CHAPTER FIVE

Once she'd slammed the front door, Rayna vomited all over the front lawn. In between gasps for air and tears she dialled Deacon's number, clinging to hope that he'd pick up. He didn't answer, making her even more hysterical. The thought that he had cut his losses when it came to her made her skin crawl. Rayna reminded herself that they hadn't said goodbye on the best terms last night, cursing herself for thinking he'd even want to speak to her. She tried calling again and the call went straight to voicemail. Reluctantly, Rayna forced herself into some sort of autopilot, hopping in her car she headed to the first stop on her long list of places to go for the day. She had no choice but to throw off the rejection she was feeling. Rayna's cell phone rang and she swerved the car, reaching to answer it.

"Deacon?!" She squeaked.

"It's me." The voice on the other end replied flatly.

Horrified, Rayna realised she'd just greeted her husband with Deacon's name. She was far too mad and confused to speak to him so before he could say another word she hung up.

The day dragged on, back to back meetings all blurred into one. She'd even managed to have a discussion with Juliette that wasn't drenched in insults and belittlement. If she remembered correctly she'd made a comment about how she like the dress Juliette was wearing. Seriously? What was wrong with her? Their tour seemed to be taking shape and in her opinion tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

She had become accustomed to ignoring her cell phone after what had happened earlier when she'd been in the car. She was sure Teddy had called more times then she cared to count. Rayna wasn't interested in hearing what he had to say, at least not right now. The thought that Teddy could be sleeping with Peggy had left her insides in pieces. It was one thing for the tabloids to gossip about an affair, but to hear and see things that could validate those rumours was repulsing. Standing at the back of the auditorium she watched tech guys fix a few things for Juliette's rehearsal. She didn't really want to be here but she was prolonging the inevitable journey home.

"Bad day?" Liam joined her and she smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Could say that."

"Well…" He let out a long sigh "You could take it and make music with it. I've got whiskey?" He smiled.

Crossing her arms, Rayna shook her head.

"I think you need it." He pressed.

"It's been a real bad day. I'm not really feeling it, even though that's why you're here, to record." She reflected.

"I was talking about the whiskey." He laughed, grabbing her by the hand, leading her out a side door.

- NASHVILLE -

Slamming the shot glasses on the table Liam and Rayna collapsed into a giggling heap on the lounge. They'd retreated to a green room out the back somewhere, shutting themselves away from the chaos of last minute tour preparation going on outside.

"Just forget it. Seriously." Liam shook his head.

"You don't forget something like this…you don't just forget." She shook her finger, a little tipsy.

"Screw him for sleeping with her…no pun intended." He poured them both another drink. This comment had her in fits of laughter as she hid her face in the arm of the lounge. Liam put another full shot glass in her hand and told her to drink up.

"Well I did that already." She smirked "Last night actually…clearly I'm the idiot..."

Liam raised an eyebrow as he sipped from his glass.

"You're not an idiot."

"You're just saying that because you have to."

"Have to?" Liam queried.

"Well yeah, you have to because we're partners." She shrugged her shoulders, stating what she thought was obvious.

"I don't have to, actually." He mocked.

She reached out a hand and squeezed his reassuringly, putting her glass to her lips to take another sip.

"How many is this?" Rayna asked, pointing to her glass. Liam shrugged.

"I don't usually keep tabs on the number of drinks I give to an emotionally charged woman."

"I'm not emotionally charged!" Rayna shrieked, slapping his knee. Liam answered her by gesturing to her unmannerly pass at him.

"Ok, maybe a little emotional." She agreed.

"Either that or your drunk." He lightly nudged her shoulder.

"Either that or yes, I am drunk."

Shifting so that they sat closer Liam looked at her seriously.

"This whole Teddy cheating thing, is that all that's wrong with you? I mean I know that you know things between you and Teddy haven't been smooth sailing at the moment…and you kind of seem a little more edgy than normal."

Rayna rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink.

"Why does it even matter?"

"Because it does."

"No it doesn't Liam. Just leave it."

"Clearly, I've hit a nerve." Liam breathed as he took her glass off her, setting it on the table.

"Give me that back." She pushed past him to get the drink and he stopped her.

"You've had enough." He said smoothly.

"Two seconds ago you said you weren't in the habit of taking away women's drinks…"

"Two seconds ago you weren't looking at me as if I was the enemy."

"What? I'm not looking at-"

"-You kind of are."

Rayna lay her head on her arms and began to cry. She wasn't sure if it was because she was feeling dark and twisted inside or if it was the after effects of having 4 too many drinks.

"Why is everything so damn hard?" She whimpered.

"You're kind of giving me nothing to work with. What are we talking about?"

"Life, music, careers, tours, marriage, Deac…" She stopped herself mid sentence.

"Deacon? What does he have to do with anything?"

"I didn't say that."

"Is this about Deacon choosing to take the Revel Kings offer to tour instead of coming with you?"

"I fired him remember? So there wasn't an offer from me for him to choose." Rayna joked, bitterness in her voice. "…Not everything about Deacon and I is about music." She choked.

"What's it about then?" He tilted his head as he looked at the crying mess sitting next to him.

"It's about…everythi…everything about him…It's so much more…you know, he keeps telling me I settled…and right now...all I can think about is him…Liam, all I can think about is Deacon." She buried her head further into the safety of her arms.

Choosing to leave the comments alone, they sat in silence for a while.

"For what it's worth, Teddy is crazy for ever looking at another woman…especially Peggy." He said sincerely, trying to avoid bringing Deacon back into conversation. Rayna was a little woozy and didn't quite register what Liam had said. She lifted her head and looked at him curiously.

"You're sexy Rayna. Don't forget that. He's crazy if he doesn't see that." He assured her, eyes wild.

"…Alright you're saying that because, you Mr are drunk." She giggled.

Liam didn't see his compliment as funny. Not giving her time to recover he promptly leant over and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Rayna didn't have time to respond because Deacon came crashing through the door.

"What the hell is going on?!" Deacon yelled.

Rayna and Liam instantly jumped away from one another. Both frazzled and painfully embarrassed. Rayna furthered herself from the situation, standing up and walking backwards as she shook her head.

"Deacon it's not wha-" she choked out before he cut her off.

"-The hell it's not!..." Deacon shouted.

"We were just..just." Rayna started, wiping her mouth.

Deacon looked around and smelt the alcohol in the air.

"Ray, are you…are you drunk?" Deacon fumed, trying to get a hold on the situation.

"No!" Rayna hiccupped.

"You're drunk Rayna." Deacon stated.

Rayna shook her head, guilt written all over her face.

"Seriously? Liam you're a piece of work getting her wasted the night before the tour starts. Classy. Can't even let her decide if she wants to be here with you without using alcohol."

"Deacon, I wanted to be here!" Rayna exclaimed, although she was sure that Deacon hadn't heard her because his eyes where fixed on Liam.

"Hey! I was just helping." Liam raised his hands in surrender.

"Helping. By sticking your tongue down her throat." Deacon scoffed.

"Well it's more than you've done lately." Liam smirked.

Rayna saw the fire ignite in Deacon's eyes as Liam spoke and she threw herself between both men. There was not going to be a fight tonight. She couldn't deal with anything like that happening. Out of all the people to have walked in, it had to be Deacon. Rayna shook her head as she thought how she'd clearly gotten herself into a hopeless situation.

"Deacon no! Pleas-" She yelled as she raised her hands out to him.

"-You're an idiot. You touch her again…I swear..." He spat at Liam over Rayna's shoulder as she pushed against him, trying to stop him from launching an attack.

"You'll wha-" Liam began.

"Shush it. Y'all need to stop." Rayna cut in on both of them, causing silence to fill the room. Finally Deacon spoke.

"Ray, get your things, I'm driving you home."

"Deacon I don't need to be driven home. I'm fine, honestly." She replied, failing to steady herself.

"I could drive you or you could call Teddy and ask him to pick you up looking like this." He offered, looking her up and down.

Mortified she let her eyes stray in Liam's direction to say goodbye before slowly walking out of the room.

"You touch her again and I swear I will come for you…" Deacon threatened Liam now that Rayna had left the room.

"It was just a kiss." Liam defended.

"She's married! She has a husband." Deacon said with his voice low.

"And that's never stopped you before?"

"I've never-"

"But you've wanted to… You've got her all confused you know? She was rambling about you tonight…how she is always thinking about you." Liam coaxed as he walked over to Deacon.

This caught Deacon off guard as he stepped backwards towards the door, curiosity written all over his face.

"Forget it." Liam shook his head, letting out a small laugh.

"Stay away from her!" Deacon breathed, storming out of the room. He turned the corner to see Rayna wide-eyed and red faced.

"How much of that did you hear?" Deacon asked, avoiding her eyes as he walked past her.

"Enough." She replied uneasily, struggling to catch up to him as he flew out the exit doors.