Another Day in Nashville

I put on my shoes and walked over to Rich's. Before I could ring the bell, Rich answered "Well there you are! I thought maybe you got lost." he teased

"In the five feet from my yard to your's?" I joked back

Rich laughed "Sass me again Donahue and you'll regret it."

"Oh what are you gunna do to me, Cluner?" I giggled

"Probably nothing." Rich laughed back, "Jesus, Neal! Are you done getting ready?"

James came down the steps in a nicer shirt than before and jeans. His hair was slicked back and his glasses had been replaced with contacts, "Yeah...oh. Hey!" he said smiling at me

"Hey." I smiled back

Rich looked from James and then back to me before grinning, "Well this is interesting."

"What?" I asked

"Yeah, Dickie. What?"

"Oh nothing." Rich laughed "Now come on you two. We have to pick up Chelsea."

"So, Rich?" I started as we piled into Rich's SUV "Is Chelsea a serious girl or a one-nighter girl?"

James snickered from the seat beside me and Rich shot a glare back at us, "She's...I don't know what she is right now, Donahue."

"I'm just teasing, Cluner." I smiled

"Yeah, yeah. I know." he replied pulling out of the driveway

"You look nice." James whispered to me

"Thanks. So do you." I smiled

"Thanks for coming with me. Dickie wouldn't let me stay at home so you saved me from an awkward dinner with him and his 'friend'." James laughed

"Oh no problem. I kinda want to get to know you."

"Oh?"

"I've heard a lot about you." I admitted

James' cheeks reddened, "You have? From Dickie? Or..."

"Uh no. The girls I work with at the salon and on the sports news."

"Oh...what do they say about me?"

"Well the girls talk about how good looking you are and your awesome hair. The sports news said you're a great goal scorer."

James laughed running his fingers through his brunette locks, "Oh yeah? Awesome hair?"

I laughed, "Yeah that's what they say."

Rich cleared his throat, "Excuse me lovebirds, but we are at the restaurant."

James blushed again and I narrowed my eyes, "We were just talking, Richie."

Rich laughed, "I was just teasing you, Donahue. Now come on, you two. Oh, Chelsea. This is Nealer, the roommate and Donahue, the neighbor."

I sighed, "I'm Emilee. Richie likes to call me by my last name."

"I'm James." James laughed

"Hi! Nice meeting you both." Chelsea smiled following Rich into the restaurant.

"Well, let's go." I said as James and I headed into the restaurant.
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We had ordered our food and we all in a nice conversation. James and Rich were telling us stories about when they used to play in Iowa together. "We had a lot of fun times." Rich laughed

"Yeah, lots of good times and many more to come." James added

"So you guys ready for training camp to start next week?" I asked

"Oh yeah! Lot's of new guys ready to get things going." Rich said with a laugh

James nodded, "Yeah ready to start with my new team."

"So, Chelsea. What do you do?" I asked

"Oh, I work at Whole Foods." she smiled

"Oh nice. I go there sometimes."

"I know. I think I've seen you." Chelsea laughed

"Probably." just then, our food arrived and the conversation died down. After diner, Rich took James and I back to our places and left with Chelsea. "That was fun." I smiled

"Yeah. The steak was good."

"Right?" I laughed

James smiled at me, with his hand in his jean pockets, "So...what are you doing for the rest of the night?"

"Oh, I gotta get some cleaning and what not done." I replied

"Sounds like fun." James laughed

"Thanks for taking me out."

"No problem."

"Have a good night." I said walking towards my door.

"Wait." James said walking over to me, "I didn't get your number." he said pulling an iPhone from his pocket.

I smiled "615-924-3307."

"Alright, cool. Have a good night." James smiled jogging back across the yards and heading inside Rich's.

Notes