Gus would feel right at home here in the backwoods of somewhere, Tennessee. I'm surrounded by worn-in baseball caps, thick southern twangs and cheap beer. Dozens of people have brought fold-up chairs to sprawl around the camp area in and a massive campfire sits at the center. Everyone has a red cup, yeti or a bottle of beer in their hand and some guy has his truck doors open, blaring country music from his sound system. Chase keeps me close by him as he introduces me to some of his pals, some from the military and some from places around Tullahoma. I've managed to fib about me visiting Chase from Nashville and that I work as a cocktail waitress at some bar there. Chase slipped me a name when people got curious as to which bar and I just went along with whatever he said. As I move through the groups, I notice girls are casual with jeans and t-shirts covered in blingy rhinestones. It isn't until we move further away from his truck that I notice there is one girl that stands out from them all.

A leggy brunette with wavy hair that cascades down to her waist has heads turning as I watch her, as if in slow motion, cross the campsite and head straight for Chase. Her gazelle-like legs look tan against her white mini skirt and her black cotton top doesn't cover much of anything. She smiles a gorgeous plump lip smile when she gets within steps of Chase and suddenly Chase rocks on his heels and glances in my direction. I watch the gazelle eye me and she suddenly blurts out, "Who's this?" She frowns while she eyes me but Chase puts his hands up.

"This is a friend of Ryan's from Nashville." I watch her scowl turn into confusion and I give her a slight smile, "Hi, I'm Annabeth."

Chase nods, "Yes, uh Annabeth here, was just passing through town and Ryan asked me to put her up for a couple nights." The bombshell is looking at me like she's trying to picture where she's seen me before and Chase looks like he's gonna vomit. She flits her hazel eyes back to Chase and says, "I need a drink." He nods and I understood by her tone that she meant for her and Chase to go get something while I awkwardly stand there alone. I watch them walk over to the keg and they both glance back to me a few times while they walk. I realized after they are across the camp, that she never gave me her name. He also didn't introduce her as his girlfriend. But who knows?

I decide I can't take my gurgling stomach any longer so I march over to the people surrounding the grill. As soon as I get over there, three guys offer to help me make a plate.

"What's your name darlin'? I ain't ever seen you round these parts." The guy with a charming baby face asks me and I smile to him as I reply, "I'm Annabeth, I'm just here visiting a friend." He nods as he pulls a paper plate from a large stack while the guy to his left looks to me and says, "I'm Ty and that's Brenner." He reaches out to shake my hand and then asks, "What can I get you? Burger, brat, brisket?" I look to the grill and then to the long picnic table covered in food and reply, "Brisket." He smiles to me and I watch as he whips up the best brisket and coleslaw sandwich I have ever seen. I add potato salad, macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob onto my plate and I haven't been this happy to eat I don't think ever. I walk closer to the fire and another guy pops up from his folding chair and offers me a place to sit down. Brenner drops onto the picnic table bench next to me and I have a few too many eyes watching me while I eat. I glance around the campfire and catch nasty looks from girls standing by oogling guys, so I try to ignore them all by stuffing my face. My mother would be mortified if she saw how I was eating in front of strangers, but I don't wipe the sauce off of my face or fingers.

After devouring my sandwich, Brenner looks to me and asks, "So which friend did you come with? Who you stayin' with?" I finally wipe all the barbecue from my face and fingers as I reply, "I'm staying with Chase Hart. Do y'all know him?" I watch Brenner roll his eyes and mutter, "Figures," and a few other people nod their heads. One girl with a blunt blonde bob looks over to me and asks, "Ain't Chase datin Essie?" I shrug my shoulders, "I'm not sure. I know Chase from back in the day. We're not like...that." The announcement that I am not romantically linked to Chase has a few of the guys interested and Brenner suddenly scoots forward in his chair. He readjusts his baseball cap over his short chestnut-colored curls and asks, "So where you from?" I see I have an eager audience so I reply, "Mississippi." I catch my mistake and try to backpedal quickly, "Originally from Mississippi but now I'm in Nashville." Another guy in a bright green John Deer sweatshirt replies, "I got cousins in 'ssippi. What town?" I hesitate a moment knowing I shouldn't say Hollis, so I blurt out the first city that comes to mind hoping it's not the same one his cousins are from.

"Oxford. It's northern Mississippi." He snaps his fingers, "Aw, my cousins live in Granville, it's south." I smile and am thankful I didn't have to make up any stories about Oxford. I pick up my fork to stab at my potato salad when Brenner asks, "So, how long you in Tullahoma?" I look back to the group around me before looking to him and replying, "Just a couple days. I just popped in to say hello to Chase." They nod and suddenly I'm uncomfortable with all the attention. Everyone's eyes are on the stranger and I'm afraid I'm not going to lie quickly enough if they keep asking me questions. I've already made one mistake; I don't need people catching me on my inconsistent stories. I suddenly look up from my plate, "Imma go get me a drink. Be right back."

Brenner leaps to his feet and says, "Nah, I'll get ya one. What you want?" I glance over to the area where the keg is and look back to him.

"I'll go. I'm not sure what's all over there. But thanks Brenner." I leave my plate in my chair, hoping it's not rude to save my spot and stride over to the designated drink area. I notice there are a few coolers full of beer and White Claws next to a large silver keg and I spot another cooler full of sugary alcoholic drinks. I pull a margarita in a can out of the ice and when I spin around, I'm startled by Essie standing right in front of me. I put my hand to my chest as she says, "Didn't mean to startle ya." She gives me a wry grin that tells me she's not going to let me go back to my plate without a hassle. She looks me over and then asks, "So, Chase says you're a friend of Ryan's?" I nod while popping the top of my can open. She's so close to me that I can smell the flowery, sweet perfume she's doused herself in.

"How is Ryan?" She asks with a little less attitude and I reply, "He's good. How do you know Ryan?" I ask her but she looks confused. She glances over her shoulder before looking back to me, "Chase said you knew Ryan from Nashville." I nod, going along with Chase's fib.

"Yeah, I've known the Harts for years. Old friends." But she still looks confused.

"If you knew Ryan from Nashville, how do you not know how I know Ryan? I'm Essie...Essie Davis," she says trying to clarify but I've never heard her name. I'm not sure if I should lie and pretend I know her, or be honest and say I have no idea who she is. She catches my hesitation and huffs in response. She folds her arms across her ample chest and says, "You don't know the Harts. If you did, you'd know who I am. I'm going to find out why you and Chase are in cahoots and when I do, so help me you better be back to whatever hick town you crawled out of. You're not welcome here and you're not welcome in Chase's house. Stay away from him, he's not available." She spins on her heel and I watch as she marches off to the other side of the fire. I'm surprised she doesn't catch on fire as she passes the flames from all the perfume on her. A girl standing next to the keg, who witnessed the whole confrontation, looks to me and says, "If I was you, I'd stay away from Chase. You don't want to mess with Essie."

Stunned, I look back to the girl and reply, "I don't even want Chase." The girl giggles and snorts before saying, "Yeah okay, I don't either." She winks to me while laughing like we are in on the same joke, but I don't bother convincing her that I really don't want Chase Hart.

I guzzle half of my margarita down and then make it back over to my plate. Brenner looks to me and in a lower voice says, "Don't let Essie scare you." I stare at him in confusion, wondering how he heard anything over the loud music and he catches my stare, "Oh, Essie just came storming through here murmuring something about you." I nod, now understanding how he knows and I say, "I don't know why she freaked out on me. Chase and I are just friends. And to be honest, I'm not even good friends with him. I know his brother Ryan." I bite my lip wondering if I just said too much but then Brenner says, "Essie is drama. Ignore her." I nod in agreement to his honest words and then hope I don't have to deal with Essie much while I'm here. Hopefully she won't come charging into Chase's house and throw all of my stuff onto the lawn. I glance off to where Essie stormed off and catch her and Chase now kissing by a tree, partially hidden in the darkness. He rubs her shoulder and I'm convinced she's an overly dramatic girlfriend who assumes every girl wants her man.

A song I recognize comes over the truck speakers and I flick my head to Brenner, "Do you know how to two-step?" I ask and he quickly stands and extends his hand out to me. He leads me over to the truck and I put my hand on his shoulder. He respectfully holds his hand in the middle of my back and he starts leading me around the open space.

He moves gracefully and luckily, I never once step on his feet. I laugh as he spins me and we start moving faster towards the end of the song. He swings me out and in and when I'm back in his arms I notice we now have an audience. A few other girls get their guys to swing them around before the song is over and we all clap when the song ends. Brenner lifts his hat to me, thanking me for the dance but a redhead quickly pulls my arm toward her before I am able to reply. With a smile she asks, "Do you know how to line dance?" I shrug in response.

"Kinda, I can usually pick it up if someone else leads." She goes and pulls two more girls that were standing around the table into our dance area and she quickly puts us into a line. I watch her simple footwork as she teaches us the line dance and we have all managed to pick it up by the middle of the song. We move in a square around the flat dirt patch while gaining an audience. A few more people jump into the repeated stomping and kicking motions and when I spin around to face the trees, I catch Essie and Chase emerging from the shadows. He smiles to me when he sees me and then his eyes go down to my tapping foot. I continue thrusting my heel out and spin around so I'm not facing him anymore. I don't need Essie to come and pull my hair out for smiling back at him.

When the song ends, I'm hot and sweaty and no longer enjoying the blazing fire in front of me. I pull my jean jacket off, tie it around my waist and walk back to the cooler to grab a refreshment. I'm steps away from the keg when I see Chase discreetly nod toward the woods. He looks around him and I roll my eyes before following him behind a tree. He rests his arm above his head onto the wide tree trunk before quietly saying, "Hey, so uh Essie wants to get out of here but I obviously can't tote you around so, I'm gonna see if Brenner can drive ya back to the base. Cool?"

In pure shock I snap, "What? You're going to leave me with a stranger so you can go off with Essie? Why? Just drop me off at the base and then head out to go do whatever with her."

Still smiling he replies, "Yeah, I can't do that because she doesn't want you in my truck. She thinks I'm trying to make her jealous with you."

"Why would she think that?" I ask.

"That's too long a story for tonight," he replies with an annoyed frown. I shake my head and dart away from him. Essie spots me coming out from behind the tree so I march right over to her.

"You're ridiculous. Trust me when I tell you I don't want a damn thing from your boyfriend. For your information, I'm dating his brother, so get over yourself."

I watch her face fall in shock as she gasps, "Wait, you're Ryan's girlfriend?" I raise my eyebrows and pop my "Yep," loudly. Chase is now next to me and Essie snaps her stare over to him, "You should have told me!" She looks upset as she spins on her heel and strides off across the campsite. I catch Chase's frustrated eye before he stalks off after her. I call out, "Can I get a ride now?" Suddenly, Brenner is next to me and tells me, "Girl, I'll take you anywhere you needa go." I smile at his offer but nicely decline it. It's only moments later that Chase comes striding back over to me and without a smile, he says, "Let's go."