and she felt the hard diamond against one finger. "I didn't know he was going to do that. If I had, I would have let you know so you could have been, you know, prepared."
He shook his head. "It's not my business."
She frowned. "But it affects our children, so it kind of is your business. Look, I know you're not happy about it, but..."
"But what? This is all on me? It was all my decision?" She could hear the anger and the pain in his voice. That wasn't what she was expecting to hear.
"I wasn't going to say that. Although that's all true." She sighed. "Look, I know this is going to be a huge adjustment for Maddie and Levi and I expect they'll worry about what happens next. Maddie maybe more so than Levi. But you're still their father and I want us to keep working together as their parents. I'm not going to take any time away from you, so I don't want you wondering about that."
He stared at her for a moment. "Okay," he said finally. "Well, I gotta go. I'm going to a meeting from here. And I leave tomorrow with the band."
She nodded. "We'll see you when you get back then." She wasn't sure what else to say and he turned and headed back in the house and towards the door. She followed behind him and then watched as he walked out and got into his truck. She had a hard lump in her throat as she watched him back out onto the street and drive away. I'm going to a meeting from here. She had sensed that wasn't a throwaway line. Taken together with his comment about it all being on him, she found herself hoping this wasn't going to be a problem.
When she and Luke told Maddie and Levi they were getting married, their reactions were different, maybe not unexpectedly. Levi was excited, especially when they told them they would move to Luke's ranch, but then he had no idea what getting married even meant. Maddie was quiet, asking only if they would still be able to see their father, which they both had reassured her would not change. They told them that Colt and Sage would be arriving in Nashville the next day and that the whole family would be going to the beach for a long weekend.
Before Luke left, she stood with him in the foyer. "How'd Deacon take it?" he asked.
She shrugged. "About like you'd expect he would. I'm sure, with time, everything will work out." She wasn't so sure, but she didn't really want to think about Deacon.
"I hope you're right." He looked a little skeptical.
"I think the kids took it pretty well. I know this is a lot to spring on them, but I hope we can all start to bond as a family. Your kids included," she said, deciding to change the subject.
He smiled. "We will. Kids are adaptable. They'll be thick as thieves in no time."
"Okay." She was a little nervous about Maddie, but she decided they just all needed some time to get used to things. He put his arms around her waist and she slid hers around his neck and leaned into him. "I'm looking forward to this. Not just the trip, but our lives together."
He kissed her. "So am I. Now you have a good night and I'll talk to you tomorrow after I pick up the kids."
She smiled. "I love you."
He kissed her again. "I love you too." He let go of her then and she did as well. He let himself out and she closed the door behind him, leaning back against it. She held her hand out and looked at the ring. There was no doubt about it, it was beautiful. She was truly looking forward to making a life with him and with their blended family. She pushed off the door then and headed up the stairs.
She first walked into Levi's bedroom. He was sitting on the floor with some of the trucks he'd gotten for his birthday. He looked up when she walked in. "Hey, Mom," he said, with a sweet smile.
She sat on the edge of his bed and he jumped up to sit next to her. She pulled him into her arms and kissed the top of his head. "Happy birthday on your actual birthday, sweetie," she said. "I love you."
"Love you too, Mommy." He didn't often call her that anymore, but she still kind of liked when he did. Maddie always belonged to Deacon, but Levi was hers. She felt sure that would change when he got older and he'd gravitate to his father, just as Maddie would gravitate more to her as she got older. But for now, she loved his sweetness.
"Are you excited about the ranch?" she asked.
He looked up at her and nodded. "I want my own pony," he said. She smiled. Luke would put him on a horse and then walk him around the corral, holding on to him. She always felt nervous, even though Luke had a good hold on him. He was her baby still and she knew it wouldn't last forever, but she worried about him a little more than she did Maddie.
"Well, we'll just see. Maybe when you're a little bigger." She hugged him and kissed his forehead. "I'm going to go talk to your sister."
"Okay, Mommy," he said and slid off the bed and went back to his trucks. She watched for another minute or two and then got up, walking over to Maddie's room.
She stood at the doorway. "Hey, sweetie," she said.
Maddie looked up from where she was sitting on her bed. "Hey, Mom," she said, then went back to the book she was looking at. She walked over and sat on the bed, facing her daughter.
"How are you feeling about everything?" she asked.
Maddie looked up and shrugged. "I don't know."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She didn't say anything at first. "Do I have to call Luke Dad?" she asked finally.
"No, no, of course not. Your dad is Dad. But Luke is going to be your stepfather, so he's like an extra parent. Someone else to love you. But he doesn't replace your dad."
Maddie nodded. "Okay." She reached out and touched the ring. "It's pretty."
She held her hand out and smiled. "It is, isn't it?"
"Did Dad give you a ring like that?"
She reached out and took Maddie's hand. "He did give me a ring. It looked different than this one though." It was in a little bag inside her jewelry box. "Someday maybe you'd want to have it."
Maddie sighed and she moved around so that she could sit next to her daughter and put an arm around her. "I just wish we could stay in this house," she said, a sad note to her voice. She leaned her head down on Maddie's and held her tightly. A lot of things were changing. Their family was changing, and she knew it would take some time before everyone felt comfortable with the changes. She just hoped that by the time she and Luke actually got married that they would all have gotten to a place where they were happy together.
Deacon
There were times when he wished he hadn't ended things with Carmen, but with the article completed, there was no reason to continue. The swirl around him made life challenging. Daily meetings, even off the road, kept him centered and focused on what was important. Even though the divorce was pretty straightforward, it still required work, most of which was being handled by his and Rayna's lawyers. The pain of going through it couldn't be delegated to anyone else, however, so when he was on the road, and things felt overwhelming, he spent time with the other guys in the band and crew, trying to block out the things he didn't want to think about. And that didn't even start to cover the pain he felt over Rayna's engagement, the pain he tried hard to push away.
The Rolling Stone issue containing the article about the Revel Kings came out and Cy had been pleased, which meant that everyone else could breathe easier and life was calm. At least for him it was. Carmen had heeded his request not to focus on him more than anyone else and to be sure to focus the article on Cy. Cy made a few remarks about the fact that his 'girlfriend' sold him out in the end, but that was never what it was about. Still, it put all of that in the rear view mirror.
The album the band had worked on during the summer was released in early November and the tour schedule was heavier, which also allowed him to shut out a lot of the noise. Even with Rayna filing the divorce in Hickman County, word had leaked out, and it had helped to be so road heavy rather than sitting at home having to deal with the chatter.
The downside to all the touring though was not having as much time with Maddie and Levi, particularly at a time when he felt he needed to be there for them. Maddie, in particular, was struggling a little with her mother's plans to remarry. It was a travel day, and they were busing it from Jacksonville to Ft. Lauderdale, a 5 hour drive. It was a little too much time on his hands. He was lying on his bunk, the chatter from the rest of the guys almost creating white noise. He thought about his last visit home.
He was sitting in the living room working on some music. Maddie and Levi had gone to bed and the house was quiet. He was focused on creating a melody for a song he was working on when he saw something move in his peripheral vision. He looked up and saw Maddie standing at the entrance to the room. Her hair was a little messy, as though she'd been sleeping or maybe was just restless. She was wearing a nightgown that ended at her ankles and her feet were bare. She had her glasses on, something that was new for her and that she didn't like. He could see by not only her face but her posture that she was sad.
He smiled and set his guitar aside. "Hey, baby, what's going on? You have a bad dream or something?" he asked, beckoning her to come over.
She walked up to the couch and then sat, first stiffly and then moving to curl up against him. She shook her head. "Couldn't sleep," she said, her voice sounding like she had the weight of the world on her little shoulders.
He put his arm around her. "How come?"
She sighed, a big sigh for an 8 year old who should really have no worries in her life. "I wish I could live here," she said.
That startled him. "Why?" he asked. "Your mama's house is so nice and big." His bungalow was small and not nearly as nice as Rayna's house.
"We won't live there anymore."
He knew Rayna's plan was for them to move into Luke's ranch house. He didn't like it for a variety of reasons, but one of the biggest was that it was a lot farther from his house. Luke's ranch was in Williamson County, outside of Franklin. But he had to be positive about it. Supportive. "But I thought the ranch was nice."
"But I won't see you as much."
He frowned. That wasn't the plan. The custody agreement that he and Rayna were working on actually established joint custody and a generous division of residence for the kids. All subject to touring schedules, of course, but as much as he thought their current arrangement worked, it had been nice to have it officially nailed down. "Yes, you will. Why do you think you won't?"
She shrugged. "Luke's gonna take over."
He bristled. "That's not true, Maddie. No one's taking you and Levi away from me."
She looked up at him then, her eyes filled with sadness. It made him want to cry. "I wish you could live with us," she whispered. He put his other arm around her and hugged her close. So do I, baby. So do I.
He'd made a mistake. One he was going to have to live with for the rest of his life. He felt tears running down the sides of his face. He closed his eyes. He'd messed things up. And now everything he'd been so sure he'd wanted was blowing up in his face. He'd lost it all. But the worst part was that he'd lost Rayna.
Rayna
She and Luke had talked about Christmas plans. He was planning to spend the holiday with his kids at his horse farm in Kentucky, near where Colt and Sage lived with their mother. He had suggested she come spend the holidays with them and bring Maddie and Levi, so they could have a family Christmas. It was Deacon's year to have the kids for Christmas though and she wasn't sure how he'd feel about switching things. It would definitely make sense for Maddie and Levi's holiday schedule to coincide with Colt and Sage's. If they were going to put together this new family, it would have to happen sometime. She noticed that Deacon would be winding up his Revel Kings tour in Chicago the day before he'd be getting the kids anyway and thought he might agree.
She reached for her phone and called him. "Hey there," she said when he answered.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Well, I was thinking about Christmas. And I know this would be your year to have the kids, but Luke has his kids this year and we'd really like to start combining those times so that we can have family holidays for the whole family. Would you be open to switching? I noticed you finish your tour right before then anyway so I was hoping that could work." She thought it was a reasonable ask. "You could have them at New Year's after we're back, if that sounds good." He was quiet on the other end, and she sensed this wasn't going to go well.
"No," he said tersely.
She sighed. It seemed like ever since she and Luke had gotten engaged and they had started going through the divorce stuff, Deacon had gotten stubborn, more so than usual, and pushed back more. "Why not?"
"Because I don't want to. Besides, with my schedule, I ain't been able to see them as much and I don't want to give up Christmas. I'll have a whole week with them, and I haven't been able to do that in a while."
"Can you just think about it? It would be nice for Maddie and Levi to spend Christmas with Luke's kids."
"And they'll do that another time. Why can't Luke change his schedule? Why does it gotta be me?"
"I just thought that since you would just be coming home, it would be easier for you."
"Well, it's not. So no, Rayna, I won't switch. I'm sorry to screw up your plans but no."
"We're going to have to figure this out sometime."
"Maybe so. But not this time."
She wasn't ready to give in yet. "Just think about it. We can talk when you pick up the kids next week."
"I ain't gonna change my mind about this, Rayna."
"Well, we'll see." She hung up. He was really digging his heels in, not just about this, but about everything it seemed like. He hadn't been like this before, even during the early days when things were so difficult for them. She was determined to try again though. Hopefully he'd think about it and realize it made sense.
When she opened the door, he already had that look on his face that said he wasn't interested in having a conversation. "Hey," she said, putting a smile on her face. "Come on in."
He hesitated for a moment, then took a couple steps into the house. "They ready?" he asked. He seemed a little antsy, like he wanted to go.
"Almost." She paused. "Did you think any more about..."
He frowned. "The answer is still no."
She sighed. "Why can't you be reasonable about this?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Why do I gotta be the one who always makes the changes?"
"You aren't, Deacon. But this just seems... mean-spirited."
He smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile. "I guess I am then."
Just then Maddie and Levi came hurtling down the stairs and they threw themselves into Deacon's arms. She felt a little tug at her heart as she saw the pure joy on his face and in his smile when he gathered them up, planting kisses on each one. Despite his stubbornness about Christmas, she couldn't deny his love for their kids. He was a good father and she appreciated that about him.
He stood up then and turned to get their suitcases. He looked over at Maddie. "Sweetie, you not bringing your guitar?"
She gasped. "Oh no!" She turned and ran up the stairs and down the hall to her room. She ran back down with the guitar case and then she and Levi stood by the door, as Deacon stepped out onto the landing.
"Y'all have fun," she said, with a smile, although she had a lump in her throat. She always did when they left with Deacon. The house always seemed so quiet without their loud voices and running feet and their sweet hugs. Levi hurried over to her and wrapped his arms around her legs. She squatted down and put her arms around him. "I love you, sweet boy," she whispered in his ear.
"I'll miss you, Mommy," Levi whispered back and hugged her neck. She held him close, kissing him on his cheek, then let him go and stood up. Maddie came over and hugged her then.
Deacon cleared his throat. "Y'all ready?" he said, his voice a little gravelly. He looked at her. "We'll see you Wednesday." She nodded. He held the door open and the kids scurried out onto the porch. He followed behind, a suitcase in each hand. She held on to the door and watched as the kids ran to his truck, then waited for him to catch up. He put their suitcases and book bags and Maddie's guitar in the back and then opened the door for them to scramble into the backseat. She watched as he helped Levi with the booster seat. Maddie could do it on her own. She smiled and kept watching as they pulled out of the driveway and then headed for East Nashville.
She closed the door and closed her eyes briefly. It didn't look like she would be able to convince Deacon to make the Christmas switch and she knew Luke wouldn't be happy about it.
It was a cool night, but the area on the patio where the outdoor fireplace was located was actually cozy. She and Luke were sitting in front of the fire, drinking a beer. She was tucked into his side, and he had his arm around her. "So, I booked a wedding planner," she said. "For March 28th."
"You sure that date's gonna work?"
"Yes." She wasn't, but her lawyer had assured her that if nothing went sideways – in other words that Deacon didn't put up any roadblocks – then the divorce would be complete by then. The combined tour she and Luke had planned started in mid-April and they wanted the wedding to be done by then. "It gives us plenty of time. She's going to start working on it right after Thanksgiving weekend." She turned her head to look up at him. "It really helps that we're doing it here at the ranch."
Luke grinned. "Well, I'm glad at least something is going to plan."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just too bad that Deacon has to be such a prick about Christmas. I really don't understand why it's such a big deal."
She turned to face the fire. "Well, because he hasn't had as much time to spend with them. And because it means something to him to spend Christmas with the kids."
"You seem to have given in pretty quick on that."
She looked back at him. "I didn't give in. I just don't want to create a civil war over it. He's stubborn and he's decided this is his line in the sand. We'll figure out another way to resolve it." She took a sip of her beer. "Besides, he really has had a killer schedule and it's limited his time with Maddie and Levi." She paused. "And I don't want to put them in the middle of this."
Luke took a long swallow. "I understand that." Then he took another swallow. "So tell me again what the plan is?"
"He will drive from Chicago to the cabin and get everything ready. I'll drive the kids up and drop them off on my way to your farm. I'm using a rental so I can just drop it off in Lexington and fly back to Nashville with you."
He shook his head. "I just don't understand why you let Deacon call the shots."
"I don't let Deacon call the shots. We try to do this together, for our kids' sake. And we'll figure it out later." She frowned at him. She hated when he got fixated on something Deacon was doing or not doing that annoyed him. "At least I'll be there."
He looked at her and then he finally smiled. "I guess as long as I've got you, I'm good." He leaned in and kissed her. "We'll have a great Christmas with Colt and Sage."
She slowly smiled back. "Yes, we will."
She picked up her phone from the counter and walked over to the stairs. "Maddie! Levi! Y'all ready?" she called out. She scrolled down to Luke's name and then held the phone to her ear. She smiled when he answered. "Hey, babe. How's everything up there?"
"Lonely without you," Luke said, laughter in his voice.
"But you're there with your kids. How can it be lonely?" She smiled to herself though. She loved it when he missed her.
"Well, I know, but you're still the one I want by my side, darlin'." He laughed softly. "So, when are you leaving to drive up to Kentucky place?"
She never thought of it as Kentucky. To her, it had always been and would always be just 'the cabin'. It would be the first time she'd been there since before she and Deacon had separated. She wasn't sure how she was going to feel when she got there, so hopefully she could get in and get out quickly. "We're leaving shortly. If I can get them downstairs." She made a face. "Then I'll head up to your place. I'll be there by mid-afternoon."
"Can't wait to see you." His voice was sultry in her ear. She felt a little quiver of anticipation.
"I can't wait to see you," she said. Just then Maddie and Levi came jogging down the stairs with their suitcases. "Okay, they're ready, so I've got to run."
"Be careful. I love you."
She smiled. "I love you too. See you soon." She disconnected and focused her attention on her kids. "Okay, y'all, let's get everything in the car so we can get going."
They were not far from the state line when it started to snow. It was just flurries, but she frowned. "Mom, snow!" Levi shouted. The weather service had indicated there was a chance of snow, but no more than flurries. She hoped that was all it was.
She glanced in the rearview mirror at her son and smiled. "Just flurries, sweetie. But maybe it'll really snow on Christmas." Both her kids loved snow and she knew it would be fun for them if it did snow while they were at the cabin. It would be fun for Deacon too, she knew. He loved the chance to build snowmen with them and have snowball fights. She felt a little catch in her heart when she thought about it. He was so good with both of them, the way she knew he'd be. Every once in a while, she'd feel a twinge of regret about what could have been, but she was happy now, and she'd finally had to let all that go.
She glanced over at the beautiful diamond ring on her left hand. She and Luke would be getting married in late March, combining their two families, then heading out on a combined tour they were calling the Honeymoon Tour. It would be everything she ever wanted. At least that's what she told herself. She put her focus back on the road, noticing that the snow was a little more than lazy flurries now. They were farther north, of course, just crossing the state line, but it still looked fairly light. It was not even sticking on the grass. No reason to worry about getting to Luke's horse farm, which was about an hour outside of Lexington. It had been in the 70s the day before. Typical winter weather in their area. "Are y'all excited for Christmas at the cabin?" she asked.
"Yes!" they both shouted.
"I can't wait to decorate the tree," Maddie said. "Dad said we can do it as soon as we get there."
She smiled at her daughter. "It's the best part of Christmas," she said.
"I wish you were staying," Maddie said, with a sad look on her face.
"Well, this is your time with your father. Yours and Levi's. And he's looking forward so much to having you both there. I'll see you when we all get back home, and we can do a little mini-Christmas then. How about that?" This was Deacon's year to have the kids and she had explained all that, but it was still a little confusing for both of them, especially Levi.
"I guess," Maddie said, looking glum.
The Christmases she and Deacon had spent with Maddie seemed so long ago. He hadn't been there for Levi's first Christmas, so she and the kids had spent Christmas in their house in Nashville, the one she'd bought after she and Deacon had split up. The four of them had never had a Christmas together as a family and that made her sad.
Deacon
He had driven down from Chicago the day before. It had been a long drive, but it was all interstate, which made it easier. With every mile he drove, he could feel the tension easing from his body. And when he drove up the unnamed road, he felt like he was home. Even though it had been a late night the night before, he got up early so he could make it to the cabin by mid-afternoon. Rayna would be there before lunch that day with Maddie and Levi so they could spend Christmas with him. He had gotten up early and gone to the grocery store that morning to stock up for the week. He had also stopped and picked out a Christmas tree. When he had the kids, that was the tradition he'd started. The day they got to the cabin they would decorate the tree and he was looking forward to it.
He had made sure Maddie and Levi's bedrooms were ready. There were 3 bedrooms upstairs. One was for Maddie and was appropriately girly. One was for Levi and was fairly non-descript, although now that he was getting older that would probably need to change. He used the third bedroom as a writing room and for his guitars. He had the main bedroom on the first floor.
This would be Rayna's first time at the cabin since they'd broken up. He was a little anxious about it and thought she probably would be as well. He'd bought the cabin for her after his first stay in rehab and he'd really meant it as the place where they'd live out the rest of their lives, growing old together. But that, of course, wasn't going to happen now. But he still liked the place, and he was happy that Maddie and Levi did as well. It had been a safe haven for him for so many years and it was again.
Rayna had pushed him a little about letting her take the kids up to Luke's place. Something about all the kids getting to spend Christmas together. He supposed he could have been a bigger person and let her do it, but as she moved closer and closer to her wedding to Luke, he'd gotten more obstinate. He'd told her no, he wasn't going to change his holiday with the kids. He was already planning for it and looking forward to it. And with the tour schedule for the Revel Kings, he'd been limited in his time with his kids already.
He pulled out boxes of tree decorations and then another box with some Christmas-y things for the house. After he'd taken care of that, he'd gone out to bring in some wood for the fireplace. He'd noticed some snow flurries and although they weren't calling for any measurable snow, he decided to stack some wood on the porch, just in case. He put a tarp over the pile and then went back in the house. It was certainly cold enough for snow. He made a fresh pot of coffee and waited for it to brew. While he waited he built a fire and then, once he had his coffee, he settled in on the couch as he waited for Rayna and the kids to arrive.
Rayna
The snow was getting a little heavier by the time they pulled up to the cabin and it was concerning her. It was just a dusting on the grass and the flakes were still melting on the roads, but she also knew that could change. She'd need to leave quickly after dropping them off. Maddie jumped out of the car and ran towards the porch, leaving the door open. Levi was yelling for her to let him out. When she finally set him on the ground, he ran after his sister. She closed all the doors and then headed that way herself. When she let herself in the house, she saw that Deacon was by himself in the great room. "Where are they?"
He turned and smiled. "Already looking for presents." He walked over and hugged her briefly. "How you doin'?"
She rubbed her hands together. "Good. How about you?"
He nodded. "Same." They had been on better footing, but things never seemed to be completely comfortable. Since she'd been with Luke, and especially after they got engaged, he'd been more distant and edgy, but at least he was being cordial this time. She saw all the boxes of ornaments and lights, ready for the tree decorating. The tree itself was beautiful, tall and full, and the smell was amazing and festive. There was a fire in the fireplace, and everything looked so cozy.
She was twisting her hands in front of her. "So, uh, you should be getting the documents to sign after the first of the year. Well, your lawyer will." She saw a sadness cross his face and it made her a little angry. He was the one who'd left, after all. She realized she could have pushed this before she had, because she'd wanted him to file, but it hadn't mattered until she'd gotten involved Luke.
He nodded. "Okay." He breathed in sharply. "So, you're headed north?"
"Yep," she said, hearing the edge in her voice. She didn't know why Deacon could still get a rise out of her. "Christmas at the farm should be fun."
"Well, let me go get the kids' suitcases," he said. She noticed he'd ignored her answer to his question. He wasn't much of a Luke fan, never had been. But she'd been with Luke for a while. And it wasn't like he wanted her, after all.
"And there's a shopping bag too. Presents for you from them." They both turned towards the doors. It was still snowing. She thought it looked a little heavier, but she wasn't positive. It still didn't look bad and it was still not covering the grass. She thought she ought to help bring things in so she could get going. "I'll help you." She followed him out the door, down the porch, and out to her car. He lifted the hatch in the back.
As he pulled out Maddie and Levi's suitcases, he smiled. "I know the kids are hoping it's gonna really snow. 'Specially after we had that snow a couple weeks ago." Nashville had had an early snowfall that year, nearly 3 inches, which was unusual.
She reached in for the large bag of presents. They were mostly the kids' presents for him. She had dropped off Santa gifts a few weeks earlier and she knew he would have already brought all that up. "Levi especially," she said with a smile. "He couldn't stop talking about y'all's snowman."
Deacon shut the hatch. "Maybe he'll get to build another one," he said. He headed for the house and she followed. When he went up the stairs to drop off the suitcases, she went up as well, stopping in Maddie's room to drop off the bag of presents.
"Sweetie, these are the presents for your dad," she said. "I'm going to leave them with you to put under the tree." She set them on the floor and then walked over to hug her daughter. "Be good for your father," she said. "And keep an eye on Levi. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble." She smiled because she knew it was more likely Maddie would cause trouble than Levi. Her son was a sweet-natured kid – all boy, but not as intense as his sister.
"I will, Mom," Maddie said as she hugged her mother, a little tighter than usual. "I wish you were staying." Maddie's tone was almost wistful. She seemed to have adjusted over the years to Deacon having left, although she certainly still remembered times when they were all together. Levi had never had that, and she suspected that he just copycatted Maddie when he would comment. When Maddie looked up at her, she was startled to see tears in her daughter's eyes. "I wish you weren't with Luke." That surprised her. And clued her in to why Maddie was unusually needy.
She sat down on the bed, pulling Maddie down with her. "Sweetheart, you love Luke. Why are you saying that?"
Maddie shrugged, then sighed. "Talia's got a new mom and she's not happy about it." Talia was Maddie's best friend and she knew Talia's parents had split up over a year earlier. She'd heard that Talia's father had a girlfriend but didn't realize they had evidently gotten married. She put her arm around her daughter and hugged her close.
"Well, I'm sorry Talia's unhappy, but you love spending time with Luke. And with Colt and Sage. It's not going to be the same." Luke's son was a couple years older than Maddie and his daughter was a year and a half younger. She and Luke had been happy that their kids had meshed so well.
"I guess."
She pressed her lips on the top of Maddie's head. "It's not going to be the same, sweetie," she said again. "I promise." She hugged Maddie again. "I need to go say goodbye to your brother and then get on the road. I want you to have the best time with your father, okay?" Maddie looked up and nodded, still looking a little forlorn. "I bet he'll let you help make pancakes." That got a smile from her daughter. She took Maddie's face in her hands. "Have a very merry Christmas, sweet girl. I love you."
Maddie smiled, but there was still a sad look on her face. "I love you too, Mom."
"It's all going to be okay. You know that, right?" Maddie shrugged. She wasn't sure Talia's situation was all that was going on with her daughter. She had thought Maddie had adjusted to all the change, but maybe she had missed something. She sat back down. "You know you and Levi are still the most important people in my life, right?"
"I guess."
She frowned and hugged Maddie. "It's true." She put a finger under Maddie's chin and lifted her face up. "I don't want you to be unhappy, sweetie. It's Christmas. And I know your dad has such a good time planned for y'all. But you know you can call me if you want to. Anytime."
"Okay." Maddie smiled, but she wondered what was behind it. She was torn, but she was sure that the minute she left, things would be fine, and Maddie would forget all this other stuff.
She got up then and headed for Levi's room. When she got to the door, she saw her son and Deacon on the floor with the trucks Levi had brought with him. "Levi? I'm getting ready to go."
Levi and Deacon both looked up. Levi jumped to his feet and ran to her as Deacon pushed himself up. "I'm gonna miss you, Mom," he said as he hugged her.
She hugged him back, squeezing her eyes shut for just a second. "I'm going to miss you too, buddy, but you're going to have so much fun with your dad and Maddie. I'll call you and your sister on Christmas morning to see what you got."
Levi threw his head back, grinning. "Dad said we could build a snowman."
She looked at Deacon and smiled, as did he. She hoped they'd get snow or Levi would be disappointed. She then focused her attention back on her son. "That'll be fun." She squatted down and reached for him, pulling him into another hug. She loved the feel of his little arms around her neck and that he never seemed to mind doing it. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart. Be a good boy, okay?"
"I will," he said, his voice muffled in her sweater.
She let go of him and then stood up, looking at Deacon. For a moment she felt her heart squeeze. He was wearing a flannel shirt and jeans, along with his favorite pair of boots. His hair was a little mussed and hung down a bit over his forehead. She still thought he was the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on, and he could still make her tingle in all the right places. But she was with Luke now – happily so – and she needed to not think about those things anymore. "I know you'll have fun. I'll talk to you on Christmas Day."
"We'll be good," Deacon said. She turned to leave. "Buddy, I'm gonna walk your mom downstairs. Then I'll be back."
"Okay," Levi said and then they headed for the stairs.
She stopped at the top of the stairs and turned back to Deacon. "Maddie seems a little...needy," she said.
He frowned. "What's going on?"
"She says it's that her friend Talia's father got remarried and she's sort of projecting that out with Luke, but I told her the two situations were very different." Deacon didn't say anything, just raised his eyebrows. "Just keep an eye on her. Maybe give her a little extra attention."
"I can do that."
She smiled, then headed down the stairs. When she walked around the corner into the great room she gasped when she saw the snow. It was practically a blizzard. It was snowing so hard she couldn't see the lake and it was definitely no longer just a dusting of snow on the ground.
"Oh my God," she said.
"Wow," he said. "I don't know that I've ever seen it like this. And this fast." He turned to her. "I'm gonna go out and bring some more wood in real quick." He gestured towards the TV he'd bought when he started bringing the kids up on his own. "You can check to see what's on the news."
She watched him walk out and then headed for the TV, turning it on, hoping for good news.