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Tori Lynn's morning had consisted of cleaning up Richie's apartment. Then cleaning up James apartment. She taken care of all the food and stuff left in the apartment so that it would be clean when he came home. She had gathered up what dirty clothes were scattered between James and Richie's apartment and had washed them at Richie's. She had loaded her favorite guitars, a fiddle, and a mandolin into James' Rover. She had to be at band practice in about a half hour. She had checked both apartment doors before she left.

Colby was standing beside his truck when she parked the Rover. He smirked at her and came to help her carry in the instruments. "I guess hanging with the Preds has benefits." he teased. Colby was helped her carry the instruments in. Red called his hellos as they came to the stage. Brian was busy writing a set list for them. All and All it was business as usual. "What no response?" asked Colby.

"Nealer didn't want my instruments to get wet so he told me to drive the Rover. Plus I have a half dozen errands to run for him while they are gone for 2 weeks." she explained.

"Bullshit" said Colby "But that's okay. So what about the one you were with all last night?"

"Stalking my instagram" asked Tori Lynn.

"I may have added you last night. I really was just interested to see if you had any music on there. But instead I find you and a rather hot Swedish guy." he answered.

"Wait you think Calle is hot?" she asked. He nodded. Tori Lynn started laughing. "It's a hockey thing."

"Yeah well let's keep this between me and you. I don't need your hockey boys being upset that your guitar player thinks they are cute."

"They wouldn't care. Richie would probably try and fix you up with a few people." replied Tori Lynn. "But if you want to come to a game with me I can probably drag you along."

"If it's not a night we play I am there." he replied.

"Y'all done jawin' and ready to sing" asked Brian. He handed them the set list. It was ambitious since they had been together less than a week. But Tori Lynn could handle it and she was pretty sure Colby could too. Colby looked over her should at the list. If they could pull this off it would be a good show.

"Alright" said Tori Lynn "Let's get this started." She was glad the opening set just had her on guitar. She had time to get settled into a rhythm. The band launched into "Makes You Wanna Drink" by Tyler Farr. It went smoothly. Brian said he was happy with it. The second song was for Tori Lynn she played and sang Little Red Wagon flawlessly. Third song was again for Colby with Tori Lynn playing the guitar. They slowed things down with the fourth song "Play It Again." The fifth song of the set "Dixieland Delight". It went great and Tori Lynn's fiddle was strong throughout. The sixth song was duet "Your Side of the Bed." The final song of the set was "Bartender". They ran through the set a few times. Brian was thrilled with their progress.

"People are gonna come to this damn bar to hear you two when word gets out."

"Don't get ahead of yourself" said Colby. Tori Lynn had her back to the bar and was facing Colby when his eyes got as big as saucers. She heard him say holy fuck under his breath. Tori Lynn turned and saw Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood walking into the dingy bar. They were headed towards the stage.

"Is that holy fuck because of him or her" teased Tori Lynn.

"Both" said Colby "Definitely both."

"Hey Tori Lynn" called Carrie "I have a present for ya."

Tori Lynn came over to the edge of the stage "A present for me." she asked. Fisher nodded.

"I've lugged this damn thing all over half of damned Nashville." said Fisher

Carrie was all smiles a Fish sat the beat up guitar case down on the stage. Carrie gave him a kiss. "Wanna go get a beer while I talk to Tori Lynn." Mike nodded and headed to the bar.

"Hey Dusty" called Tori Lynn "Whatever Fisher wants is on me." Fisher laughed and yelled back "No it's not."

"They never let anyone pay for anything" shrugged Carrie "Even if I do make more than him." Carrie sat down on the edge of the stage. "I hope it's the right one. A drunken James Neal is a little hard to follow."

"What has Neal done now?" exclaimed Tori Lynn. Carrie started laughing. She smiled at Tori Lynn.

"I have a feeling that will be a question you will be asking yourself the rest of your life" replied Carrie.

"It's not like that" said Tori Lynn.

"Sure it's not" She laughed."Open the case Tori Lynn." Carrie was struggling to contain her excitement. Tori Lynn was staring at the case like it might be full of snakes. Fisher came back over to the girls and laughed.

"She is excited. Tori Lynn is half afraid. Open the thing I'm not sure her being this tore up is good for the baby." said Fisher taking a drink of his beer "I promise nothing in there will hurt you."

Tori Lynn laughed. Colby flopped down beside Tori Lynn. He was interested in the case but was more interested looking at Carrie. "Carrie Underwood this is Colby James, my band mate." Carrie smiled at Colby. Tori Lynn opened the guitar case and stared at the instrument inside. She was looking at but never touched it.

"If it's not the right one we can take it back" said Carrie "All Neal gave me to go on was a 20's or 30's Dobro."

"No it's perfect" said Tori Lynn. She picked up the vintage 1930's Regal squareneck Dobro. "It's beautiful."

"It looks beat to hell" said Fisher. Carrie gave him a look that would have killed a non nhler.

"It's not beat to hell. It's been played over the last 80 years" replied Tori Lynn "What was Neal thinking?"

"That he royally fucked up" said Fisher. Carrie pointed at Colby "Take him and go do something at the bar." Colby was on his feet trying to figure out how he was going to drag Mike Fisher to the bar. When he shrugged his shoulders and followed Colby. Colby was relieved but now what was he going to do with Fisher.

"Any chance you know anything about hockey or fishing?" asked Fisher still drinking his beer.

"Nope and nothing about NASCAR or hunting either" replied Colby "But Tori Lynn has offered to teach me about hockey." Mike just nodded.

"I'll be back in the line up in a few weeks" Mike replied "You and Tori Lynn can come and sit in the box with Carrie." Colby just stared at him.

"With Carrie Underwood" he replied.

"Yep" said Mike "I figure you aren't any threat to her. Might be a threat to Jos if I am reading things right."

"No clue who Jos is" said Colby "But your wife ain't my type. But she is an amazing talent."

"Yep" said Fisher "You can hang out in the box." Fisher held his phone up "That's Jos." Colby's eyes got wide. "Put the googley eyes away. He's straight but the entire Swedish Mafia is pretty according to Carrie."

"So I can ogle your teammates but not your wife." said Colby

"Damn straight" said Fisher taking a drink of his beer.

"What gave it away?" asked Colby draining his drink.

"Your eyes never left her face." said Fisher "I usually want to beat guys when the meet Carrie. You I like."

Carrie was sitting on the stage with Tori Lynn who was still looking at the guitar. Carrie wasn't sure if Tori Lynn was happy or not. "So am I taking that thing back or are you gonna play it" asked Carrie.

"I just don't understand" replied Tori Lynn "Why he thought he needed to do this."

"I don't think he thought he needed to do anything." answered Carrie "He was watching you with Calle the other night. He was half crazy and half drunk. He didn't really know what to do. I was afraid it was all going south. Then he asked if I knew what a Dobro was. It was a very strange conversation involving Curtis Loew."


Tori Lynn laughed "I made him listen to the Ballad of Curtis Loew. He likes the way blues guitars sound. But he doesn't have a clue why. We were talking about it when he drove me home the other day."

"All that in the time it take to get from this bar to the apartment." she asked.

"No he drove me to Kentucky home." answered Tori Lynn "So I made it my mission to musically educate him."

"You drug the boy all the way to Kentucky" said Carrie "James the Real Deal Neal in rural Kentucky. He acted like Nashville was backwoods USA."

"He had a good time" said Tori Lynn "He survived Mamaw. I took him to Dinosaur World." Tori Lynn showed Carrie the pictures they had taken on the trip. She laughed at the shenanigans.

"I actually made them stop the bus on my first tour to take a pic of the T-Rex." said Carrie "I didn't realize that there were bunches of dinos. Maybe baby Fisher will be into dinos. So after dragging him around the bluegrass state you wake up to his crazy ex."

"Yep" said Tori Lynn working with the Dobro. She had laid it across her lap and was just playing with it. "It sounds in tune."

"I had the guy tune it" said Carrie "Back to Neal no changing the subject."

Tori Lynn laughed. "What about Neal?"

"So do you want to be with him or do you really like Jarnkrok."

"I really like Calle but I am not sure it's romantic like." said Tori Lynn "But with Neal... I don't want to be with the Real Deal. I can tolerate Nealer but I prefer when he is just Jamie."

"I think you are stuck with his multi-faceted personality. " teased Carrie "I totally get the larger than life deal. You should hear Randa talk about Blake. But you have to take the good with the very very bad."

"Second time in two days I've been given that advice" said Tori Lynn.

"Maybe you should listen" said Carrie "For what it's worth Neal even drunk was able to tell me about the Dobro. Now play the damn thing."

Tori Lynn was laughing again. She was really starting to like Carrie. She hoped the rest of the WAGS were just as nice but was worried that the back and forth between Calle and Neal would leave a bad first impression.

Tori Lynn focused on the Dobro. Colby and Fisher had came back over to the stage since it was obvious that Tori Lynn was going to play the Dobro.

"What the hell is so special about that thing?" asked Fisher looking at Colby

"It's a very old Dobro. Steel lap guitar." explained Colby "I wouldn't want to guess what it's worth."
"About $3000 with all the crap Carrie bought with it. I have no idea there was case, a strap, things that go on your fingers, and some kind of gift card. And I am about a grand lighter as well because apparently baby Fisher needs his own first guitar." replied Fisher then his eyes got huge "Fuck. You can't say a word or she will kill me."

"About the guitar. No worries. Baby Fisher needs it's own guitar." said Colby "Any questions?"

"Good man" Fisher said as he clapped Colby on the shoulder "You can definitely hang in the box and if you keep your mouth shut I will take you down to the locker room to ogle the boys."

Tori Lynn was watching the exchange between Colby and Fisher she wasn't sure what was going on but they had quickly became friends.

"Can you play that thing Tori Lynn" asked Fisher "Or did he buy you a paperweight?"

Tori Lynn began playing the Dobro. Fisher was impressed that he knew the song immediately. She was playing "House of the Rising Sun." He listened as she sang along as she played. He paid very little attention to the music people around Carrie but he recognized talent.

"She is really something eh?" said Fisher nudging Carrie. She grabbed his hand.

"She is special" said Carrie "I am going to keep her."

"Care she isn't a puppy." replied Fisher.

"I'm going to introduce her to Randa" said Carrie "And I think she is going to be your assistant."

"My assistant" asked Fisher "Why do I need an assistant?"

"Because I said so" replied Carrie "And with the baby coming you will have a ton of stuff to do and you will need help."

"Yes Ma'am" said Fisher leaning in kissing Carrie "So should I pack her to the truck or does she get an option?"

"Smartass" said Carrie kissing Fisher. Carrie looked at Colby "Alright now I want to hear you."

"So you want to hear me?" asked Colby incredulously. Fisher smacked him in the back of the head.

"Come on Colby" said Tori Lynn she placed the Dobro back in it's case and grabbed her guitar. "Too Fast." Tori Lynn started strumming the guitar. Colby finally relaxed and started singing. He made it through the entire song. Carrie was smiling at them.

"Now together" said Carrie.

"Babe" said Fisher "They are not yours to command."

"She is Carrie Underwood" said Brian "If she tells them to jump they damn well better jump."

"See he gets it" said Carrie laughing.

Tori Lynn and Colby were both laughing. They fired up the band. They launched into "Jackson". Then followed it up with "It's Your Love."

"I am keeping them both" said Carrie smiling at Fisher.

"Wrap them up" said Fisher looking at Brian.

"Smartass" said Carrie.

Carrie went up on stage with Colby and Tori Lynn. She was talking to them quietly. Fisher knew Carrie whispering was never good. Carrie was re-arranging the stage. She moved the microphones so that they face one another. She took the guitar away from Tori Lynn. She faced Colby and Tori Lynn with a third microphone. She motioned for the band to get ready.

"You better record this Mike Fisher" she called before she counted down. They sang "The Heart Don't Lie" together. Everyone in the bar was at rapt attention.

"Well hell" said Fisher "I guess we are keeping them." He sent the video to Neal.

Carrie bounced down from the stage. "Michael Fisher, we are hungry" she said her hand resting on her bump.

"No good can come of this" laughed Fisher to Tori Lynn and Colby who were flanking Carrie "And what do you all want to eat."

"Mexican" replied Carrie without hesitation.

Tori Lynn and Colby said their goodbyes. "Oh no you don't" said Fisher "She is all riled up you two are coming with. Load up in Neal's truck and follow us."

"We need to load my instruments and we will be there." said Tori Lynn.

"Give Mike your keys he and Colby can meet us there" replied Carrie.

"Yes milady" said Fisher stealing a kiss "Just do what she says Colby. Resistance is futile."

Carrie and Tori Lynn crawled into the Tahoe in the parking lot. Carried wheeled them out into traffic and headed towards a local Mexican restaurant. They made small talk on the way.

"So my understanding was you were going to be Cluner's assistant?" asked Carrie

"Yes, I was going to help Richie out and he was going to let me live with him. " replied Tori Lynn "Now I am living in his apartment by myself with Neal for a neighbor and Calle upstairs."

"Want one more hockey player to take care of?"

"Who?"

"Well with everything I have going on with the baby, my schedule, and Mike coming back to full health with the Preds I don't have time to do everything. So Mike needs an assistant."

"Did Neal or Clune put you up to this?" asked Tori Lynn

"No neither of them did" laughed Carrie "Shea said you managed to get Neal there and presentable this morning. He also said you aren't afraid of anyone or anything."

"What would Fish need?"

"Keep his schedule, make sure he is on time, coordinate our schedule, make sure he is here when the baby is born, get his suits cleaned, he may have some things he needs you to do, and I need you to hang out with him at the CMA's as my seat filler so he won't be alone all night" replied Carrie " We will pay you of course, you can do it around band practice, you can have use of my recording studio, and I will take care of the wardrobe stuff for the CMA's"

"I do some stuff for Rich still and I have things to do for Neal. I have to furniture shop for him and make sure his fridge is stocked and things like that. I promised Richie. Is that okay?"

"Yes, but please help me" said Carrie.

"I would love to."

"Oh and Colby has to come over to the studio when Randa is around I want her to hear you all. She loved the video of us doing "Something Bad."

"You're like a fairy godmother" said Tori Lynn

"I've been called worse" she snorted "We need queso" she motioned to her baby bump.

"Let's feed baby Fisher" said Tori Lynn "I guess making sure baby Fisher is a priority will be part of the gig."

Notes