July 29th, 1988

The bar was muggy, the air conditioner obviously on its last leg, barely getting the job done. Smoke filtered through the room, and people stood in every corner, some huddled against the jukebox, some two-stepping on a makeshift dance floor. Friday nights in this part of Nashville offered surprisingly little to choose from.

Deacon Claybourne was in a corner booth, a woman on either side of him. He slammed a shot of whiskey back, and placed the glass on the table. His roommate, Chad, was sitting at the edge of the booth, his eyes surveying the scene. Chad was wearing acid-washed denim, and a tank top, with some weird vest contraption. His white-blonde hair was wild, and he looked exactly like he'd stepped off the cover of some hair band album. Deacon always wondered how Chad had ended up in Nashville.

They'd finished their second show together, Rayna singing, Deacon playing lead guitar and backing her up vocally, and two other guys Watty'd found playing with them. Now, they were all out celebrating.

Rayna was currently leaning against the bar talking to her sister. A glass of red wine was in front of Tandy, while Rayna held her white wine in her hand. Tandy was leaning against the bar, too, dressed in slacks, a cardigan set, and black flats. Contrasted with Rayna, who was wearing a denim skirt, a tank top, and black cowboy boots, it looked like these two young women had never spent a second together before tonight. Until you noticed the hair, and the way their smiles turned their mouths in exactly the same way.

Deacon supposed Tandy was pretty enough, but over the last two weeks, he'd found himself unable to stop looking at Rayna. Even more than that, unable to get Rayna out of his head. Even now, surrounded by two women, one of whom was tracing circles on his neck with her fingernail, he found himself looking at Rayna.

They'd been spending more and more time together lately, and he frequently found himself thinking about her—there's just something about her, man he'd said to Chad last weekend.

Sitting here now, he couldn't take his eyes off her. The woman next to him said something to him.

"What?" He asked, not taking his eyes from Rayna.

"I said…" She leaned in close to him, "Do you want to go back to our place?" She said, pointing to the brunette on the other side of him.

Deacon cleared his throat, "I… uh… no." He said, sipping his beer, "No thanks."

The women looked offended as they scoffed and made their way out of the booth. Chad apologized to them as he stood to let them out.

"Sorry about him," Chad muttered, sliding back into the booth as the girls left.

Deacon didn't notice, and Chad followed his gaze where it rested on Rayna. "Don't do it, man." Chad said, shaking his head as he took a long pull on his beer.

Deacon turned to look at him, "Don't do what, Chad?" Deacon asked, smiling.

Chad pointed with his bottle of beer towards Rayna, "That." He said, and set his beer on the table, "Look at her."

Deacon smirked, "Oh, I've been looking."

Chad rolled his eyes, "I know you have—and so have half the guys in this bar, by the way, but that's not my point, and you know it." He pointed a stubby finger at Deacon, "It's dangerous."

Deacon slid to the edge of the booth, "Is it?" He smirked and headed towards Rayna at the bar.

"It's a bad idea!" Chad shouted, shaking his head.

Deacon pulled Rayna away from Tandy and led her through the bar, surprised and happy to find it was cooler outside than it was inside. When they got outside, Deacon let go of her hand and turned to face her.

"What are we doing?" She asked, laughing.

He shrugged, "Just wanted to talk a bit—get some air." He leaned up against the side of the bar, the neon light casting a glow on his brown hair.

"It does feel nice out here," She said, settling in beside him.

"So, did you have fun tonight?" He asked, glancing at her.

She smiled, "I had so much fun tonight," Her skin was pink and her eyes were a little glassy—Deacon could tell she was a little tipsy. "It was fun having my sister there, even if it's not really her element." She laughed, "If Tandy had her way, I'd be singing at the Country Club for the rest of my life, not at the Broken Spoke."

Deacon laughed at that—Tandy did stick out like a sore thumb in the audience tonight. It was the first time he'd seen her, but he'd picked her out in the audience right away. "She's nice." Deacon said, "Your sister."

Rayna eyed him, and pressed her lips together trying to suppress a smile.

It was the first time Deacon had met Tandy, "What?" He chuckled, "She is."

Rayna rolled her eyes, "Yeah, okay." She giggled then, "Tandy has been called many things in her life, but nice definitely isn't one of them."

Deacon nodded—truthfully, Tandy had been a little rude to him when Rayna had introduced them. He recognized that she was just being protective, but he didn't actually get the impression that even without her little sister involved, Tandy would care much for him.

"I was talking to Chad earlier," Rayna said, "Not really sure what to make of him."

Deacon smiled, "Yeah, he's a character."

"How'd he end up in Nashville of all places?" She asked, drumming her fingers on the brick wall behind her.

"I ask him that all the time." Her replied.

Rayna cleared her throat, "He had some… interesting things to say about you, though."

Deacon turned his head to look at her, raising his eyebrows in question.

"Said you're quite the ladies man." Rayna turned to face him, pressing her left shoulder into the brick.

"Well, I don't know about that." He did, actually, know about that, but ever since he met Rayna Jaymes, he couldn't even think about another woman. It annoyed him at first, honestly, but now he felt more and more intrigued by it.

"Said I should probably stay away from you." She pressed her lips together.

Deacon turned to face her, leaning against the brick with his right shoulder, "You probably should." He nodded.

She laughed, tipping her head back, and then stared at him, "And why is that?" She asked, watching as his eyes darkened. "Because you're from the wrong side of the tracks?"

Deacon laughed, "Darlin'," He leaned closer to Rayan, "The tracks don't even go to where I'm from." He winked at her.

"Is that right?" She asked, her eyes growing serious.

He noticed their proximity, and he leaned in closer to her. "That's right." He whispered, and bent his head down, his mouth inches away from hers.

Just then, the door to the bar burst open, Deacon pulled his head back as Tandy spun on them, "Rayna!" She exclaimed, "There you are!" Tandy looked at her watch, "We have to get home, Daddy will be home soon." She grabbed Rayna's wrist and lightly tugged.

Rayna's eyes were wide, she stole a quick look at Deacon's lips, and then smiled, "Alright," She said to Tandy, though she was still looking at Deacon, "I'll see you." She said, talking to him now.

"Yes you will." He said, winking at her as Tandy led her away.

Deacon didn't miss the glare Tandy threw over her shoulder at him, and he shook his head, leaning his temple against the brick. Maybe Chad was right. Maybe this was a bad idea. That, however, had never before stopped Deacon Claybourne.