howdy cowboy

                                                     It was always going to be a little awkward, and Jack didn’t know exactly why. It just seemed as if there were two of them in the run to occupy the same space. Jack couldn’t work out if that meant he still felt something for Tammie or not, or if he was being overly protective of his daughter. Maybe even a weird concoction of the two. He gave a disgruntled smile to the other male, taking the offered out hand with his own into a friendly greeting shake. “Jack. So Tam’s is just in bed letting you do all the hard work, huh?” he let out a playful chuckle, his eyes moving to the staircase and then back to the man. “Didn’t realise you were here, otherwise I woulda given a heads up before dropping by. I’ll uh, make a note to double check next time.” he shrugged casually, wandering over to Evie and engaging with her briefly. “You uh, stayed over?”

“Hm, if I was gonna ask I’d ask to wake up to ‘em outta uniform.” Tammie even shocked herself at her own words, biting her tongue and laughing softly. This was a family setting after all and she was sure if her mama overheard her it would bound to raise some questions and eyebrows. It was stupid really, the way Tammie had gone soft on someone all from a stupid overturn of her bike. But Carson just had the mysterious charm about him that got her right in the heart. She didn’t even believe men like him existed, like he was plucked straight from a country romance song. She smiled gently and looked at Evie as he spoke. “You say that now but wait ‘til she’s talkin, probably gonna have a bigger mouth than I do.” she laughed and then slowly slipped her hands to pry Evie into her arms. “I better get her down, actually. Otherwise there’s gonna be a lotta grumpy tears in the mornin’. You uh…gonna be around for…the countdown?” she questioned him, stumbling on her own words and looking to him with a flustered expression. “It’s fine if y’not. Don’t know why I asked, ignore me. Baby brain.”

17:Do you hate the person you fell the hardest for?

“I don’t think I could ever have the ability to hate Holly, I hate that she was taken from me, I hate that she got sick, that she couldn’t get better, I hate that the person I loved most in this world wasn’t supposed to be here forever but hating her….no that I just couldn’t do.” 

18:When was the last time you talked to one of your best friends?

“I talk to Lance like everyday? In fact he rang me this morning to check I’d had breakfast, how cute are we?” 

19:Is there someone that makes you happy every time you see them?

“Am I allowed to answer this question with my dog? Naw I didn’t think I would be…alright, Miss Tammie Jones, seems to have a permanent damn smile on my face at the moment.” 

20:What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?

“That second cheeseburger was one too many and now you’re never goin’ to sleep well what an idiot Carson?” 

“Oof, don’t even go there. My mama is about to tan my hide if I take one more step outta line. I think she thinks I’m still six.” Tammie chuckled and then gestured to Carson with her beer bottle. “Gotta say though, wakin’ up to a fella in uniform definitely made me wanna do it all again.” she commented with a teasing tone. She tried hard not to gawk at him or act like some kind of sappy woman who was witnessing a man being gentle with a child but it definitely had made her cheeks feel like they were on fire. The fact Evie seemed comfortable and happy to be in his arms was also a feeling that put Tammie’s mind right at ease. She hadn’t even noticed how close she had ventured to Carson, all three of them huddled together as they spoke. “You know that ain’t gonna fly, cowboy. Bad enough her dad keeps wantin’ her to wear those dumb New York Jet colours. You ain’t standing a chance either. Falcons all the way.” 

“That’s what huntin’ and fishin’ is for if you ask me. If I ain’t watching a game, I’m doing one of those two things.” Mark laughed, he knew he sounded like a simple man but he saw no harm in that. Life was all about the simple pleasures. He always got along with Carson for the same reason, two Southern gents just meandering through life. “If ya do go, better invite me and Tinks. Or I’m not letting ya sit at the family table no more.”  

@carsonrcwe​

                                                            When Jack had learned Carson was at the NYE party at the Jones’, he tried to ignore the obvious. He wasn’t jealous, it was just a weird thing to get his head around that Carson had met his daughter. However, when Jack let himself into Tammie’s home with his key and then caught sight of the other male - it meant he couldn’t ignore the situation for much longer. “Sorry, force of habit. Still get mail sent here sometimes.” he said, raising the said paperwork for the other to see he hadn’t intruded for no reason. “Here for Evs too, if that’s alright.”

“That bump on my head musta knocked some sense into me, you’ll be happy to know I ain’t been on a bike without my phone since.” Tammie grinned to him and nodded slowly and with a friendlier smile when Carson greeted Evie by scooping her away. The brunette was suddenly grinning like a cheshire cat, and she had never considered herself the broody type until suddenly the image she was witnessing made her knees weak. Evie seemed just as taken, barely paying any attention to her own mother and staring at Carson. Without thinking Tammie had shuffled closer into him, her hand resting on her back as she looked to her daughter. “Evie, this is Texas… but I’m warning ya little lady, don’t you dare let him buy you anythin with Dallas on it.” she waved a finger in pretend warning.

          ‘ because we’re gorgeous, wasn’t that clear enough ? ’     he vaguely gestured at himself with his hands before he was playfully shoved a bit, which caused a laugh to emit from his lips.  in all honesty, he missed this friendly banter he had with carson while he was away for his career.     ‘ man, that gotta be the biggest mystery of the decade.  all those ladies are missing out on all this. ’     he let out a sigh and gave a shake of his head as he acted as serious as possible before grinning and settling into a chair at the bar and taking off his jacket.     ‘ i’m with you on that.  y’know, just trying to get by another tear without having to attend a family dinner. ’     flagging down a bartender, he then patted his friend on the shoulder.     ‘ the hero among us, eh ?  well, let’s drink to that.  beer or something stronger ?  i think i’m havin’ scotch. ’

          ‘ oh honey, bless your heart. ’     barbara cooed with a sweet voice and a smile that went along with it, head tilted to the side.  she was the perfect reflection of her mother whenver helene jones would engage in an unpleasant conversation yet keep her looks as nice as possible.  lips pursed, the blonde brought her hand close to her mouth as if to give him a secret.     ‘ well, i think she just caught some familiarity in you.  you know, her father is quite the same bore as you are.  must be why. ’

If somebody asked Tammie what the hell was the deal with her and Texas, she wouldn’t have known what to say. Technically, there was no deal. Carson was someone she enjoyed spending time with and the flush of her cheeks at the mention of his name was probably more of the tell tale sign than anything else. If her mother hadn’t invited him for their new years get together, Tammie probably would have done herself. The only little spanner in that was the fact Evie was of course going to be there, a situation that made Tammie’s head spin with nerves. Her daughter was in her arms when she noticed Carson arrive, the brunette smiling widely and nervously all in one as she waved awkwardly to him. “Glad you took a night off saving lives, Texas.” she grinned and ended up laughing as Evie waved a tiny hand towards him next. “So, uh. This is Evelyn. Evie. Evs. Gremlin. Trouble.” Tammie chuckled, smiling up at Carson. @carsonrcwe​

“Alright honey, just in case you didn’t get it the first time - just because I might have looked in your direction for a few seconds, doesn’t mean I’ll go home with you tonight. Got it?!” Not even waiting for a reply, the blonde turned back around again and made her way to the bar, where she ordered a drink without paying attention to whether the other had followed her or not.

@atlanta-rpgstarters​

Carson had a thing for rescuing the damsels in distress - or rather anyone dealing with an asshole when they shouldn’t have to. He knew that most of the time his help was likely not needed, but he was big on manners, and it seemed that his fellows males seemed to lack that, especially when they’d had a drink. Watching the woman giving the male a clear a response Carson moved to position himself next to her at the bar and between her and the other guy. “Would you accept an apology from me on behalf of the male species?” 

“I don’t know what to tell you Barbie, your niece clearly adores me more than you.” The male hugged as he held out the photo Tammie had sent him of the two of them on his phone. He wasn’t even sure how he had ended up having coffee with her, but the two of them had been in the same place, at a rather busy time and it had just made sense to only take up one table. “She literally wouldn’t let me put her down the other day, she’s clearly got great taste.” 

          ‘ i got british roots … mate ! ’     lance grinned as he nudged carson’s side, giving a shake of his own head before holding his hands up as if to surrender.     ‘ fine, fine.  i’m willing to even stop being a little bitch for beer.  see how desperate i am ? ’     a chuckle slipping past his lips, he walked into the bar as he tucked his hands into his pockets, looking around the place to find the best spot.     ‘ well, it’s the time for people to exchange gifts and stuff their face with even more food after thanksgiving, of course they are all going batshit crazy.  but working on christmas ?  man, i feel for you.  first toast goes for that. ’