Title: Someone Like You
AN: You ladies are awesome :D I received a ton of great feedback on the last chapter. I always try to reply to each review, but some of you ladies don't have accounts and I can't. So, to all of you - thanks so much! For all the great reviews, here's another quick update! Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!!!
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"Oh my God…" Julie whines loudly, banging the back of her head against the seat of Tim's truck. "I can't take anymore of this cheating, sad, my dog just died music, Tim." She says, referring to the country music playing loudly on the truck radio.
Tim smirks from his spot behind the wheel. "Taylor, that's not all this music is about. You forgot drinking. Drinking is an important part."
"Of course." Julie says sarcastically, with a small laugh. "How could I forget the drinking."
Tim grins as he reaches over with his long fingers and changes the radio station to a soft rock station. "Better?"
"Much." Julie says with a smile, turning to look out the open window, admiring the passing fields as her hair blows wildly in the wind.
The two of them were headed back to Dillon for the weekend. The Longhorns didn't have a game, so it was one of the few weekends Tim could actually go home. And of course, Julie had promised her mother that she would come home soon in exchange for her mom breaking the news to her dad about her and Tim.
Julie was excited to be going home. She did miss her family, a lot more than she would have originally thought. And it was also Dillon's Homecoming, which meant she should see several people from high school. She wasn't sure how she felt about seeing some people, namely Matt. And better yet, she wasn't sure how people were going to react to seeing her and Tim – together.
She glances over at Tim, pushing her wind-blown hair out of her face. He looks so completely comfortable sitting behind the wheel of his old truck, maybe even more so than he looks out on the football field. With his hair blowing around his face, one muscled-arm resting on the open window while the other hangs lazily over the wheel - he looks completly comfortable, and utterly gorgeous.
He was smiling, happy to be going home for the weekend. Julie knew that he missed Billy a lot more than he liked to admit. And he got a goofy grin on his face whenever he discussed his nephew, which was enough to just make Julie melt.
She still wasn't sure how she had let Tim talk her into them riding home together. She had tried to argue that they would both need their vehicles, but he had a rebuttal for each argument. She should have seen through his feeble excuses. We'll save gas money. We'll carpool – it's better for the environment. Since when did Tim Riggins give a rat's ass about the environment?
But other than the different opinions in music, the ride home had been nice. The ride had consisted of random topics of conversation and comfortable silences, each throwing smiles at one another occasionally as they travelled down the long stretch of road between Austin and Dillon.
"What's goin' on in that head of yours, Taylor?" Tim asks quietly, breaking the silence.
Julie grins. "Nothing. Why?"
"You were grinning from ear to ear. Just wonderin' what you were thinking."
"I was thinking that this is nice. The open road, going home…with you." She says, giving him a flirty smile.
Tim chuckles. "Are we gonna cause waves?"
"Probably." Julie says simply, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't really care."
Tim nods, tapping his fingers against the wheel. "Your mom told Coach, right?"
Julie laughs quietly. Tim was obviously worried about what her dad was going to say. It was understandable though, Julie knew that Tim really looked up to her father.
"Yeah. She said that dad thought she was joking at first. Then when he figured out she wasn't joking, he kept saying that mom obviously misunderstood what I said." Julie laughs. "She said when she finally got him to believe it, he just kept shaking his head and muttering incoherently. But, he ended up laughing in the end."
"Laughing?" Tim asks hesitantly.
"Yeah, that's what mom said." Julie says.
"Laughing because he thought it was funny? Or laughing evilly like he's gonna kill me for dating you?" Tim asks with a straight face.
Julie laughs. "Are you scared of my dad?"
"No..." Tim drawls. "Cautious."
"Cautious?" Julie asks with a grin.
"I've been on the receivin' end of many of Coach's yellin' fits. I honestly thought after graduation I wouldn't have to worry about it no more." Tim says, shaking his head.
Julie laughs, reaching over to give his leg a quick squeeze. "It'll be okay."
Tim sighs, giving her a half smile. "Well, we're about to find out." He says quietly as they pass the "Welcome to Dillon" sign.
Julie grins as Tim places his hand over hers, giving it a squeeze. "Home sweet home." She mutters.
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"Oh come on ref! Are you blind?" Tim yells loudly from his spot in the stands.
Julie giggles, glancing over at her mother to see her shaking her head at Tim's antics.
Julie was standing between Tim and her mother as the Panthers were playing a nail-biting Homecoming game out on the field. It was nearing half-time and the game was tied, 14-14.
It was the first time that Julie had ever watched a game with Tim. Usually he was on the field, and she was cheering for him. She shouldn't have been surprised that he took the game seriously, yelling at the refs loudly.
Much to her mother's dismay, Julie had joined in with the yelling several times. It was actually quite fun, despite the looks that they were getting from several Panthers fans sitting around them.
"Did you see that? That was easily a block in the back." Tim says heatedly, glancing over at Julie and her mother to find them both trying not to laugh. "What?"
"You're intense." Julie says, starting to laugh. "I think you're embarrassing my mom."
"Julie, he is not." Tami says quickly, giving Tim her sweetest smile. "I'm married to your father – if I can handle his antics, I can handle anyone's."
Tim grins sheepishly. "Sorry Mrs. T. I'll try to cool it."
"Your fine, Tim. Don't listen to my daughter here." Tami says giving Julie a look.
Julie grins as the buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the second quarter and the start of half-time.
They watch as the marching band takes the field, along with the Homecoming court nominees as they begin the Homecoming festivities.
"I think I'm gonna go get something to drink." Tim says after a few minutes. "My throat's a little dry."
"From all the yelling…" Julie says teasingly, causing Tami to laugh.
"Funny, Taylor." Tim says with a smirk. "Mrs. T would like anything? Drink? Snack?"
"No thank you, Tim. I'm fine." Tami responds.
"I'll come with you." Julie says quickly. "I want something to snack on."
"You don't want to see who wins Homecoming queen?" He asks with a smirk.
"That's a big no, Tim." Julie says, her voice laced with sarcasm.
Tim nods, grinning as he takes Julie's hand in his own. Julie watches as her mother's gaze zeroes in on their joined hands, giving Julie a little smile.
"We'll be back in a minute, mom." Julie says with grin as she and Tim make their way down the bleachers.
As the two move slowly through the crowd, still hand in hand, Julie is aware of some curious stares - some from students, some from adults. Part of Julie wants to march over to the intercom system and announce it for everyone to hear – 'Yes Dillon, Julie Taylor and Tim Riggins are an item!'
But Julie knows there really isn't any use. With the way the people of Dillon liked to talk, everyone would know that Tim and Julie had not only come to the game together, but had even held hands and done God knows what else, by tomorrow morning.
Gotta love small town life, Julie thinks to herself as she and Tim take their place in the long concession stand line.
"What do yah want?" Tim asks, squeezing her hand lightly.
"I don't know. The cheese fries look good." Julie says as she reads the menu. "Oh! They've got nachos."
"Nachos, huh?" Tim asks, smiling at her excitement.
"Yeah. Doesn't that sound good?"
"With lots of jalapenos." Tim says with a nod.
"Ugh…no." Julie says, making a face.
Tim laughs at her disgusted look. "You don't like jalapenos?"
"No. They're too spicy." Julie says quickly, shaking her head.
Tim grins mischievously. "You don't like it hot, Taylor?" He says suggestively, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her against his body.
Julie laughs, feeling the blush on her face. "Some things, yes. But not my nachos." She says, wrapping her own arm around his waist.
"Tell me about these 'some things'." Tim says, grinning down at her.
"J-Julie?"
Matt, Julie thinks. She'd know that quiet, stuttering voice anywhere. She turns to find Matt standing a few feet away, a drink in his hand and a short brunette by his side.
"Hey Matt." Julie says quickly, giving him a smile. "How are you?"
"I'm, I'm good." Matt says quickly. "H-hey Riggs."
"Seven." Tim says, reaching out his hand to pound his fist against Matt's. "Good to see yah."
"Yeah, yeah. Y-you too." Matt says with a small smile. "Oh, this is Emily." He says quickly, remembering the girl standing awkwardly at his side. "Em, this is Tim and Julie, um, old friends from school."
"Hi." Emily says, giving them a sweet smile.
"H-how's UT?" Matt asks, looking at Julie.
"It's great. I'm really liking it so far." Julie says quickly. "How's school goin' for you? And how's your Grandma?"
"School's good. And Grandma's g-good too." Matt answers.
"That's good." Julie says with a small smile. Everything was 'good', she thinks to herself, glancing up at Tim.
"W-what are you guys doin'?" Matt asks, looking back and forth between Tim and Julie.
"No game this week, so we came home for the weekend." Tim answers, watching as Matt realizes that yes, he means 'we' as in Tim and Julie.
Matt nods, smiling slightly. "T-that's good…Well, we better get back to our seats. It was g-good to see y'all."
Tim nods. "You too, Seven. Take it easy."
"Yeah, good to see you too, Matt. Nice to meet you Emily." Julie says giving Matt a smile, truly meaning her words.
"B-bye." Matt says, taking Emily's hand and walking back toward the stands.
Julie sighs, feeling Tim give her hip an affectionate squeeze. She turns toward him to find him watching her closely.
"You okay?" He asks quietly.
"Yeah. That wasn't as awkward as I had imagined." Julie says with a small smile.
Tim nods, placing his lips against her forehead for a kiss, the sweet gesture causing Julie to lean into his embrace.
"Now about those jalapenos…" He drawls.
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"There's your father." Tami says happily, pointing through the crowd of people gathered on the football field.
Julie nods as she and Tim follow behind her mother, wanting to congratulate her father for the Panthers big 24-21 win.
"Good game honey." Tami says, giving Eric a quick kiss and hug.
"Thanks hun." Eric says, smiling happily. His smile gets even bigger as he spots Julie over his wife's shoulder.
"Jules! Come here you." Eric says quickly, grabbing Julie up in a big hug.
"Hey dad." Julie says. "Great game. I was worried you guys weren't gonna win Homecoming there for a bit."
"We managed to pull it off." Eric says with a grin, looking over toward Tim as he stands to the side.
Julie couldn't help but grin at Tim's nervous look. Cautious? No, that look wasn't cautious. Tim was scared of what her dad's reaction was going to be.
She should probably be worried about what her dad was going to say too, but she was confident that her mother had been able to talk some sense into him.
"Riggins. How are yah son?" Eric asks, reaching out to shake Tim's hand.
"I'm good sir." Tim says, giving him a smile as he shakes his hand. "Good game, Coach."
"Ah hell. We got lucky we didn't get our asses handed to us tonight." Eric says with a grin, patting Tim on the back.
Tim grins, glancing over at Julie. Julie grins back, watching as she sees him visibly relax.
"What are y'all doing now? Y'all wanna go celebrate. Maybe Applebees?" Eric asks, looking toward Tami.
"I think Tim and I are gonna have to pass, dad." Julie says quickly. "We're gonna go over to the Alamo Freeze and see some old friends from school."
"Well, okay then." Eric says, biting the inside of his jaw. "Well, you aren't heading back 'til Sunday right?"
"Yeah. We're not heading back until probably Sunday afternoon." Julie says, noticing her dad's confused look. "Tim and I rode together." She explains.
"Is that right…" Eric drawls, a smirk on his lips. "Well, I tell you what. Tim, how 'bout you come over for Sunday dinner before y'all head back to Austin. I think we've got a few things to talk about."
Tim nods. "Uh, sure Coach. Dinner sounds good." He says, glancing at Julie.
Julie rolls her eyes at her father. "Dad, please."
"What? I invited the boy to dinner." Eric says with a grin. "Just bein' hospitable. Ain't that right honey?"
Tami laughs, shaking her head. "Tim, we'd love to have you over for dinner, hun. You two better get going. You know the Alamo Freeze fills up fast on a Friday night."
"You're right." Julie says quickly, giving her parents both a quick hug. "Bye you guys."
"Bye Coach. Bye Mrs. T." Tim says with a smile.
"Y'all be careful, and have fun." Tami says loudly, both she and Eric giving them a small wave as they make their way off the field and toward the parking lot.
"You really want to go to the Alamo Freeze?" Tim asks, finally taking her hand once they're out of her parents' sight.
"No. I just made up an excuse." Julie says with a chuckle. "I figured you didn't want the third degree tonight."
"No. Sunday dinner will be here soon enough." He says with a smirk, his words causing her to laugh. "We can go to the Alamo Freeze if you want, but then I want to take you somewhere."
"Where?" Julie asks quickly.
"You'll see." He says with a grin, giving her hand a squeeze. "You'll see."