Cowboy Casanova

Chapter 9

TIM POV: "Well that didn't go as well as you thought it would..." Says my publicist behind me. 

"Leave me alone, Paul." I say.

"She'll come around." 

"Oh yeah... totally." I say sarcastically. 

We walk towards the stage. A group of tech guys surround me, hooking me up with various wireless cords before I go on stage. My nerves are through the roof. It doesn't help that I'm thinking about Faith like crazy....

The band starts to play my new single right as I hit the stage, leaving no time for introductions. God, I hope this nervousness chills out. 

"Spent forty-eight dollars last night at the county fair. I throwed out my shoulder, but I won her that teddy bear. She's got me saying sugar-pie, honey, darlin', and dear. I ain't seen the braves play a game all year. I'm gonna get fired, if I don't get some sleep. My long lost buddies say I'm gettin' in to deep... But I like it, I love it, I want some more of it. I try so hard, I can't rise about it. Don't know what it is 'bout that little gal's lovin', but I like it, I love it, I want some more of it." I sing. The crowd screams through the enitre song, but their screams aren't loud enough to distract me from Faith. I think of what song it supposed to be next. 

"Okay, change of plans. I'm gonna sing a song I wrote a few years back called When She Wakes Up. It's a slow song, but it's one of my favorites. So here it is!" I say. I could sing yankee-doodle and the crowd wouldn't care. Fame has its perks.

"With a trembling pen in hand I try the best I can to write all the reasons I can't stay. And I hope she'll understand, I can't leave her like a man, 'cause a man would never leave her this way." I sing. I look over towards the side of the stage to see Faith standing there staring at me... This can either explain everything, or make her even more pissed off at me. Our eyes lock for a few quick seconds before I walk towards the edge of the stage. I continue to sing hesitantly.

"A note of things I should've said lays beside her sleeping head as I turn and make my way off in the night. By the time the morning's breaking, my heart will still be aching every time I think of what I've left behind ." I look back to see her looking at me with a sad expression on her face. This could be a good thing.

"'Cause I don't want to see me leaving in her eyes, and I can't stand to watch her watch me make her cry. I don't know a right way I can do her wrong, so I don't want to be here in the morning, when she wakes up and finds me gone." I sing. A tear runs down her cheek. I decide to end the song there, knowing that she gets the point. The crowd cheers and the band gets the que to stop. 

"Guys, can you all give me a hand in welcoming back out, my opener and friend, Faith Hill." I say, reaching out a hand. Faith looks shocked for only a second as she walks onto stage. "We are gonna sing a song for y'all tonight. Sound good?" The crowd replies with a massive roar as Faith lets out a smile. I begin to whisper in her ear. "Nobody Knows It But Me?" I recommend for songs. We used to sing along to it when we were together. I mean, we were only a thing for two weeks...  

"Sure." She replies. The band starts playing and I start singing.

"Nobody knows it but me, like a clown I put on a show. The pain is real even if nobody knows, I'm dying inside and nobody knows it but me." We harmonize. I look over at her while I'm singing to have my breath taken away. She's stunning. She looks back at me and flashes a little smile. I'm guessing she's forgiving me.