#parker lewis: 004.

[syweston]

As Parker teased him and rocked her body into his a grin formed on the cowboy's lips and his arm wrapped around her so he could hold her closer. "What ego you talkin' 'bout? There's no ego here," his hand pressed to his own chest, then transferred to the park ranger's, "but here— that's a different story."

There was something special about having Parker in the stands watching every kick and roll of the massive bull that tried to toss Silas off and ruin his day. It was rhythmic, it was poetry in motion, but more importantly it was in incomparable thrill. Something that he'd dreamed about since he'd been a boy running around the ranch and traipsing along after his father and the hands when they'd go off to the rodeos.

Plenty of people cared about the heir and yet it was still different knowing that she'd been there. In support of him.

"Me," the bull rider answered with ease, this time they'd spent had left him with his guard down around her. Usually the man didn't like to be vulnerable, and with Parker here sharing in this experience and their entire week thus far it seemed the easiest thing to do. "I'm talkin' of gettin' sad." There was only one more day left and they'd be back to life as usual.

It was a sinking feeling.

"Not havin' dinner with you every night. Not seeing ya do your thing as ya get ready for the day. Not havin' ya with me in bed each night an' the next mornin'." A shrug of his thick shoulders displayed a bit of his defeat. "Makes me a bit sad."

There was much more than that but he couldn't go full on sap. They hadn't crossed that line, hadn't gotten close to talking about feelings. If there were any or if this was just fun. All he knew was that he didn't want it all to end, and that was a scary thing given that the last time he'd gotten that way about someone it had ended in horrible heartbreak.

A laugh left him at the mention of that restaurant and he shook his head as his doe eyes and grin met her when he looked down. "You're a glutton for punishment but we're tougher than that found, ain't we?" The arm still wrapped around her frame gently pulled her into him again. "I'm game. We deserve one more night of polishin' up, I think." Anything to see a smile on her face and to get more quality time with her, Sy was willing and happy to do it.

"Ya wanna eat early then the waterfront or ya wanna catch the waterfront as the sun goes down and then head over for dinner?"

This week with her had pulled out a side of him that had needed to be dusted off, but the ranger had made it an easy, thoughtless task. It felt like the beginning stages of dating and getting to know someone. Like this part of his life was full of promise all over again, and his chest ached to think this bubble would burst as they headed back to Colorado.

"I got a good rec on a place that serves some of the best oysters. Ya down for that?" The question had come out just before he'd put his beer to his lips and had a gulp of it. He absolutely loved how demanding she could be and how unabashed she was in this place. Pulled in and closer for a kiss, the cowboy's strong arm wrapped around her again and held the woman against him. The affection pressed to his lips was returned and his lips parted to welcome her hops tasting tongue.

When she pulled back the bull rider smiled, "it's one of my favorites on ya, too." Then he swooped in and stole her for another kiss. That time slightly lifting her off her feet and spinning them just a little into a spot that wasn't so visible as he went further for another taste of her. / @parkerlcwis

The park ranger had held onto a ticket slip for dear life as she'd boarded a plane from Providence Peak that touchdown in California where a sandy haired cowboy would be waiting for her. Sitting strapped into such a small space had driven the nervous pacer nearly insane. By the time they'd touched down, the nervous jitters had threatened to consume her whole, but the moment she saw him standing there with other waiting individuals looking to collect, it all faded away and was replaced with a happiness unlike any she'd ever known.

Everything after was pure bliss. She'd only hesitated when being asked to extend her visit for the sake of not seeming overly eager and a sore at the instead of her cheek was proof of how badly she'd wanted to immediately spew in agreement.

It was one week of adventure in every form, one of her favorites having been their poor attempt at a five star restaurant before cashing out and finding a hole in the wall that offered some of the best food she'd ever had. Even the nights locked behind the door of their hotel room had offered bouts of adventure.

Heart thudded out of time, the squeeze from his fingers jolting her back to reality. It wasn't hard to see that his legendary reputation had carried over into California. One sweep around the area and she was met with lingering gazes meant for the man at her side. Some looked envious, some pleased, while she couldn't quite read a few that were torn between a look of appreciation and indifference.

"People like you here as much as they do back home. No wonder your ego is so damn big," she teased, body rocking into his slightly as she fell out of step. She could see why some looked up to him while others loathed his very existence. The ache in her lungs was a reminder of the bated breath she'd danced on for eight seconds that felt more half of a lifetime. Somehow, jousting seemed tame by comparison to the wild bucks of the bull he'd drawn.

Disappointment doubled with every step. One more day of bubbled bliss and it was back to Providence Peak, back to the home she'd temporarily forgotten about. Was it wrong to want to linger a little longer when she had people waiting for her return? She glanced upwards, drinking in the features she now knew better than her own.

Eyes fluttered closed as she turned her head into his chest, accepting the soft press of his lips against hers. A low hum of disapproval sounded off, but was drowned out by the buzzing of everyone around them. One more week. All she wanted was one more week. Was that so much to ask for? "Who said anything about getting sad?" She pulled back, her dark orbs capturing his before abruptly shifting again. If she looked too long, her own gaze would give her away.

"I was thinking we could try that restaurant again. I've been thinking... there were a couple of things left that we might have enjoyed," she pitched beneath the guise of a hopeful smile that inevitably broke into laughter. However, if it meant getting a few extra days with him, she would have tried everything on the menu rather than hiding it away in a napkin. "I want to walk the waterfront again."

With a cold drink in one hand, the other curled into the front of his shirt as she broke what little distance had lied between them. "You like it? It's one of my favorites these days," she teased as she lifted onto her toes to press a firm kiss to his mouth. Grip tightened as her tongue swept over the barrier of his lips before she pulled back and wiped the smile off her mouth with a swig from her beer.

@syweston

[cardest]

Tennessee playlist

I’m going to Memphis! This is the mighty Tennessee - Memphis & Nashville playlist. You can’t tell the story of rock n roll without mentioning Memphis. Mississippi and Nashville, such a great history of music in this region. Chuck D hits things off with the ultimate introduction. Hit play here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1_X9nesbW37-9FNLiJWOQ1f

This playlist has it all. Soul, blues and rock n roll. We take a journey back to the beginning of country as well, with Nashville and finish up at Dollywood. Hope you dig it.

Tennessee - Mississippi - Arkansas

001 Henry Rollins & Chuck D - Rise Above 002 Clutch -  Devil & Me 003 Paul Simon - Graceland 004 Isaac Hayes - Memphis Trax 005 Scott Walker - Thats How I Got to Memphis 006 AC/DC - let there be rock 007 Johnny Cash -  Country Boy 008 Chuck Berry -  Back To Memphis 009 Jay Reatard - Gree, Money, Useless Children 010 Lukah - Black Dragon 011 King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew 012 Rosetta Howard & the Harlem Hamfats - Delta Bound 013 Nots - In Glass 014 Pere Ubu - Memphis 015 Loretta Lynn - The Pill 016 Howlin Wolf - Smokestack Lightnin 017 Rory Gallagher - The Mississippi Sheiks 018 Crime and the City Solution - Streets Of West Memphis 019 River City Tanlines - Met You Before 020 Johnny Cash - Going To Memphis 021 Al Green - Get Back Baby 022 Kim Salmon & The Surrealists - The Zipper 023 Booker T & the MG - Melting Pot 024 Pussycat - Mississippi 025 Boswell Sisters - Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On 026 Aretha Franklin   - Muddy Water 027 The Cramps - Garbageman 028 HASH REDACTOR - Good Sense 029 Optic Sink - Personified 030 Angry Angles - Blockhead 031 Big Star - Thirteen 032 Memphis Jug Band -  Going Back to Memphis 033 North Mississippi AllStars - K.C. Jones (On The Road Again) 034 Bass Drum Of Death -  Bad Reputation 035 Today Is the Day -  The Devil's Blood 036 Walk the Line Soundtrack- Get Rhythm 037 Jack White -  Temporary Ground 038 Jerry Lee Lewis - A Damn Good Country Song 039 The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Rumors 040 Saving Abel - Pine Mountain (The Dance of the Poor Proud Man) 041 The Oxford Circle - Foolish Woman 042 Bobbie Gentry - Greyhound Goin' Somewhere 043 Reigning Sound - A Little More Time 044 NINA SIMONE - MISSISSIPPI GODDAM! 045 Laurie Anderson - Hiawatha 046 Glen Campbell - Burning Bridges 047 Dolly Parton - Hillbilly Willy 048 Elvis Presley - Guitar Man 049 Blue Oyster Cult - Divine Wind 050 Sammy Hagar - Halfway To Memphis 051 Izzy Stradlin   - Memphis                       052 Johnny Cash -  Run Softly, Blue River 053 Iron Horse - Unchained 054 The Cramps - Human Fly 055 Faces - Memphis 056 Jack Oblivian - Rat City 057 The Cooters - Bustin' Loose 058 Mott the Hoople - All The Way From Memphis 059 Dusty Springfield -  Breakfast in Bed 060 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Tupelo 061 Chicago - Blues In The Night             062 Crossin Dixon - Guitar Slinger 063 Strummin' With The Devil - And the Cradle Will Rock 064 Stray Cats -  Can't Go Back to Memphis 065 Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 066 Suzi Quatro - Can't Trust Love 067 Lost Sounds - There's Nothing   068 Ike & Tina Turner ~ River Deep, Mountain High 069 Neil Diamond - Memphis Flyer 070 Julien Baker - hardline 071 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Memphis Soul Typecast 072 Isaac Hayes  - Groove-A-Thon 073 Otis Clay - Trying To Live My Life Without You 074 Tim McGraw - Don't Mention Memphis 075 Eric Burdon & War - Blues For Memphis Slim 076 Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Blues Train 077 Sweet Knives - I DON'T WANNA DIE 078 Cream - Four Until Late 079 Grateful Dead - Golden Road 080 Huey Lewis and the  NEWS - Function At The Junction 081 The Cramps - I Was A Teenage Werewolf 082 Jesse Winchester_ The Brand New Tennessee Waltz 083 Dorsey Burnette - Tall Oak Tree 084 Field Music - Time In Joy 085 Jay Reatard -  Blood Visions 086 The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women 087 Quintron & Miss Pussycat  - Block the comet 088 Al Green - Let's Stay Together 089 The Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives 090 Johnny Cash -  Tennessee Flat Top Box 091 Robert Pete Williams & Robert “Guitar" J. Welch - Mississippi Heavy Water Blues 092 MARY JAMES - MAKE THE DEVIL LEAVE ME ALONE 093 Ministry - Mississippi Queen 094 U.S. Bombs - Rocks in Memphis 095 Nazareth - Jet Lag 096 The Bar-Kays - Holy Ghost 097 Ty Segall - Despoiler Of Cadaver 098 His Hero Is Gone - Like Weeds 099 Jerry Lee Lewis - Memphis Beat 100 Generation X =  King Rocker 101 The Doobie Brothers - Wild Ride 102 Bad Company - Whiskey Bottle 103 Black Stone Cherry - When The Weight Comes Down 104 Buddy Miles - Memphis Train 105 Memphis Slim - Rockin' The House (Beer Drinkin' Woman) 106 David Clayton Thomas  - Wish The World Would Come to Memphis 107 Lost Sounds - Better Than Somethings 108 Alice Cooper - Ubangi Stomp 109 Tom Waits -  Don't Go Into The Barn 110 Hank Snow - Music Makin' Mama From Memphis 111 Phil Ochs - Heres to the State of Misssippi 112 Reigning Sound  - Your Love Is A Fine Thing 113 Pixies -  Letter to Memphis 114 Bob Dylan - Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again 115 The Colorblind James Experience - Considering A Move To Memphis 116 B.B.King - Rock Me Baby 117 Carla Thomas - B-A-B-Y 118 Aquarian Blood - A Love That Leads To War 119 Nights Like These - Scavenger's Daughter 120 Rufus Thomas - Walking the Dog 121 Clutch -  The House That Peterbilt 122 Lyal Strickland - O Arkansas 123 Don Bryant - How Do I Get There 124 The Sensational Barnes Brothers - Trying To Go Home 125 Squirrel Nut Zippers - Memphis Exorcism 126 Faster Pussycat - Tattoo 127 The Rolling Stones - Memphis Tennessee 128 Alcatrazz -  Sons And Lovers 129 Evil Army - Violence And War 130 Deep Purple - Somebody Stole My Guitar (Purpendicular 11) 131 Dwight Yoakam - Guitars, Cadillacs 132 UFO - Natural Thing 133 Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys - Tennessee 134 Confederate Railroad - Queen of Memphis 135 The Box Tops - The Letter 136 Jerry Lee Lewis - Night Train To Memphis 137 Reverend John Wilkins - Trouble 138 Phil Lynott - Kings Call (feat. Mark Knopfler) 139 Old Crow Medicine Show - Motel in Memphis 140 Candy Lee- Here in Arkansas 141 Pharoah Sanders - You've Got To Have Freedom 142 Molly Hatchet - Mississippi Moon Dog 143 Rwake - Crooked Rivers 144 CARL PERKINS & PAUL SIMON - A Mile Out Of Memphis 145 Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood 146 Al Green - Talk to me 147 Mush - Eat the Etiquette 148 PJ Harvey - Memphis 149 EX-CULT  - Clinical Study 150 Isaac Hayes  - Mans Temptation 151 Lil’ Jon & Eastside Boyz - Rep Yo City 152 Rufus Wainwright - Memphis Skyline 153 Stray Cats - 18 Miles to Memphis 154 Amasa Hines - Earth and Sky 155 Joe Henderson -  Back Road 156 Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash - Memphis Woman 157 Norma Jean - Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste 158 Fess Parker - Ballad of Davy Crockett 159 Assjack -  Redneck Ride 160 Brother Andy & His Big Damn Mouth - Social Lube 161 The Replacements - Alex Chilton 162 Ann Peebles - The handwriting is on the wall 163 The Highwaymen -  Big River 164 The Cult - Memphis Hip Shake 165 STEVE EARLE -  Hillbilly Highway 166 The BO-KEYS featuring OTIS CLAY -Got To Get Back 167 Rush - Tom Sawyer 168 Class Of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming - Birth Of Rock And Roll 169 Hank Williams Jr - Memphis Belle 170 Sam Moore & Dave Prater - Soul Man 171 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Bloc Bloc Bloc 172 Kenny Rogers & The First Edition  - Just Dropped In 173 Linda Heck - pictures of dead people 174 Carla Thomas - Sugar 175 Three Mafia 6 - Mystic Stylez 176 Osborne Brothers- Rocky Top 177 The Beverly Hillbillies Theme Song 178 Wilson Pickett - Barefootin' 179 Dolly Parton - Jolene 180 Charlie Daniels - long haired country boy 181 The Civil Wars - From This Valley 182 Jill Jack - Gettin' On In Memphis (The Elvis Song) 183 Huckleberry Finn and His Friends - Opening title 184 Dead Cross -  Skin of a Redneck 185 Johnny Cash - I Never Picked Cotton 186 Old Crow Medicine Show -  Wagon Wheel 187 Isaac Hayes  - That love feeling 188 Aretha Franklin - I say a little prayer 189 Little Milton - What Do You Do When You Love Somebody 190 Howlin' Wolf - Spoonful 191 Weird Al" Yankovic - Money For Nothing / Beverly Hillbillies 192 The Oblivians - I'll Be Gone 193 OT Sykes - Stone crush on you 194 The Mad Lads  - Come closer to me 195 The Box Tops - Choo Choo train 196 Bobby Blue Bland - dreamer 197 Wanda Jackson - Rip It Up 198 Junior Parker - Love Ain't Nothin' but a Business Goin' On 199 The Nightingales ft. Tommy Tate - Just a Little Overcome 200  The Louvin Brothers - Satan is real 201 Overture "Big River" - (1985 Original Broadway Cast) 202 Ike & Tina Turner - Shake 203 Playa Fly - fly shit 204 Adia Victoria - Different Kind Of Love 205 Grateful Dead - Tennessee Jed 206 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Backwoods 207 Otis Redding - Tennessee Waltz 208 Nashville Pussy - The Late Great USA 209 The Paperhead - The true poet 210 Tomahawk - South Paw 211 Night Beats - Her Cold Cold Heart 212 Forest of Tygers - human monster 213 LOSS - All Grows on Tears 214 Charlie McCoy - Wayfaring Stranger 215 Dick Stusso - Modern Music 216 Eddie Noack - Aint the Reaping Ever Done 217 Jason & the Scorchers - Greetings From Nashville   218 Jasmin Kaset and Quichenight - A Single Right Word 219  Gospel Keynotes - Give Me My Flowers 220   WEEN - Scrape the Mucus off My Brain 221 Shannon Shaw - Broke My Own 222 The Jesus Lizard - Blue Shot 223 Eddy Arnold    - Tennessee Stud 224 Clutch - Pure Rock Fury 225 Today Is The Day -  Who Is The Black Angel? 226 Hank Williams Jnr - Tennessee River 227 The Dead Weather -  Bone House 228  Every Mother's Nightmare - Long Haired Country Boy 229 Motley Crue - She goes down 230 Waylon Jennings - Tennessee 231 Dolly Parton - Down On Music Row 232 Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon - Lets Go Burn Ole Nashville Down 233 The Byrds - Nashville West 234 Sharon Van Etten - Every Time the Sun Comes Up 235 Bill Anderson ~ More Than A Bedroom Thing 236 Dottie West - Route 65 To Nashville 237 Intruder - The Martyr 238 Johnny Cash - Smiling Bill McCall 239 Lynard Skynyrd - Workin For MCA 240 The Everly Brothers  - Nashville Blues 241 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Elusive Dreams 242 Nashville Bluegrass Band - Im Gonna Love You 243 Ringo Starr - No-No Song 244 Hank Williams - Hey, Good Lookin' 245 The Lovin Spoonful - Nashville Cats 246 They Might Be Giants - James K. Polk 247 Commander Cody  -  Back To Tennessee 248 Wanda Jackson - Shakin' All Over 249 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Grand Ole Opry Song 250 Tomahawk - Flashback 251 Megadeth -  Dystopia 252 Dolly Parton -  Train, Train 253 The Clovers - One Mint Julep 254 Trampled By Turtles - Whiskey 255 Tom T. Hall - Nashville is a Groovy Little Town 256 Muddy Waters - I am the blues 257 Foo Fighters - Congregation 258 Pavement - Strings Of Nashville 259 Joe Ely - Tennessees Not The State Im In 260 Waylon Jennings - Nashville Bum 261 The Charmels - As Long As I Got You 262 Eve Maret - Do my thing 263 SABATON - 82nd All the Way 264 Halfway To Hazard - Welcome To Nashville 265 Nashville Pussy - Go Motherfucker Go 266 Indigo Girls - Nashville 267 Snarls - Walk In The Woods 268 Steeler - Cold Day in Hell 269 Strummin' With The Devil  - Jamies Cryin' 270 spazz gummo love theme 271 The Cramps - Cornfed Dames 272 Saxon -  Solid Ball Of Rock 273 Al Green - Tired of Being Alone 274 Soul Friction - It's Out Of My Hands 275 Today Is the Day - Wheelin' 276 Jackie Lynn - Odessa 277 The Jesus Lizard - Nub 278 Bully - Where To Start 279 Sonny Boy Williamson II - Lonesome Cabin 280 Tomahawk - God hates a coward 281 The Louvin Brothers - Knoxville Girl 282 Tom Waits - Jitterbug Boys 283 The Evil Dead Soundtrack  - Bridge Out 284 Wanda Jackson - Thunder On The Mountain 285 Elvis Presley - Where Do I Go From Here 286 Booker T & the MGs - Back Home 287 Ezra Furman & the Harpoons - American Highway 288 Joe Ely - dream camera 289 Assjack - Tennessee Driver 290 Nashville Pussy  - We Want A War 291 Dwight Yoakam - A Thousand Miles From Nowhere 292 Hank Williams, Jr. - Knoxville Courthouse Blues 293 ZZ Top - My Head's in Mississippi 294 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band -  Honky Tonkin' 295 Dead Weather - Die by the Drop 296 The Black Belles - What can I do 297 Dolly Parton  - Cowgirl And The Dandy 298 The Secret Sisters  - I've Got a Feeling 299 Justin Townes Earle - Aint Got No Money 300 Tomahawk - M.E.A.T 301 Jex Thoth - The Places You Walk 302 Bill Carter - Road To Nowhere 303 Bill Dees (Roy Orbison back vocals) - Tennesse Owns My Soul 304 Karen Elson  - The Ghost Who Walks 305 The Who - Whiskey Man 306 Hank Williams III - Crazed Country Rebel 307 The Lost Sounds - I Get Nervous 308 Big Star - September Gurls 309 ZZ Top - Whiskey n Mama 310 Johnny Cash - God's Gonna Cut You Down 666 Isaac Hayes - Hyperbolicsyllablecsesquedalymistic

Hit play: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1_X9nesbW37-9FNLiJWOQ1f

[syweston]

Something told Silas that California would never be the same for him once the Grand National came to a close. In his wildest dreams the cowboy hadn't anticipated that the fiery park ranger would take him up on the invitation to come watch him in what was possibly one of his last rides. Parker not only shared his bed that weekend and watched from the stands as he hung onto a raging bull for 8 seconds, but she accepted a gentle suggestion to stay on.

Why would she want to miss the women of rodeo? Girl power and all that.

It wasn't a hard sell, he'd found, but one that had filled the heir with feelings he was struggling to reign in. Especially since they were free to be nothing but themselves away from the eyes and judgements that came from their hometown.

They walked hand in hand through the staging area and marveled at the magnificent animals ready to go do their best for the women that would settle onto their back. "Ain't nothing like 'em," he commented and gently squeezed her fingers threaded with his own right back. These horses were top athletes. They were incredible and yet the bull rider who'd won a buckle the previous weekend could hardly keep his gaze off the woman at his side.

When he'd first gotten sight of that familiar flannel adorning the object of his affections that morning in the room before they'd left, there was no hiding his smirk nor his satisfaction. He'd tipped his head, hat, given some friendly smiles as they strolled. In this arena, Silas Kendrick was an absolute rockstar. Not just as a top bull rider, but as the heir in a famous ranching family that supplied cattle and bulls and horses along with funds for decades to rodeo.

Still, the prize wasn't his success the weekend prior. It was her. Getting closer to Parker.

"It's the Mexican rodeo tomorrow an' then yep this all comes to a close." It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if she wanted to give up her flight back home and ride with him as he drove back, but the words died before they could make it out. "Yeah," Silas agreed, "it's been a great time."

Finger pulled out of her grasp and his arm wrapped around her shoulders to pull her in tighter to his side. His lips met hers briefly. "We've still got tonight so don't get ahead of yourself an' get all sad." Then Sy pressed more affection to the side of her head, the top too. "You got any ideas for tonight?"

Doe eyes followed where the ranger had directed and a smirk settled on his lips. "I mean, I could always use a beer," he lightly jested and followed the redirection.

When they reached the end of the short line, that simper was still in place as a jest rolled off the cowboy's tongue— "did I tell ya how beautiful ya look today? The flannel really is somethin' else on ya." / @parkerlcwis

location — grand national, women of rodeo.

character — @syweston

One simple suggestion had turned into a weekend away b Providence Peak, had turned into an entire week of untouchable bliss. Sarcasm spilled freely, but so did the quiet sounds of happy hums of pleasure and low mutterings between lovers. For one week, it felt like that was what they were. It was the carefree time she'd been curious of, the kind forged between longing looks and calloused hands on her skin. For one week straight, she hadn't gone a day without either.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" She beamed at show horses as they were all being pampered within their own stalls. Some of their manes were braided, while others curtained naturally. Fingers tightened briefly between the gaps of the cowboy she'd been wrapped up in. Selfishly, she never wanted to go back to Colorado.

The flannel that had been rolled at the sleeves was the very one she'd taken from a couple of weeks earlier. His cologne had faded away from the material, but the memory of the night they'd shared within his tent would never fade away. "So, we have this and something tomorrow, right? Then after that, it's back home?"

A knowing smile curved at the corners of her mouth, disappointment hidden beneath the surface of her features. "I've had fun." More than fun — she couldn't remember the last time she'd been so happy.

"Hey, beer stand, two o'clock," she pointed out with a little nudge into his side to redirect their steps towards the short line. "Left hand feels empty. You thirsty, cowboy?"