A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers.

Chapter 9

Deacon opened the door to Rayna's house and then he carried in the rocking chair she'd wanted for the baby. "Ray! You here?" He called out.

Rayna walked into view. "You got the rocking chair I asked for?" A huge smile broke out on her face.

"I got the rockin' chair you asked for. I didn't even have to call and you to make sure I got the right one. It probably helps my case that Maddie took a picture of the right one and sent it to me." Deacon laughed.

"At least you're learning." Rayna teased him.

"Yeah, I got tired of goin' back to the baby store multiple times to get the right thing. I swear they know me on sight now and they shake their heads when they see me comin'." Deacon replied. "I better go upstairs and add this to the collection of things that I need to put together."

"They have to see dollar signs in their eyes when you walk through he door." Rayna bumped her hip against his.

"Nothin', but the best for my boy." Deacon smirked.

"If that was the case you woulda paid to have all the stuff you've bought him delivered and installed." Rayna shot him a saucy wink.

Deacon scoffed playfully. "You wait right here while I take this upstairs. I will deal with your mean mouthed ass when I get back." He couldn't resist the urge to swat her ass on his way up the stairs.

"Deacon Henry John!" Rayna yelled after him, but there was a huge grin on her face. She liked it when he put his hands on her like that.

"I've got more of the same comin' for ya when I get back down there." Deacon yelled back at her. By the time he put the rocking chair in the nursery and made it back down the kitchen the entire mood between him and Rayna had changed.

Luke was there now with his arms around Rayna. "Hey, Deacon, it seems like you're here every time I am."

"I was droppin' off some stuff for the baby and I'm gonna go now." Every muscle in Deacon's body went rigid. The last thing he wanted was to have to compete with yet another man for the title of most important man in his child's life.

"Nah, you shouldn't go on my account. I was just stoppin' by to say hi to this one. I have somewhere else I need to be." Luke replied. He couldn't stand the thought that this guy was always going to be such a big part of Rayna's life and by extension his life if he chose to stay with her. He pressed a possessive, but chaste kiss to Rayna's lips. "I will be seein' you later."

"Yeah, I'll see you later." Rayna walked him to the door. "Deacon, I hope that you're not gonna run off already without talkin' to your son."

Deacon smiled and bit his lip. "I wouldn't dream of it." He leaned over and kissed her belly. "Hey, Squirrel, daddy loves you so, so much."

"So, hey, I was thinkin' that we could do a family dinner together. Scarlett is in town right now. And I know that the girls would enjoy havin' you both over here." Rayna told him.

"Yeah, we can do that for sure. You just name the time and the place." Deacon couldn't refuse her anything that she wanted.

"Here tomorrow night. You don't have to bring anythin'." Rayna set the terms.

"You know I'm gonna bring somethin'. You better tell me what kind of dessert you want." Deacon got up in her personal space and pressed his hips against hers.

She grabbed his belt loops and pressed up against him. "I want you upstairs right now." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

"I ain't gonna say no to that." He swung her up into his arms and carried her up to her bedroom. He knew that he should turn her down and make her make a choice between him and Luke, but he just couldn't tell her no even when he knew he should.

"Come on in and make yourselves at home, y'all!" Rayna called when she heard the side door open. She was standing at the stove with an apron on that barely hid the swell of her belly. Her hair was thrown up in a bun and she had flour on her cheeks.

Deacon sat a pie down on the counter and laughed. "What in the world is all this, woman?"

"I thought that it would be nice to have good old fashion southern meal for dinner. I called you momma and she gave me her fried chicken recipe and her biscuit recipe, but it is not as easy as she made it sound." Rayna used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"Scarlett, we have a kitchen emergency here. Go get the girls. I think it's past time that they learn your mawmaw's fried chicken recipe." Deacon grabbed an apron and threw in on over his flannel shirt.

"I will go get 'em." Scarlett headed up the stairs to retrieve the girls.

"Alright, let's see what you've got goin' on here." Deacon stepped up to the stove to help out.

"I think I've got a damn mess here." Rayna told him.

"No worries, we will get this figured out." Deacon assured her.

Once the girls came down with Scarlett, Deacon did a pretty impressive job of teaching them all how to make fried chicken and homemade biscuits. They had a good time laughing and signing while they cooked. They ate together at the table like a real family. After dinner Deacon and Rayna sent the three girls into the other room to play music while they cleaned up.

"Listen, I have somethin' that I wanna run by you and see what you think." Rayna broached the idea that had been brewing in her head for awhile.

"Shoot, you know that you can tell me anythin' at all." Deacon reassured her with a smile.

"I put some feelers out I know that the record deal they are offerin' you isn't great at all. And they want you to do things that just ain't you. I was thinkin' that you could back out of the contract and come make music at Highway Sixty-five." Rayna bit her lip unsure after she spoke.

"Ray, I told you once already that I won't take your charity. I need to be a man in our children's eyes and I can't do that if I'm lettin' you take care of me without givin' somethin' back in return." Deacon sighed.

"This isn't charity. You would be doin' me a huge favor. Scarlett is tremendously talented and we both know it, but she is an unknown quantity right now and I'm the only viable artist we have. If you signed on to the label then there would be another artist puttin' out music right away. I know you have more songs stored up than anyone should." Rayna replied.

Deacon ran his hands over his face and collected his thoughts before he replied. "I think I have a better idea. Everythin' I have I own free and clear. I don't have many expenses and I've sold a lot of songs in my day. I've got a very healthy nest egg built up. What would two million dollars get me?"

"Two million dollars would get you an office and head of A and R." Rayna answered him without hesitation.

"That's the only way I'll trash this Belcourt contract and come work with you. I can't work for you, Ray, but I can work with ya. If we can do that I would be more than happy to come aboard." Deacon held out his hand for her to shake.

"If you sure you can afford it." Rayna didn't feel right just taking his money like that, but she knew that he had a lot saved up for a rainy day.

"I can't afford not to do it. I could keep my dignity and not sell out to Belcourt." Deacon assured her.

Rayna was going to shake his hand, but she put her hand on her belly instead. A smile lit her face. "I think I'm not the only one who thinks this is a great idea."

"What do you mean?" Deacon didn't get what she was talking about.

Rayna took his hand and put it on her belly. He knew the minute he felt their unborn son kick by the look on his face. "I think Squirrel likes the idea of this bein' the family business."

Deacon wore an awestruck look on his face and he put his other hand on the other side of her belly. "That's him?"

Rayna smiled and nodded. "That's him. Your boy is kickin' for you, daddy." She put her hands on top of his on her belly.

"That is the most incredible thing I've ever felt in my life." Deacon's eyes glazed over with tears. He'd never felt more like a man than he did in this moment.

"I'm glad you were here to feel it for the first time. That makes it so much more special to me." Rayna used her thumb to wipe a tear off his face.

They stood there like that for a moment just staring into each other's eyes.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" Luke materialized in the kitchen seemingly out of thin air.

"Every damn time I'm here." Deacon grumbled. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't bother to take his hands off her belly.

"Deacon and Scarlett came over for dinner and we were just cleanin' up. The baby just kicked for the first time and it's his first baby I wanted him to feel it." Rayna explained quickly.

"So, you were havin' some nice family time." Luke sneered.

Rayna pulled away from Deacon. "Can you give us a minute? Go in the music room and keep the girls occupied." She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I can do that." Deacon threw a glare at Luke before he left the room.

"What the hell is goin' on here?" Luke demanded once he was gone.

"What's goin' on here is I was havin' dinner with the father of my unborn child and his niece and my girls. I didn't do a damn thing wrong. Like it or not we are a family. I told you when I told you I was pregnant to walk away if you couldn't handle it." Rayna wasn't about to let him get away with having a temper tantrum.

"It's just you go outta the way to do things with Deacon and his family, but you want nothin' to do with mine." Luke retorted.

"I just played Monopoly with Colt and Sage last week. The last thing I need right now is you puttin' a ton of stress on me. I ain't gonna have it. If you can't handle this walk away now." Rayna didn't back down from him.

"I need a minute." Luke turned around and walked out the door.

Rayna sighed this fun uncomplicated thing was turning into something she was losing control of and she didn't know why she was still trying to hold on to it.

"Deacon, thank you for showing up on time. My baby sister doesn't always share the same sentiments." Tandy greeted Deacon.

Deacon took a seat at the dining room table where they were holding a business meeting. "My aim is to please. And believe me I know all 'bout your sister never bein' on time."

"Hey, that'll be enough outta you two. I try to be on time and I am on time when it counts. Right now I have a baby boy layin' on my bladder who doesn't always like to cooperate with me bein' on time." Rayna frowned at both of them.

"Moving on. Deacon, do you have a plan to get something out and get a little bit of cash coming into the label? The two-million-dollar check helped a lot, but we need more." Tandy didn't beat around the bush.

"I had a wild idea and I want the two of you to stay with me for a minute here. I was thinkin' that I could record a live show at the Bluebird and press it on vinyl." Deacon laid his idea out for them.

Rayna smiled at him. "I really love that idea."

"That idea is perfect. I didn't know you had it in you to come up something that good, Deacon. I did some research and people are going crazy for actual vinyl albums again. It's a fast growing market and it's a great idea for us to get in on it." Tandy spoke up.

"I will get it all set up then. I want to get this done as soon as possible and do whatever I can to help the label." Deacon nodded his head.

"I told you that him comin' on the label would be a good idea." Rayna gloated smugly.

"When you're right you're right. I don't always like him, but he is damn good at the music business." Tandy shrugged her shoulders. "Deacon, that's the closest thing to a compliment you're ever gonna get from me you better enjoy it."

"I don't need you to like me for us to work together. I know you don't like me and I ain't so fond of you either. Like it or not, Tandy, we are family. I'm the father of your oldest niece and your unborn nephew. We ain't always gotta like each other we just always have to have each other's backs." Deacon retorted.

Tandy wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Her mouth just hung open.

"Babe, I believe that's the first time I've ever seen someone leave her speechless. I shoulda thought to bring you on a long time ago." Rayna laughed happily.

"I have my moments, Ray, you know that better than anyone." Deacon smirked.

"I do so enjoy some of the moments you have." Rayna winked at him.

"Ok, you two don't do the gross flirting thing you do in front of me. It's just plain nasty." Tandy shook her head. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve the two of them, but she wished she did, so she could apologize for it.

"Do you have a set list planned for this album yet?" Rayna asked him like her sister hadn't said anything.

"I do. I just need a producer and to book a night at the Bluebird. I'd really, really love it if Maddie could be there. Daphne too if that's possible. I need my daughter to see her daddy doin' somethin' good, though." Deacon answered her.

"I will make that happen. You just get everythin' set up." Rayna told him.

"I will go do that now. You just take care of my baby boy." Deacon retorted.

"You baby boy is in good hands, daddy. Go handle your business." Rayna squeezed his hand before he got up from the table and walked out.

"Jesus, you two are enough to make a person sick." Tandy scoffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rayna asked her.

"That means that even though you have a sure thing going with Luke I know you're gonna burn it to the ground to be with Deacon." Tandy observed wisely.

"Tandy, I don't have time for man trouble right now. The only man I'm concerned about is layin' on my bladder and playin' kickball with my kidneys." Rayna rolled her eyes. She didn't want to admit that her sister was right. As much as she wanted to be with Deacon she was scared of getting hurt again. She felt like she was in too deep with Luke to just walk away. She really was torn between the two of them. Not because she was in love with Luke, she knew for sure that she wasn't. She was just afraid that Deacon would fall apart again and she wouldn't be able to count on him to be there to build a life with.

Part of her knew that she had to get over all the hurt that they had caused each other in the past. It wasn't fair to any of the three people in the situation for her to keep stringing Luke along. She didn't want to do to another man what she'd done to Teddy. It just wouldn't be right, but on the other hand she didn't know that the man she wanted to build a life with would be in any position to do that.

"Well, whatever is going on at some point you will have to make a choice. No matter what someone is gonna get hurt here. It's probably better to do that hurting now then dragging it out and having it hurt worse. That's just my advice to you, you don't have to take it." Tandy tried her best to talk some sense into her.

"Tandy, I know all of that and I'm workin' on it. Trust me to know what I'm doin' here. If you'd trusted me when I found out I was pregnant with Maddie, you wouldn't have talked me into marryin' Teddy and we wouldn't be in this mess right now." Rayna leveled her with a serious look.

"I only did what I thought was best for you and your unborn baby. I'm never gonna apologize for that." Tandy shrugged unrepentantly.

"You're hopeless. You're worse about standin' your ground when you think you're right than I am." Rayna shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Deacon, I can't believe that you're actually gonna do an album live at the Bluebird. You have no idea how cool that is." Maddie gushed. She and Deacon were seated in his living room holding guitars.

"What's cool is you know how cool it is to get to record at the Bluebird. I think that I have a pretty awesome daughter if I don't say so myself." Deacon beamed with pride.

"We for sure have to add your album to the collection we're starting for the Squirrel. I need for my collection of your albums too." She went on.

"You have a collection of my albums?" He was pleasantly surprised to hear her say that. None of the albums he'd put out on his own had ever gotten much traction. He couldn't believe that she knew about them.

"Of course, I do. My dad is this really great singer and songwriter. That is something for me to be proud of even if I can't let the world know you're my dad. It's something that I can have that one can shame me for." She replied.

"Why would you feel shame for bein' proud of havin' me for a father?" He asked her. He didn't like hearing her talk like that at all. He never wanted her to be ashamed of being his daughter.

"I guess shame isn't the right word. I meant guilt. I feel guilty for wanting to get to know you and your side of the family. It's like I'm supposed to worship the ground Teddy walks on and keep on pretending he's the perfect father even though he basically stole me from you. I know that mom had a hand in it too, but he did take something that wasn't his to take. He makes me feel so bad for wanting to be with you sometimes that I don't even think I want to spend time with him anymore. Plus, Squirrel is gonna get to have you from the start and get to tell everyone that you're his dad like it's no big deal. That's how I want it to be for me." She admitted.

"Hey, baby girl. You never have to feel guilty for bein' proud to be mine. And I know you wanna tell the world your truth. You just have to give me and momma a minute to figure out how to do that. I promise you that you will get to be mine in the open with no shame or guilt one day soon. Until then we have this time together just us to explore our relationship." He reached out, took her hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope y'all enjoyed it. I'm sorry for the long wait. Until next time please review.