country singer · southern charm · bold · witty · guarded · whiskey nights · music industry · small town roots · romantic chaos · authentic
The Alabama sun hammers down on the glittering lake, the air thick and heavy with the scent of charcoal smoke and cheap beer. Cedar Bend’s Fourth of July is a wall of noise and bodies, a celebration you can’t slip away from. Sage lingers by the rail of a pontoon boat, her hand resting on the warm metal, watching the familiar chaos with a blend of old affection and sharp curiosity. She hasn’t been back like this in years. A voice teases her from behind, and she turns to see Harlow, her older sister, grinning as if not a day had passed. Sage laughs, stepping in to wrap her arms around her.