Cash woke up to the beams of morning light streaming through the curtains.
He stood up and stretched, giving himself a quick groom before looking around the trailer and realizing he was alone.
Jumping off the seat, he opened the doors and went out to the barn.
There Dixie was, rehearsing with the group.
No, leading the group.
Giving orders like she was the boss. Well, she was wrong. Cash bristled. He was the boss.
He shouldered his way through them, earning a few confused looks as he glared at Dixie, "What do you think you're doing?" he growled.
She shrugged, "Helping everybody get into shape for our performance tonight."
Cash turned and swept his menacing glare over all of them. "Well then, let's see if they've learned anything from you, shall we?"
Waylon and Floyd shuffled back a bit.
Granny Rose just tried to see through those bushy eyebrows of her, unsure what was happening.
Dixie tossed back her head, "Sure. I'm sure they've improved a lot, with the orders coming from me. Come on gang, let's take it from the top."
Cash watched as they all sang perfectly on key and danced coordinately.
He pretended not to look impressed but secretly was, envying Dixie with her good leadership skills.
A week ago, he could hardly get Granny Rose to sing on key.
After they finished, Dixie spoke up, "So?"
Cash looked at all them, "Could use some work. But you've all worked very hard with Dixie, I'm sure of that, so you can take a break for the rest of the day."
Waylon and Floyd immediately scurried off to play some tag with Granny Rose hobbling after them, bumping into the wall but finding her way.
Cash looked at Dixie, "Aren't you gonna go find Zach?" He spat the German Shepard's name hatefully, but Dixie shook her head,
"Actually, I was gonna spend time with you today."
Cash's ears perked, suddenly interested, "Why?"
She shrugged, "No reason. Zach isn't here, so…"
He frowned. So he was just the second base. "Eh. I have important things to do." Cash stormed out of the barn.
Dixie raised her eyebrows, laughing quietly to herself as she watched.
That jealous, jealous, dog.