september 1992

—

"This place is so pretty." Adria was standing on the cabin's porch, hands on hips, looking over at the lake.

"Sorry to interrupt this great moment, but we need a little help over here," Vince called.

"Oh right, sorry," she apologized, turning back around. She was supposed to guide Deacon and Vince who were trying to maneuver an oversized couch through the cabin's door. "Deac, a bit more to the left," she instructed, "and you should be good."

Once Deacon and Vince had made it inside, she followed them, going straight to the kitchen and hopping on a stool while they carried the couch to its designated location across the wood-burning stove. "Still can't believe you guys bought a house," she told Deacon.

"Well, it's a cabin, and Ray and I still have about 300 payments left on it, but... yeah."

"Come on," Vince chimed in, "seeing how things are going for Rayna, you two will have paid this thing off in no time."

Deacon smiled at the thought. The future of Rayna's career had indeed never looked brighter. Her last album was number eight on the charts and climbing, she'd gotten her first CMA nomination, and there were talks of an arena tour for as soon as the beginning of next year. As a result, their schedule was quite hectic, and they'd planned to wait until things would calm down to go furniture shopping for the cabin. Deacon, though, had decided he wanted to surprise Rayna and spend a couple of days there with her after the CMAs. Rayna was busy doing press all afternoon, so it had been the perfect occasion to ask Adria and Vince to help him move a few things in.

"There's something else I want to show you," Deacon announced, "but I need to be sure you two can keep your mouth shut until Wednesday." He'd said "you two," but he was staring at Adria.

"Why are you looking at me?" she asked.

"Well, I know Vince can keep a secret."

"Oh honey, if you only knew everything Rayna told me that you don't want repeated, you wouldn't doubt I can keep a secret," she shot back.

Deacon looked alarmed. "Um, what?"

"Never mind," Adria said, amused. "Come on, spill it now."

"Alright," he relented. He took a little velvet ring box out of his jeans pocket.

Before he even had time to open it, Adria squealed. "Seriously?" She jumped down the stool and threw her arms around Deacon. "I'm so happy for you two!"

Deacon hugged her back, unable to stop smiling. "Thanks, but she hasn't said yes yet."

"Like there's a chance she's going to say no," Vince scoffed as he and Deacon hugged too. "I'm happy for you, man," he said with a slap on his best friend's back.

"Can I see it now?" Adria asked, and Deacon handed her the box. She took a thorough look at the ring. "She's going to love it."

"You think?"

"I know it."

"I asked Tandy to help me choose."

"Tandy?" Vince asked. "Are we talking about the same Tandy? You told Tandy you plan on marrying Rayna and you're still alive?"

"I'm as surprised as you are."

"Will you ask Lamar for his permission?" Vince teased.

"Rayna would kill me herself if I did."

"Are you sure this is the family you want to get into?" Adria joked.

Deacon smiled. It didn't matter. "We'll make our own," he said.

—

Deacon woke up in a flash, disoriented for a moment before he looked around the cabin's bedroom and remembered where he was. He smiled, his head falling back down on the pillow and his hand automatically reaching out for Rayna in the dark. He frowned when he found her side of the bed empty.

"Ray?" he called.

There was no light under the bathroom door, and he switched the bedside lamp on as he got himself out of bed. He rummaged through his travel bag, got a pair of boxers out and put them on before he headed downstairs.

He found Rayna standing in front of the wall-to-wall windows, looking out at the lake. She'd put on a black silk bathrobe, the hem falling mid-thigh, and he stood there for a little too long, unable to take his eyes off her.

"You're already up?" he asked as he approached her.

She turned toward him, beaming. "Yeah, woke up at dawn, and I just had to come watch the sunrise from here. The view is gorgeous."

Deacon smiled back before he settled behind her, slid his arms around her waist and dropped his chin on her shoulder. He pulled the red hair away from her neck and let his lips linger there. "The view is gorgeous," he said, and she chuckled when he made it clear he was looking down her cleavage and not outside.

"You're so cheesy."

"I know, but you've said yes, it's too late to change your mind now."

She raised her left hand to look at the ring, as if she hadn't been doing that all evening already. He smiled. She'd said yes. She'd said yes the second the words "Let's do this, baby, please, marry me," had come out of his mouth.

"Is it a promise?" she asked after a beat.

He was confused for a second before she pointed at the dark brown wooden sign on the ledge above the door. It spelled 'ETERNITY' in golden letters. "That's the plan, baby."

—

back to the present

—

Rayna tried to remember the last time the four of them had all sat together around the table to eat dinner. The last couple of weeks had been crazy. Between the promo for their album's first single, the signing of Will Lexington to Highway 65 and the rehearsals of the new songs with the band, she and Deacon had barely been able to spend time with the girls.

On top of it all, their were going to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary next month.

"Who are you going to invite?" Daphne asked as she reached for the salad bowl.

"Well, we were thinking we want to keep it in the family," Rayna explained. "So, probably Aunt Tandy, Aunt Beverly, Scarlett and JT, your grandpas. Cole, Audrey and Talia. Bucky, of course Adria and Liam, and the band. I guess that will be it."

"You could invite Juliette and Jolene," Maddie suggested. Since Jolene had finished rehab, Deacon had officially agreed to become her sponsor.

"We could," Deacon said. "Then I guess we would have to invite Avery too."

"Avery?" Rayna asked.

"He and Juliette are together now."

"How do you know that?"

"Heard it from Scar." Deacon paused. "Didn't I tell you?" he pretended to be surprised even though he'd just recalled he had forgotten to tell her.

"I think I would remember, babe."

"Won't it be weird for Scarlett if you invite Avery?" Daphne asked.

"JT was Avery's best friend, it will be weird for everyone," Maddie pointed out, and Rayna had to snort at that. Nashville sure could be a small town sometimes. "Will you renew your vows or something like that?" Maddie asked.

Deacon shook his head. "No."

"Why not?"

He looked at Rayna, and they exchanged a knowing smile. "Your mom vowed to be mine forever and always the first time around, and I vowed the same. Nothing has changed."

—

TBC