Mister Cheatham County

~Twenty Three~

Several Hours Later

So far, Ryan, Scarlett, and Taylor were halfway to Tennessee. Scarlett and Taylor had no idea where they were, but even though he's only made the drive a few times, Ryan knew where they were. With the third row of seating and one of the three seats in the second row down, Bane, Duke, and Malachi were able to roam around in that space. On a number of occasions, each of the dogs made their way to the very front of the vehicle where Ryan and Scarlett sat to give them several slobbery kisses. At one point in their drive, both Bane and Malachi, one after the other, tried to get into the front seat with Scarlett to sit on her lap, and everyone had to try to fight with them to get them back.

Taylor was sat in the second row of seating, stretched out with her feet on the headrest of the seat that was put down, sound asleep, with Duke asleep with his head on her legs. Ryan was awake, alert, and driving with his hand on Scarlett's thigh, while she sat slightly lounged back in the passenger seat with her right legs tucked under her left and her hand on top of Ryan's. She looked out the window at the roadside nature, comfortable in the silence that filled the vehicle. The only noise to be heard was the music that quietly played through the vehicle's speakers and the roaring of the tires on the asphalt beneath them. He lightly squeezed her thigh, pulling her attention from the lightly snow-covered trees that passed by. When she looked over at him, he glanced over at her with a smile on his face.

"You okay honey?" she asked, running her hand up and down his outstretched, hoodie-covered arm.

"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry for bugging you, I honestly thought you were asleep." He replied with a sweet smile.

"Nope, still awake. I was just looking at how beautiful the trees look with the little bit of snow there is on 'em."

"It's really pretty through here in the winter, but not as pretty as you."

"That was a little corny but really cute."

"What can I say, corny is my middle name. If you think this is nice, wait until you see the ranch when we get there. Momma told me they got a little bit of snow the other day and the only thing it's still on is all the pine trees behind the house."

"You telling me that makes me so glad I brought my camera to take pictures."

"Miss Emery, secret photographer, huh?"

"I wouldn't say secret. It's just something I like to do in my free time. I've done a few photoshoots for people, and I've always done my family portraits, but nothing more than that."

"Well, secret to me because I'm just now learning about this. Wait, hold on, you took that huge family portrait that hangs on the wall in your living room?"

"Guilty as charged. Any photo that's framed in that house was taken by me."

"You mean to tell me you're that good of a photographer and you see it as no big deal?!" he exclaimed.

"I keep asking her the same damn question. She could make damn good money with pictures like that." Taylor said, waking up from her nap.

"Shit, I'm sorry Tay. I got excited. I didn't mean to wake you." He apologized.

"You're good, I was already kinda awake. Duke's dreaming and he keeps kicking my leg."

"It really isn't a big deal you guys. I'm not all that good, and it's just something I do in my free time, which anymore, I don't really have any of." Scarlett explained.
"You could make a whole second living off your photography Scar. Half the pictures you take, you take them without even trying hard. You put no effort at all into your photography and the pictures still come out badass."