Free Bird - Morgan Wallen

Twenty Two

Only Thing That's Gone - Morgan Wallen (feat. Chris Stapleton)

Morgan pulls up to her house around one, like promised, and knocks on the door. Dani gasps and pulls away from Michael, rushing to get dressed in her infamous thin-strapped, red sundress and sandals, she pulls her hair up into a bun and races downstairs. "Hey!" She smiles, her face flushed and sweaty.

"Hey. Ready?" He asks, peeking around her into the house, frowning when he sees a clothes halfway down the steps and on the kitchen floor.

"Yeah, I just gotta grab my purse." She turns and waves to Michael before shutting the door behind her. "Where're we goin'?"

"Charsey's."

+++

"So what have you been up to?" Dani asks him when they sit down.

"Been busy with writin' songs and stuff." He says as he takes a sip of coffee. "What about you?"

"Been busy cleaning out the house, selling some stuff that I can't keep."

"Stuff like what?"

"Fishing rods, furniture, table saws, some college stuff, a 30-point buck-"

"You're sellin' the buck!?"

"I have no use for it." She shrugs. "Michael said he'd buy it from me." Morgan crosses his arms and actually pouts. "What? Look, I don't care who gets the buck, I just don't want it in the house anymore." His jaw drops. "It always creeped me out! Those eyes follow me, I swear!"

"I'll talk to Hardy." Morgan says, his arms still crossed. "Anythin else you were thinkin' 'bout sellin'?"

"I'd have to go through everything. You and Michael can help me, if y'all want." She sips her chocolate milk. "I found a big box full of old pictures my dad had of everyone."

"I'd love to see those." He smiles, picking apart his napkin. "How 'bout when I drop you off we can go through all that?"

"Sounds good." She smiles her dimpled grin.

+++

The couple sit and talk for hours, a lot of laughing happens. "C'mon." Morgan stands and holds his hand out for her to take and she does, following him out to his truck. He drives them back to her dads house, parking between her Bronco and Hardy's Jeep. "Can't wait to see what all he had."

"Yeah." She smiles, swinging the door open. "Hardy! We're back!" She drops her purse on the table next to the door, kicking her sandals off. "C'mon." She takes Morgan's hand and leads him to the basement. "I'll go get Michael." Morgan goes downstairs as Dani goes upstairs. "Michael?"

"Yeah?" He calls from his bedroom and she opens the door. "Back for more?" He teases from his spot on the bed, tucking his arm behind his head.

"No, Morgan's here and he's going to take that buck if you're not downstairs in one minute." She clicks her tongue and joins Morgan in the basement.

"There's so much cool shit down here, baby!" Morgan smiles as he opens the lid to another box. "So much Vols stuff."

"Yeah, he went there and played football for 'em."

"What!? Why didn't I know that!?" He runs his hand over a jersey. "Number 16, huh?"

"That's why he worked so hard to help me with tuition." She sighs as she sits on the steps.

"There's no way in hell that you're takin' my trophy buck." Hardy shouts as he comes down the stairs.

"Oh you can have it, Mike." Morgan smiles, looking at the boxes and boxes of cool vintage things. "By all means, help yourself to the buck."