Opening the front door, I stood in amazement looking at the sight before me.

"Wow," I said, unable to contain my reaction. TJ wore a light green dress that had short sleeves and stopped halfway down her thigh, allowing her long legs to be on display. However, what really caught my attention wasn't her outfit. It was her glow. "You look amazing."

Her cheeks flushed with a slight tint of pink. "Thanks. You're not too bad yourself," TJ said, pointing to my button shirt and dark pants.

I cleared my throat, breaking the awkward silence. "Come in."

She nodded her head, staying quiet as she stepped inside. Had any spectators been around, they would have assumed the two of us had never interacted with each other before, considering how timid we were both being.

I placed my hand on the small on her back, leading her further into the house. "Did you do something different with your hair?"

Her blush appeared again. "Uh, yeah. Well, not me. Considering we can't afford a lot right now, Hank is thinking of hiring his niece to be our stylist, hairdresser and makeup artist. So, she was, uh, trying some stuff out."

"It looks good on you."

TJ smiled, averting her eyes from mine.

"Now, I'm sorry your first date had to be here instead of a nice restaurant," I said as we reached the back door, "But, I promise you're about to have the best dinner of your life."

I glanced down to catch TJ's reaction as we stepped outside. A table for two was set in the middle of the garden, covered with a white table cloth; candles and a vase of flowers were placed in the centre. I had noticed TJ seemed to like this spot earlier in the morning.

TJ looked up. "You did all of this?"

Giving a short nod in response, I led her towards the table, pulled out her chair, and motioned for her to sit down. "I'll be right back," I told her before quickly heading back inside the house.

Entering the kitchen, I added a finishing touch of garnish to the food. I glanced over the plates once more, ensuring everything looked presentable. As I made my way back outside, I placed the food down in front of her before taking my own seat.

"You made this?" TJ asked, pointing to her plate.

I nodded. "Why? Do you not like it?"

"No, I do. It's my favourite, actually. How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," I lied with a nonchalant shrug.

It was not luck that helped me ensure I made her favourite dish. It was Weston. After dropping TJ off at her house earlier in the day, Weston had sent me a message thanking me for my help. I wasn't sure what I was necessarily being thanked for, but I took it as an opportunity to learn what TJ's favourite meal to have for dinner was. Pasta with alfredo sauce and chicken. It was something that Silas's mom had made them as kids and had always been her favourite dish. Weston ensured that he would keep our exchange private, and it appeared that he had followed through with his end of the deal.

Motioning to the wine bottle sitting in the ice bucket, I asked, "Did you want a drink? I wasn't sure if-"

"Yes."

Acknowledging her quick response, I filled both of our glasses. Silence fell upon the two of us as we began eating. I had begun thinking I had gone too far. The table set up, the food. Maybe it was too much. I could only imagine what was going through her head; none of my assumptions eased my nerves.

TJ abruptly put her fork down and reached for her wine, quickly draining the liquid in a fast motion. She licked her lips, tapping her fingers against the glass. "I'm sorry if I'm being weird, or quiet, or whatever..." she paused, "I guess I'm just nervous."

Refilling her wine glass, I reached my hand forward, placing it over top of hers. "There's nothing to be nervous about. I mean, for starters we already know each other. So that removes the awkward part of a first date."

"I guess. But, don't people normally talk a lot on a first date?" Her teeth pulled on her bottom lip. "After everything from this morning, I think I've maxed out on my yearly talking allowance."

"Well, let's just keep it simple and light then." Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I thought for a moment. "How about we play that questions game again? You know, the one we played in the studio the first time we were alone together. There's still a lot we don't know about each other, TJ."

"Like what?"

"What's your favourite colour?"

TJ rolled her eyes. "Seriously?" The corner of her lips twisted up, "Blue."

"See, now I know something else about you! Was that so hard?" I gently teased. "Now you go..."

"I know! I'm trying to think!" She tapped her fingers against the table. "Dogs or cats?"

"Dogs. I've only ever had a dog, though, so there's some bias."

TJ reached for her wine glass. "I like dogs, too."

"What's your favourite movie?"

"Wizard of Oz."

"Really?" I replied with a tad more surprise in my voice than I had intended.

"I watched it all the time as a kid. I'm pretty sure it was the only thing we had on VHS." She smiled, "I even had a stuffed dog I named Toto."

"I would've expected you to like something... darker?"

"Guess I'm just full of surprises." She took a sip from her glass. "What does Ryan actually do for you?"

I let out a laugh hearing her question. "Officially he's my assistant. In reality, he's my friend from back home. All he really does is remind me of any meetings I have." And keep track of my whereabouts. "After I left the band, I had to make some changes with those who were around me. I didn't need an assistant or want one, for that matter. But, Ryan needed a job and wanted a reason to move out of our small town... so here we are."

"Why did you have to make changes?"

I thought about ignoring her question, given the technicality of it being my turn. However, her spark of interest stopped me from doing so. Even if the question was one that I was not ready to answer.

"I realized the people around me didn't want the best for me." I paused, thinking carefully about what my next words would be, "Some just wanted the perks that came with this lifestyle. They didn't care how that affected my well-being or happiness."

"Are you happy now?"

A smile crossed my lips. "Very."

There was a slight tinge of guilt that grew inside me. TJ had exposed something vulnerable to me, something that she clearly held onto tightly, less than ten hours ago. And yet, there were still many areas that I couldn't bring myself to talk about. Not just with her, but with anyone who didn't already know.

"I think it's your turn now."

Reaching for my glass, I took a large sip of wine to calm my thoughts. "If you were driving in the car right now, going on a road trip by yourself, what would your go-to song be?"

TJ shrugged. "I don't know."

"You've never just gone for a drive yourself? Not even a short one to clear your head?"

She shook her head. "I can't drive."

"Ah, well, that explains it," I chuckled, "You never wanted to learn?"

"No." She replied shortly, "What was your last relationship like?"

"With Elosie?" I tried to think of what I could say, as there was so little to choose from. "It... Well, to be honest, it was fake. Well, I guess arranged would be the better word. My management thought it would be a smart move for me."

"Your management made you get into a fake relationship? Why?"

"There were some issues they weren't happy with." I took another sip of wine. "Elle was just starting her acting career and so our teams thought it was a good match. She got publicity and a better narrative of me was put out into the press."

"What kind of issues?"

The guilt quickly resurfaced. I took a deep breath, doing my best to gather my thoughts and contrive an appropriate answer. "I was getting caught up in the lifestyle and partied too much. That's not what management saw as a good image for our demographic."

"Was it weird being in a fake relationship?"

"Yeah," I admitted, unable to hold back a quiet laugh. "She and I got along fine. And, there were genuine feelings between us. But, at the end of the day, I just couldn't forget that we signed a contract. There was a written document about our relationship agreement. No matter how I tried to think about it, it just left me with a weird feeling."

TJ chewed on a mouthful of food, before bluntly saying, "That does sound fucking weird to have in a relationship."

I smiled to myself at her response. Wanting to move on from the current conversation, I asked, "What was your first impression of me?"

TJ appeared to be holding back a laugh. "You really want to know?"

Leaning forward, I nodded. "Now I really want to know. Was it that bad?"

"I thought you were going to be some typical LA douchebag who somehow stumbled into the wrong bar." TJ had made it quite evident that she was more than willing to share her honest opinion. "Which was confusing because then later at the party, you looked like a deer caught in the headlights."

"Oh, come on. I wasn't that bad."

"Carter, I touched your leg and you turned beet red."

"Yeah, well, you-"

"Have a way with words?"

I grinned. "Yes. You have a way with words." If having a way with words included talking about how her boyfriend thought we wanted to fuck each other.

"Then," she continued, "When you came by the bar and asked me to help you write, I thought, wow, this guy will come up with any excuse to get laid. Surprisingly, I was wrong about that. And, I like to think I'm not wrong about many things."

"What changed your mind?"

TJ pointed towards the garage. "Hearing you talk in there."

Raising my glass to my mouth, I wondered what I could have possibly said that night that would have changed her opinion. Besides, it wasn't like-

"Plus when we got back from the bar, you turned down my pretty obvious invitation to fuck."

I choked on my wine, hearing her blunt statement.

TJ, amused by my reaction, added, "Well, I guess I do have a way with words."

I began to wonder what would have happened between us if we had slept together that night. Would she have trusted me enough to open up about her mom? Would she even be here having dinner with me? Or, would having slept together that night only confirm her suspicion that I only wanted one thing from her. TJ was attractive, there was no denying that about her. However, the reason I asked for her help only had to do with her talent. To be honest, it was nice to hear that her opinion of me changed that night in my garage. Because my intrigue for her definitely grew.

"What's your family like?"

Her question pulled me from my thoughts, yet instantly filled me with worry over how to answer. After what she told me this morning, I was worried giving my family some type of glowing review may come across poorly.

"No wait," TJ quickly added. "Let me see if I get it right. There's your dad Simon... your mom's name is Mary..." she continued, "Aiden, your older brother... And your niece..." She paused, biting her lower lip. "No, don't tell me. I'll get it," her finger tapped against the table. "Aurora!" TJ shouted excitedly, slamming her hand against the table. "Right? Am I right?"

Charmed by her antics, I nodded my head. "Yeah, that's everyone. I have to say, I'm surprised you remembered them all."

"Hey. I listen." She propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "So, come on, tell me. What are they like?"

"Well, I was born and raised in a small town just outside of Seattle and my entire family still lives there." I cleared my throat. "My parents have been together for..." I paused, calculating it in my head. "Thirty-two years. They've been through their fair share of troubles but they're still as strong as ever. My dad owns an auto-repair shop in town but he got hurt a few years ago, so my brother runs most of the day-to-day stuff. Rory's six now. She's a cute kid. Apparently, she's into dance these days. My mom used to have a bunch of part-time jobs to help pay the bills, but I send enough money back home so they don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. Now she just spends her days baking or watching Rory for my brother."

"What about Rory's mom? Is she not around?"

"Uh, no," I said, "She skipped out of town a few months after Rory was born."

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

"Don't worry. Shit happens, right?"

TJ reached her hand out, placing it on top of mine, and gently squeezed. "Do you get to see them a lot?"

"Not nearly as much as I'd like to," I confessed, "But, I'm hoping I'll get some time before the album drops to do a quick visit. Oh, that reminds me! I wanted to show you something. Hold tight." Quickly rising from my spot, I hurried inside without another word. My eyes darted around the space until I spotted the item on the countertop. "Here it is," I announced as I walked back to the table.

TJ took the item from me, looking puzzled. "You brought out..." she opened it, "An empty CD case?"

"Look on the back."

TJ flipped it over, her eyes scanning the back of the case. "Is this your tracklist?"

I nodded. "Not the finished product. Look below that."

"The writing credits?" She asked. "I don't get it."

I leaned forward and pointed to one of the names.

"Jay Eltern?" Her eyes met mine. "I still don't get it. Am I supposed to know who that is?"

"It's an anagram for your name. I know you said before that you didn't want your name on the song and I know that was before everyone, you know, found out about you. But, I still wanted to give you credit." I paused, noticing her silence as her eyes went back down to the CD. "If you don't like it, it's okay. I can take it off-"

"No," TJ quickly interjected, lifting her head. "No, I do. I just- I don't really know what to say. Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome." I let my eyes fall to the CD, as she placed it on the table. "I know it's not much. But, as I said, I still wanted to give you credit and-"

"Carter."

"Hmm?"

TJ had leaned closer, placing her hand on the inside of my thigh. I could feel my skin burning with heat, just like I had on the first night. "Thank you," she repeated, her lips gently brushing against mine. Without waiting for a second longer, she closed the minimal distance between us. The kiss, although brief, left us both in a slight daze. We normally didn't kiss to express a quick sign of affection.

"What do we do next?"

Hearing her question caused my curiosity to grow. How much further could I push her out of her comfort zone? The bar appeared to be set low, considering simple conversation already pushed the boundaries. I rose to my feet, extending my hand.

"What are we doing?" TJ placed her hand in mine and got up from her seat.

"Dance with me."

She scoffed, raising a suspicious brow. "I don't dance."

"I'll teach you," I said, leading us further onto the grass.

TJ reluctantly followed. "There's no music playing."

Turning to face her, I shifted the hand that held hers, allowing our fingers to intertwine.

"Well, it's a good thing we're both singers," I softly teased. "I'm sure we can figure something out."

My other hand snaked around her waist, resting on the small of her back. I stepped forward, keeping our bodies close.

"Put your hand on my shoulder."

To my surprise, TJ silently followed my instruction and rested her hand delicately on my shoulder. That moment quickly passed, as I could feel the material of my shirt begin to gather under her grip.

"Relax," my voice whispered. "This won't kill you."

"I know," she quietly replied. "I just don't know what I'm doing."

"Just step to the side," our bodies glided, "And back." I gently hummed, guiding her to the beat. Our feet repeated the same steps as we moved along the grass in unison. "Keep your eyes on me," I whispered. "I can't be that unattractive not to look at."

TJ lifted her head. "I just want to make sure I'm not stepping on your feet."

"You won't."

With each step, the tension that once radiated from her posture began to slowly dim. As her emerald eyes focused on mine, it felt as if everything else around us began to dissolve. Something caused my chest to form a tight knot and my mouth to suddenly run dry. Maybe it was the smile that tugged on her lips, or the faint tint of pink spreading across her cheeks. Whatever it was, I knew it felt oddly right.

"It's not so bad, is it?"

She did her best to hold back a smile. "No, it's not."

Getting distracted by her beauty, I had forgotten to continue humming a song to guide us to. Instead, we continued to dance in perfect silence without any issue. I raised the arm that was holding her hand and spun her around. As she moved, the sweetness of her laughter filled my ears.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught the attention of both of us. Jeff stood near the backdoor, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sorry to interrupt," he announced. "Carter, may I speak with you for a moment? Privately."

TJ instantly took a step back, removing her hand from mine. She glanced back. "I'll just take the dishes inside," she said, quickly walking towards the table before I had the chance to respond.

I watched as she made her way towards the back door, dishes in hand with her head hanging low as she passed Jeff and headed inside.

Jeff walked towards where I stood. "So this is why you didn't show up tonight?"

"Show up–" I cut myself off. "Oh."

"You blew off a huge meeting tonight to do this?" Jeff held up the bottle of wine from the table. "You've got to be kidding, Carter. Do you realize you have the biggest project of your career releasing soon? And you can't even give me a heads up that you won't be attending tonight?"

"Jeff, I'm sorry I just –"

"Just what? Forgot?" Crossing his arms over his chest, he let out a frustrated sigh. "Ever since that girl showed up, you've been in another world. I thought we agreed she wouldn't be a problem."

"She's not! I-"

"I thought you wanted this album," he continued, ignoring my comment. "I thought you wanted to continue with this. You promised me that you were ready to take it seriously."

"I am. I just-"

"Then start acting like it, Carter. You cannot blow off meetings with the head of the record company to play house. Got it?"

I nodded.

Jeff gestured to the bottle. "I thought you had taken care of this."

My head hung low. "I have."

"Did you..." His voice trailed off. He didn't need to finish his sentence. I knew exactly what he was referring to by the concerned look in his eye.

"No," I told him firmly, shaking my head.

"What does she know?"

"Nothing." At least I was able to answer that question honestly.

He nodded his head in approval, looking quickly back towards the house. "Carter, you know I hate to be the bad guy, but I want what's best for you. And what's best for you includes proving to everyone that you can handle an album right now. That you can put out the best album of the year. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." His stern expression finally softened. "Now, be ready for nine tomorrow morning. You will be fully focused this week, alright?"

I nodded once again, staying silent as Jeff turned to leave. I hung back, wanting to give myself a second to collect my thoughts. As I looked towards the house, I noticed Jeff was still inside, appearing to be in a conversation with TJ. While I saw his mouth moving, hers didn't. Instead, she stood with her head down, avoiding any eye contact with the man. It wasn't like her to stand there timidly while someone spoke to her.

Walking into the house just as Jeff disappeared, I asked, "What was that about?"

TJ forced a smile. "What?"

"You and Jeff."

She shrugged her shoulders. "He was just asking me if we had a nice night."

Unconvinced by her answer, I persisted, "Was that it?"

TJ walked around the island, wrapping her arms around my neck. "He also asked if you were a good cook."

"And what did you say?"

"I said you were a great cook and an even better dancer."

"Good answer."

Something felt wrong. Yet, I couldn't pinpoint what it exactly was. Maybe it was just in the way she was acting or trying to convince me that their exchange had nothing abnormal to it. As much as I appreciated Jeff, he wasn't the type to exchange pleasantries with someone he thought was hurting my career.

I could tell she wasn't telling me the truth, or at least, the entire truth. But, I knew better than to ruin a perfectly good night.

"Now, tell me," she whispered, letting her devious smirk appear, "What's for dessert?"

ugh fluff. gross.

pls vote to help me recover from writing this fluff-ing mess