At the mention of his folks, Ryan couldn't fathom to imagine how an interaction with the rest of them would go. If Alfie, the biggest supporter they had for their complicated relationship some 11 years ago, had just punched him in the face, god only knows that some likely wanted him six feet under rather than anywhere close to Ellie again. "I'm well aware of what I'm signing up for. You all have a right to hate me. Ellie and I both know that this won't be easy once more people know about us." He couldn't put himself in Alfie's shoes to experience all he went through after he left his life. Alfie was barely a teenager and he had to deal with this absolute shitstorm at home that by the sound of things truly threw all their lives into a loop. There were no words he could say that would make up for the crippling affliction his one act set in motion. Ryan was hopeful he could make it up to them in the future through his actions and commitment to becoming a permanent fixture in their lives.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to tell Ellie. Thankfully, you didn't hit me that hard." Ryan smirked and patted him lightly on the back as they walked to the original booth they met at, sliding back into his original seat. Albeit, the spot where he struck him still felt sore. They both knew Ellie well enough that the argument was not going to be whether he deserved it or not but rather a scolding for Alfie getting violent in the first place. "It's cool, you were heated in the moment. I'm not going to judge you for it. A lot of people think I have a punchable face." He shrugged his shoulders, adjusting himself to lean forward, elbows placed firmly on the table. "I will tell your sister that we met up when I talk to her later. She has no idea I'm in Nashville. I know if she did and knew what I was doing, she would have insisted to be here but this is something I had to do on my own." He mused aloud, his eyes gazing around the bustling bar for a few seconds.

"So, how about that drink I owe you?" He clears his throat and gestures for a server, who quickly is at their table, a young woman who was probably just about as old as Alfie, cheery beside them to take their order. "Evenin'. I'll do a glass of Lagavulin 16 years. Make it a double on the rocks, please." The sweet nectar of single malt scotch was exactly what Ryan felt like he needed after the whirlwind of a night it's been and they haven't even truly started to go deep into their conversation. It had been a few months since he had a glass of hard liquor, having a general rule of thumb to avoid most alcohol when he was recording or on tour. Thankfully now that the album was finished, he could be a bit more loose. "And whatever my company here will have tonight, put it on my tab as well." He informed the server, flashing his trademark grin that was unintentionally both cocky and alluring, which teetered on one side or the other depending how you felt about the man.

While there was a general animosity still in the air, the tension levels had decreased some since Alfie punched Ryan right on the jaw and released some of that built up anger that was seething in him. There was no telling how their older sister Jeanette and their parents were going to take the news of Ellie-Grace once again letting Ryan into her life and opting to be romantically involved with him at that. There was no scenario where he was going to be accepted given how he exited their lives and the passage of time was not going to repair that. “Honestly, I can take whatever they throw at me. I only worry for Ellie. The friends we’ve told are all supportive. It’s a different ball game with you and the rest of your family.” The reality was clear in Ryan’s mind and a part of him worried that Ellie may have doubts once she saw her family negatively react to their relationship.

When he last saw Alfie, he was just this 14 year old whose worries were minimal. It was school, video games, and a less than ideal home life due to his father. Now he was in his mid-20s and clearly strong enough to kick the ass of a grown man almost twice his age. “I get what you mean, man. It wasn’t just 10 long fucking years… I missed a lot of important years of you growing up and becoming, well, whoever the hell this guy sitting across from me today is.” Ryan forced a small chuckle after his remark, rubbing his forehead as a sense of guilt and remorse hit him. Alfie was right. The face across the table was familiar and had a deja vu esque effect to it. The man they each were today are strangers to one another. “I’m sorry for not being there.” He quietly said, looking down at the table. A small apology was not going to make a difference compared to all the time he missed.

Ryan nodded his head as Alfie spoke about keeping things between them for now. “Hopefully no hardcore Ellie-Grace Summers fan snaps a picture of us tonight and leaks it. I’ll have a lot of explaining to do when I get back home.” He remarked jokingly, not considering it totally out of the question given that they were in Nashville out of all places where even early in her career she would get recognized over him in this city. Ryan finds it humorous how Alfie readies his ID for the server. It was not out of the question that she would have asked anyways given his young looks. “Your sister and I came here a few times back when we started dating. They never asked her for ID and she certainly wasn’t of legal drinking age in the U.S. back then. My charm probably let it slide.” Chuckling, he found it a big relief that they could at least joke some now instead of the awkward nature the night began in.

He did not think too much of the server until Alfie brought up her up, gazing to watch her walk away, admiring her for a few seconds. “Yeah, she’s attractive. I would say a tad bit too young for me but that’d be bullshit.” He stated smiling, poking fun at his own expense for his affinity of dating younger women. Looking back over at Alfie, he felt a small hint of comfort that he was talking to him about girls. Many times he would bend his ear talking about them and for good reason given that he was a hormonal teenage boy which Ryan was all too familiar about being one himself years prior. He wanted to dig deeper into questions about Alfie’s own life and relationships but it was too early given everything else that was up in the air for them. “It’s weird because I can still notice a pretty girl but it does nothing for me now. I’m lucky to have the only woman I want by my side. She’s all I need.” That almost childlike smile usually appeared on his face when he spoke about Ellie. There was a sense of affirmation that his words carried when he spoke about her.

“I guess I’m either crazy in love or getting old. Pick your poison.”

Now talking to Alfie in a more relaxed fashion, he realized that even as good long-term friends as the likes of Layla and Joshua were to Ellie, nobody knew her quite as well in a family dynamic as her younger brother did. He was a valuable resource to have because he was the only one who would open up to Ryan and share these details. No matter how open Ellie was, there’s pieces to her that he had not seen or learned of yet. There was an instant sense of fear set in him as he learned about this perceived loyalty she had with her father. Could she actually overlook his likely disapproval of their relationship? His gaze dropped and his expression went blank. It was enough to indicate that he had no knowledge of the close bond she had with her dad post his departure. “I know she’s scared to tell him. I don’t think she wants to have to decide between us, you know?” While he would never give her that ultimatum, he was unsure if Mr. Summers would do the same for her. “I can only do and say so much when it comes to that because I don’t want to overstep. I have to trust her judgment and hope I come out on the right side.”

The question rang in his ears as if there was a prolonged echo in the words Alfie directed at him, so much so that everything after almost faded. Why did you go? It was a valid question and one that nobody had directly asked him, not even Ellie-Grace when they first got back in contact brought it up. The instances where they discussed the past were kept short, probably a mechanism both used to not bring any pain to the other in reliving those memories. “You’re right. Ellie and I were madly in love. I can’t pinpoint anything that was wrong between us. That’s what kills me. I didn’t break up with her due to a lack of love. I never stopped loving her.” It was a difficult explanation, so finding the right words were an obstacle.

“I may have won your family over after enough time but, fuck… there was so much noise at that time. Everyone had an opinion about us. That shit is tough to overlook when it’s so prominent in your day to day.” He felt it went without saying what most of that chatter was back then. Alfie was a bright 14 year old who had access to the internet. That was the common excuse he used to reason with himself and help himself sleep at night. Sure, it was part of it, yet it still did not tackle the entirely of why he left. “I left because I was 33 years old and yet I was not in a place to love and be in a relationship like that one. I was 33 living like I was 23. Your sister, for as young as she was, had her shit together way more than I did. She wanted to stop me from being my own worst enemy. I wanted to drive that car off the cliff.” He scoffs, truly having a deep-rooted hatred for who he was back then. He’s so in his thoughts that his eyes were heavily welled up with tears and he did not budge at all, pushing through it.

“I selfishly wanted to sleep around and continue to live this freewheeling lifestyle. It would have been that much more painful for everyone if that version of me cracked while I was in all your lives.” If absence makes the heart grow fonder, so does time. The blowback was terrible for everyone he left behind and that was only a little over a year into their relationship. He felt as if the impact would have been that much more atomic had he been with her 4 or 5 years before he opted to leave. “I'm not proud of that. I wish I had been in the right state of mind to go about things better. I recognize that I took a very cowardly way out and in doing so, I ruined the lives of some people who I truly cared about.”

Ryan laughed at Alfie’s expression of this potential conquest of his that works here. At some point way back when they knew each other, he envisioned a time where much like an older brother would, he’d give him advice for his first date and buy him alcohol and condoms for prom night. Sadly his departure meant that he missed all those moments in Alfie’s adolescence. He taps his thumb rhythmically against the table, returning his gaze to him as he speaks up in a serious tone. It was obvious that it was the protective brother side was coming out and after the punch Ryan received for his trouble earlier, he did not doubt him.

“I’m not going to fuck up again.” He matches Alfie’s stare, responding confidently without a second of hesitation. “I love your sister, Alfie. She’s the one. Ellie-Grace is the love of my life. There’s nobody else for me but her. I never want to hurt her again.” Ryan was clear and honest in his speech, not wanting to leave a single doubt about his feelings towards Ellie.

Ryan was fortunate enough to live a life so far that had little uncertainty to it. Everything he mapped out for himself, he achieved it and had nobody to answer to. The aspects that are out of his control and not crystal clear, those are the ones that worry him and spiral his mind into that anxiety-ridden space. The fear of losing Ellie-Grace again for reasons beyond his reach was a terrifying notion that he hadn't thought of until now. "I always thought your dad was too harsh with all of you. Him and I got into some arguments, as I'm sure you remember. I have a big mouth and I didn't let things slide." At the tail of end his relationship with Ellie the first time around, him and Mr. Summers tolerated one another. That was as best their dynamic was ever going to be. Now having him return into his youngest daughter's life after breaking her heart as a? It was going to be volatile situation . "I'm letting E.G. do things at her own pace. I don't know when she'll feel ready to talk to them about everything. Whenever she does, I'll be there for her."

The only other person that had an unfiltered run of Ryan's headspace when he decided to break up with Ellie and leave them all behind was his therapist. As people knew nothing about it, they assumed that he was on his typical, villain-esque behavior as a heartless serial dater. He did not feel comfortable sharing this with anyone else in his life at that time because just like their relationship was then and is now in its renewed state, it's very personal and private to him. He's protective of her even though she can fend for herself and is a star in her own right. "Leaving your sister was the biggest regret I had in my life for a long time I... I went through periods where I wanted to call her or reach out in some way and I had to stop myself because it wouldn't have been fair to her. It took me 9 years to be at a place where I could even remotely see myself talking to her. I didn't want to disrupt her life or yours or anyone in your family." Inherently, he had a streak to him that cared deeply about people. How he expressed that was questionable at times. He felt that avoiding her and keeping his distance for so many years was his way of doing what he felt was best for them, even if it painted him as cruel. "Not even your sister really knows everything. I feel she rather be happy in the now, rather than talk about that hurtful past. It's something we should talk about at some point."

He shares a laugh along with Alfie as he speaks about his lack of relationship experiences. From the facts Ellie had shared with him, he knew that her brother was sort of just figuring things out in his own space and doing things that Ryan thought were perfectly natural as a 24 year old. Getting drunk, smoking weed, embracing that freedom of your early adulthood. "You're far too young to worry about relationships. You have plenty of time to figure all that out. I'll be 44 soon and I'm just now getting to a point where I want a marriage and kids. You're 24. Remember what I told you 10 years ago? Fuck whoever you want, just be safe about it." He chuckles, thinking back to the true, albeit a little crude advice he would dish out at Alfie's teenage self back then.

Almost like clockwork some seconds after Alfie looks around and complains about the drinks, they arrive and the server places each of their orders respectively in front of them. She apologies for the delay and states that the first round is on the house. Ryan was unsure if that was due to the wait or because she or somebody else behind the bar recognized him. Regardless he figures not to pry at it, simply nodding his head and mouthing a simple thank you. "We can now finally drink! I would say cheers to Jeanette but, your eldest sister terrifies me and most of this state I'm sure." Ryan remarks jokingly, shaking his head. That was a wall that he could never breakthrough nor did he think he ever would. She gave him nothing to work with no matter how hard he tried to build some repertoire with her, which was a challenge for the smooth-talker and charmer that he considered himself to be.

"I am strongly indifferent to olives." Ryan comments whilst shrugging his shoulders, smirking as he watches Alfie chowing down on them despite his clear dislike for them. It was a huge contrast between their last meeting at this same bar when the awkward tension was through the roof as the weight of the 10 years that preceded them was present with every word they spoke. He even got a punch that night from Alfie for his troubles. Now the two were back in the same place and booth, shooting the shit, and reconnecting in a more casual fashion than last time. There was still a small cloud above them as this was the first time they've hung out, willingly so, without any brewing problems to discuss.

Tonight, Ryan is on his second Old Fashioned of the night. Typically he'd avoid cocktails, preferring and appreciating the essence of a neat spirit rather than mixing it in an attempt to change the flavor profile. He was mostly doing so because he had no plans to get drunk. The last two times that's happened he's ended up getting naked live on Instagram with Joshua and hooking up with Ellie. He also felt a responsibility in recent years as the elder-statesman to look out for his younger friends who did not see alcohol the same way he did. "Man, I was putting myself out there with that one. I'm pretty sure Ellie doesn't even know about that." He laughs, shaking his head as he reminisced on those times. It made Ryan look "cool" in Alfie's book then. He personally never saw a big deal with it, noting it as better to do within your own house when you're a curious kid rather than getting into things outside of a safe space. "I didn't think I had to hold back around you. When you're that age, of course you'll want to try all this different shit to experience it, even if you only do it once. Will that make me a good father one day? Who the fuck knows?!" He exclaims grinning before sipping on his drink.

"Honestly, I thought back then how I'd be there to take you to your first bar, hear about your first hook up, smoke weed with you for the first time. All the things that would make your dad hate me even more." Leaning back in his seat, Ryan let his arm outstretch on the booth, taking a moment to survey the crowd tonight. His bodyguard duo were seated at a hi-top near the bar area, keeping a watchful eye on him. "Sorry about the whole bodyguard thing. It's a tad odd to have someone over your shoulder nearly always. I feel like I'd be fine without them but your lovely sister would be rather upset if I didn't have them around." He chuckled, nodding his head when he makes accidental eye contact with them. Ryan opted tonight for a black-colored light blazer over a colorful button up shirt, pairing the look with some distressed jeans and black boots. The two men were certainly both lookers.

Ryan still hadn't told Alfie that he was planning to go back to LA in the morning to reunite with Ellie-Grace and get back to work on the many projects he had ongoing. Subconsciously, despite the fact that Alfie was much older and the circumstances were different, he felt like he would be letting him down somehow by leaving. He knew it wouldn't be another decade before he saw him again but the past guilt was still there. "You should come out west soon to visit E.G. and I. It may serve you well getting out of Tennessee for a minute."

Ryan can't help but chuckle lightly at Alfie's now dismissal of the olives he was snacking on. Aside from the decade that passed between them and trying to make up for the time they will never get back, he felt an added responsibility to look out for Alfie even as a 24 year old grown man now, mostly due to the fact that it was his girlfriend's baby brother. He would never hear the last of it if something went south involving him while he was around. "Yeah, we should grab some food after this. I heard there's a place nearby with a pretty good olive pizza." He remarked jokingly, taking a sip from his own glass, although Alfie's comment reminded him of his own hunger. Granted, he wasn't feeling the effects nearly as much as Alfie given his experience and better management with alcohol.

"The most rebellious thing Ellie has ever done is opt to date me... twice!" Ryan laughed, pulling back the strands of hair off his own forehead. It was not a knock on her at all, more so both of them knowing her well enough and recognizing that she was a more careful and acute person than present company currently sitting across from each other. "Yeah, that's some bullshit. Well, we might both be older now, myself more so than you, but I'm sure we'll still get into some shit." He winked and chuckled, unsure exactly what that would entail, but looking forward to reconnecting with his old friend as an adult now furthermore in the future. Ryan also didn't want to dive deeper into the fractured relationship Alfie had with his father, opting rather to continue the good times rolling today.

Being a runner in his younger years meant that only very few people were constants in his life. A lot of his connections, romantically or otherwise, were in passing. As he's gotten deeper into his 40s he wanted to change that narrative and be present for those that are in his life, laying down roots that were not going to be pulled from their home at any given moment. "Shit, tell me about it. I dabble with the occasional edible and I gotta be careful with that. If she caught wind of us smoking up together, I know I would never hear the end of it. I'd be kicked out of my own bedroom." He finished the remains of liquid in his glass, only the cube of ice still in it. "I wouldn't do that to them. That's how they purposely try to get me killed." He chuckled. It was no secret to him that Jeanette was not the easiest person to deal with, even if you had a great deal of patience and tough skin, you were in for a losing battle with her. "I personally wanted to hire a female bodyguard because it's 2021. Your sister wasn't the biggest fan of that idea." He rolled his eyes sarcastically and laughed.

"There's only one way to find out, right?" Ryan stated with a raised eyebrow, resting his head on the back of the booth. "Yeah, I'll do another Old Fashioned. Thanks." He smirked, digging his phone out of his pocket when he walks away to check any texts or emails he's missed while they've been chatting away.

At the end of the bar, a young man leaned against the counter, waiting for his drinks to be served. He appeared to be in his mid-20s, well-kept hair standing tall, wearing a black leather jacket with a v-neck plain white t-shirt underneath and slim-fit jeans to match the jacket. His attire and overall demeanor was not dissimilar to a more modern day James Dean look. A hand rested on the bar counter while the other held his phone which shined near his face.

The stranger that catches Alfie's eye is caught up in his own little world as he waits for his drinks to be served, too focused on his phone to notice the initial staring. His scan of the bar earlier there was no one, male or female, who perked his interest, although he noted two stern-looking men at the corner who were only drinking water and keeping a watchful eye on folks as if they were on lookout. He did not think much of it. In the exact moment that he finally looks up from the screen, he makes eye contact with Alfie. "Thanks." He says in a short and direct manner, running a hand through his slicked hair, adjusting his jacket slightly. "I appreciate the vote of confidence." He smirks, taking a step back and letting his eyes admire Alfie's outfit, as well as his frame in the process. "That's a sharp get-up you have there. Maybe Nashville isn't all plaid t-shirts and cowboy boots." Chuckling, his attention is soon diverted by his drinks being placed on the counter, a beer, and a Manhattan in a cocktail glass.

"I'm Ethan." Finally introducing himself, extending a hand out to Alfie with a raised eyebrow and nod. "And you are, bro?" He asks, putting an emphasis on it to tease him after his ice-breaker about his jacket. Ethan wasn't from here as he hinted earlier and it may be a given among a crowd, he stood out like a sore thumb even as most patrons here tried to look their best for a weekend outing. He had a small greater New York accent that came out with certain words but it was not as distinct as it is with others who grew up in the area.

Ethan did not expect to run into any potential paramours tonight or at all during his visit to Nashville. In fact, thus far, he found his time in this city to be quite boring. Perhaps the tide was slowly changing. In his knowledge of this town, everyone here was either a native or some out-of-towner with big music dreams that couldn't afford to make it to Los Angeles or New York. "New York City." He confirms, not getting too personal or sharing any additional details to this perfect stranger. He split his time growing up between the city and the Hamptons, so his accent was more polished with just a trace of the more rugged, traditional NYC dialect. "Born and bred Tennessee boy, right? You must be a hit with the girls around here given that pretty face." He teases him, mostly to get a feel for him. He was attractive and it had been a bit since Ethan felt like he had some fun.

"Alfie... I like that. You must be the first person I meet with that name." He states smirking after they shake hands. Ethan presumed they both had company to return to as they both were handed two drinks each. "I either have someone waiting for me or I am an alcoholic, right?" Ethan softly chuckled, turning around to look behind him at the hi-top he was sitting at previously. "Yeah, I'm here with a friend. Pretty tame night." Ethan took a sip from his cocktail, scanning the area around them for a moment before looking back at the handsome young man. "How about you?" He asked curiously, wondering who Alfie's company was.

Ethan finds himself engaged with Alfie as he talks about his own experience with New York or lack thereof. He'd usually find it laughable but Alfie had this good energy to him that was appealing. He didn't seem to take himself too seriously. "The city loses a little bit of its glamour when you've spent your entire life there. However, it's still home." Ethan didn't see himself ever moving out of New York, that is unless the Hollywood Hills call his name one day. "What brought you out to New York then?" Ethan was unsure of this conversation was simply friendly banter or if it would lead to anything else. "That little southern drawl? Only a tad bit." He playfully stated, taking another sip of his Manhattan, which was ironic given his background.

The question and delivery of it was enough of an indicator for Ethan that Alfie was likely on the same page, albeit in his own subtle way. "Mostly business, but I have a little time here and there for some pleasure." He remarked casually, letting his eyes roam the bustling bar area around them, knowing that Alfie was still scanning him over. Ethan had no interest getting into the details of why he was in Nashville, finding the conversation to be rather dull. He was a singer yet with no name recognition as he records material for a future big label release, it was pointless to him in sharing anything to do with that, especially with a stranger. "I'm sure you know why anybody would come to this town... I'm trying to be a country star. Is my outfit not showing that?" He questioned jokingly, a half-truth in his own way, without having to share anything intimate.

"The Southern hospitality is welcomed in my book, regardless of how short it may last. Everyone in New York is an asshole. Friends lied to everyone there." He scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. It was no secret that New York and most of the upper east coast was a dog eat dog environment. You had to develop a backbone otherwise everyone would walk right over you, a trait that you learn pretty early on when you grow up there. "I mean, we're not in Alabama so I wouldn't assume but... thanks for the clarity!" He exclaims through laughter, knowing that the south was a whole different beast where weird things occurred. Nashville was likely on the more liberal end compared to some other places in the region. "I have a big sister too. She's like 10 years older than me, so we're not that close." While he's usually rather reserved about his life, he just blurted that out without second guessing it. There was something about Alfie that made it easy to talk to. Granted, odds were he'd never see him again after this brief interaction.

Ethan shakes his head at the commentary about what may have brought him to this city, sarcastically sighing out. "If that were the move, I took a lot of wrong turns on my way to the valley." He checks his watch for the time. He was unsure how long he'd been away from his table only knowing that he was now halfway through with his fresh drink and his sound engineer was still waiting for his beer. "I should be heading back. Nobody likes a warm beer." He smiled, patting Alfie's shoulder and giving it a squeeze before he picked up his glasses. "Is that an old fashioned? Looks like you're with some classy company." Smirking, taking note of the other drink Alfie had ordered for his mystery friend before he goes on his way, only making it a few steps when he turns back around to face him.

"Maybe I'll see you again before the night is over."