YOU WANNA BE MY BABY?

SCOTT HADN'T STAYED THE NIGHT, and Kennedy appreciated that. While she wasn't opposed to an overly physical relationship — because god, just look at Scott — she thought it was sweet that after spending a good hour together talking and stealing kisses, he led himself back to his own motel room. And him being considerate of how she was treated in her relationship with Tyler made her like Scott all the more.

So, when the next morning came, she donned her heeled cowboy boots and put on her strawberry-flavored lip gloss before meeting Tyler at the truck just five minutes before everyone else arrived, determined not to let anyone, not even Tyler Owens, bring her down.

And Kennedy's good mood was not only noticeable but infectious.

Everyone on the crew, despite having to be up disgustingly early, which would normally put them in bad moods, was happy simply because she was. She sang along to the radio and even started a Live on Instagram without Dani having to tell her where she was all too happy to answer questions with Boone while Tyler drove them to the truck stop. And her smile was blinding as she greeted the fans waiting for them, handing out hugs and cheek kisses and autographs without feeling overwhelmed.

And then what she'd been waiting all morning for arrived.

The fleet of white StormPAR cars. Javi's was at the front of the line, and as he and Scott drove past, Kennedy had to bite her tongue hard to keep from grinning as the rest of her crew groaned.

"Ain't there anywhere else in Oklahoma they can go to?" Dani complained.

"I mean, the outbreak is here," Kennedy said with an amused smile. She couldn't even fake being annoyed with how good her mood was. "Come on. Don't let 'em get on our nerves today. It's gonna be a great day. I just know it."

"I like when you're like this," Boone said, bumping his shoulder into hers. "All perky and happy. You've been kinda quiet this last week."

"I think I was just in some kinda funk," she said, lying easily. And it was so hard not to let her eyes slide to Scott when she heard him get out of his truck, already talking to Javi. "But I think I'm out of it."

"Good to hear," Dexter said. "I need my assistant right as rain if we're gonna make Dexter's Science Segment."

Just that morning, while answering questions, one fan asked if there could be more content with Dexter explaining the science behind the storms, and he thought that was a brilliant idea. Already, he was coming up with lectures and experiments to try, and he wanted Kennedy to help him out.

"Well, I can't wait to learn to make a tornado in a bottle," she told him, grinning brightly. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Scott walking into the gas station. "Hey, I'm gonna grab a slushie. Y'all need anything?"

Most everyone was good, but Tyler wanted a bottle of sweet tea. And she was all too happy to get it so long as no one followed her into the store, giving her a moment alone with Scott.

The man was standing in front of the Icee machine, staring intently with his arms crossed. He was waiting for her but tried to make it look like he was just having a hard time deciding. Though he didn't look at her when she came to stand next to him, all the tension in his broad shoulders faded away.

"Morning, Scott," she greeted softly, eyes on his handsome features as he finally took his sunglasses off and set those blue eyes on her.

"Morning, Sweetheart," he murmured, keeping his voice down. "What flavor do you want today?"

"Cherry. What about you?"

"Blue raspberry," he informed her before grabbing two cups.

She thought it was incredibly kind of him to fix hers first before making his own. She took it gratefully, already sipping from the straw without paying.

"It's on me," he told her. "And if Dani has a problem with that, she can come to me."

"Well, I'm supposed to get a tea for Tyler," she said with a frown. "Don't think you wanna buy that too."

"Not particularly," he said, not bothering to hide the disdain in his voice as he walked her over to the drink section. She grabbed his tea before following Scott to the register.

Thankfully, neither of their crews walked in to see the transaction, and then they walked out of the store together, Scott keeping a respectable distance from her.

"Hey, Scott?" Kennedy asked him, slowly backing away from him and toward her crew.

"Yeah?"

"Meet me behind the store in five minutes?" she asked with a smirk, eyes on his lips that were already stained blue.

Scott couldn't help but grin at her and nod. "Yes, ma'am."

☁︎

By the dumpster wasn't the most romantic of places to meet, but no one came around the back of the store, so it was a perfect place for Scott to push Kennedy up against the wall. She grabbed the back of his white StormPAR shirt, neither caring that she was wrinkling it as she whimpered into his mouth.

They both knew it was dangerous, doing this when not only Tyler and their crews were around the corner but countless fans that would have her head if they thought she was cheating on Tyler. But Kennedy didn't care so long as it meant Scott kept rolling his tongue slowly against hers with his hands tight on her sides, keeping her close.

When they had to part for air, Scott pressed his forehead to hers, so thankful that she was wearing her boots so that he didn't have to lean down even more to reach her.

"When Owens kisses you today," he said in a raspy tone. "Promise me you'll be thinking about this. About me."

Kennedy cupped his cheek, loving that he leaned into her touch. "I'll be wishing every touch was yours."

And she found that she meant it, which was so shocking. Just days ago, before the crash, she'd been so desperate for every single kiss and touch from Tyler even though it didn't mean anything to him. But now, that familiar craving was dying out if not gone entirely already.

She wanted Scott. He was the one she wanted to be chasing with. The one whose hand she wanted on her thigh. She wanted to dance with him at the bars and make him laugh so that she could see that beautiful smile. She didn't want to hear Tyler going on about storms — she wanted to hear Scott's alluring voice explaining the engineering side of things to her.

"We're all going to the bar again tonight," Scott told her, frowning a bit. Because he couldn't be with Kennedy at the bar. All he'd be able to do if she showed up was steal longing glances. But he supposed that was enough.

For now, at least.

"I'm sure I could convince my lot to come along," she said, knowing there was no way any of her crew would let her go to the bar with the StormPAR workers there on her own. Then she frowned. "But Ty gets kind of handsy when he's drunk."

"Then don't come," he said quickly, that the last thing he wanted. "I'll get away from Javi. Could grab a pizza? Meet you at your room?"

"I like the sound of that," she murmured with a smile. "I like Hawaiian."

Scott scrunched his face up. "That's disgusting."

Kennedy gasped and smacked his chest before laughing. "Is not! It's delicious."

"If you say so," he muttered before smiling, loving the sound of her laugh. "I should get back in there."

"Me too," she said with a sad smile.

Hating the sight of it, Scott swooped in and kissed it from her lips. She sighed happily into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck once more.

He was making it incredibly hard to pull away, but she managed, only to blush and laugh nervously as his tongue darted out to lick his lips.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Our tongues are purple," she admitted before sticking her own out, which she imagined was the same mix of the red and blue slushie dye.

Scott laughed and then cupped her cheeks, bringing her into another kiss, both smiling into it as their teeth bumped clumsily.

"Scott," she murmured against his mouth. "We gotta go, Baby."

He groaned and closed his eyes. "Baby," he repeated, liking how it sounded directed at him. And jealousy flowed through him, knowing that's what she called Tyler. "Don't call Owens that. I know you have to do everything else, but please, Sweetheart."

Kennedy smiled softly, running her hands through the hairs at the base of his neck, just past where his ball cap stopped. "You wanna be my baby?" she asked teasingly.

"You know I do," he said weakly, eyes on hers.

"Then I won't ever call him that again," she promised in a gentle tone, knowing she owed Scott at least that one thing given how he'd have to watch Tyler paw at her all day. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Tonight," Scott nodded. "Just me, you, and your disgusting pizza toppings."

☁︎

"You're in a good mood today," Tyler noted as he leaned against the side of the truck where Kennedy was standing. They'd already caught two storms that day, and the two of them were waiting for the others to come back with lunch, which they'd eat in the field they'd parked in.

"I am," she said, smiling at him.

"Got an occasion?" he asked curiously. He was expecting her to be miserable around him without others watching. 

"Not really," she shrugged while lying. "Can't just be in a good mood?"

"Of course, you can," Tyler said softly. Then he smiled at her charmingly. "And it's good to see you smile — a real one. I can tell, you know? When you fake it — it don't reach your eyes."

"Didn't think you cared all that much so long as it was a smile on camera," Kennedy told him, wrapping her arms around herself in a hug.

"Of course, I still care about you, baby," he sighed. "This - this ain't about me not wanting you anymore, you know that? Right?"

"Sure," she mumbled. "You wanna find yourself. Whatever that means. And you can't do that with me in your life."

"But I don't want you out of my life either," he told her. "I mean, I know what we're doing is hard, but you being out of my life all at once would've been even worse. At least this way, we can ease out of things. Make it not hurt as much."

"You think this doesn't hurt me?" she asked, biting her lip as her eyes watered. God, only Tyler could take her perfect day and ruin it. Then she shook her head. "You think still getting to kiss you knowing it's not real to you doesn't hurt? That it's not killing me?"

"Maybe I can - I can make it more real for you," he said, coming closer. Then he looked over his shoulder, hearing the music coming from the Caravan as it appeared on the horizon. "Like I said — it ain't about not wanting you anymore. Let me come by your room tonight. Let me show you how much I still want you, baby."

Kennedy looked over Tyler's shoulder, seeing their friends get closer and closer. She'd once again have to put it on for them — she'd have to pretend like Tyler was her whole world even though that didn't feel so true anymore.

"Sorry, I can't tonight," she told him, taking a step away. "I'll be too busy finding myself."