Nashville “I’m Coming Home To You” 

After a week off due to the real-life CMA’s airing during Nashville’s time-slot, the whole cast fast-forwarded life two months. Everyone on the road has landed back in Nashville for some much-needed rest and relaxation.

But first, Rayna makes a stop over at Dancing with the Stars to promote her new bonus single—a move that’s part of her campaign to win CMA “Entertainer of the Year,” which has her competing with fiancé Luke Wheeler. The love birds haven’t laid eyes or hands on each other in two months because of their touring schedules and this 48-hour weekend of blended family fun gets kicked to the curb when Rayna lands the opportunity to have a Rolling Stone cover story. Bucky, Rayna’s manager, says it best: “It’s either the weekend off or the cover of Rolling Stone.” The choice is obvious; we’ve all been there.

When Deacon lands in Nashville, he kinda kicks back-up singer/lover Pam to the curb as well. Even after she brings him chicken soup at home and they have a heart to heart, it’s clear he is still hung up on Rayna. Reminds me of the time my husband’s ex-girlfriends said “I love you,” to which he responded, “Thank you.” Ouch.

Will Lexington arrives home to a calm and collected Layla. This was a major shift from how things had been going between the two all season. Layla was contemplating suicide last episode and drinking like a madwoman! Could they have a truce? Maybe. Could they even be friends? Not sure. After they went to their reality show premiere, Layla lost it when it became clear the producers were painting her to be a clueless dingbat while Will gets to be a sexy shirtless singing cowboy.

It was fun to see BFFs Will and Gunnar hanging out again. He came home to find Gunnar playing football with new-found son Micah, who is apparently spending a ton of time with his dad. And Zoey, who’s been home for two months after being fired from Juliette’s tour, is trying to be a good sport about this new development. Will tells Gunnar, “I may not be an expert on women, but I know them well enough to know when they’re pissed.” Yep. And it’s about to get worse, because at the end Micah’s mom, Kiley, has her car packed and is ditching her son with Gunnar for, I guess, forever while she chases that dude from Tulsa.

Juliette is having All of the Feelings. Avery is back in a very peripheral way and they can’t seem to get on the same page where this baby is concerned. Plus, she can’t get an answer from Rayna about some songs she’s been writing, so she storms into Highway 65 making loud demands—right in front of the Rolling Stone reporter. I am loving this new relationship between Juliette and Rayna—kind of a mother/daughter or mentoring thing. Juliette: “You think he [Rolling Stone reporter] is going to write me as a hormonal head case?” Rayna: “Probably.” But Rayna tells her to write about her feelings and like magic, it works. And it is one of the best scenes in the episode. Avery walks into the house and sees Juliette recording a demo and you can tell his heart softens a little bit. The song, “Disappear” is a great example of what Nashville does best. This behind the scenes clip is worth a watch.

Back at the house of Ruke, things are spiraling out of control quickly. The weekend of rest and relaxation is shot and the reporter is lurking at the worst possible moment. Luke, Rayna and Rolling Stone reporter walk in on Maddie and soon-to-be-stepbrother Colt making out. They at least got to first base this time–maybe second. I do know that the lights were dimmed and there was music playing. Oh my stars!

And the price for keeping the reporter from writing about her and Luke’s kids’ liplock is huge. Like a good mother, she throws herself to the wolves and instead gives the reporter a full story about her relationship with Deacon–which will have some major consequences I’m sure. I can’t decide if I think Ruke’s relationship can take a hit like this. And will this drive Deacon to drink or give him even more hope for a future with Rayna? I just don’t know.

This episode set up a lot of what the rest of the season will deal with and I have my fingers crossed that Teddy Conrad and Jeff Fordham will be back next week because that whole “Mayor Teddy falling for a hooker” scenario is a drama gold mine.

Nashville airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.