Hard Time Heartlines

[Verse 1]
Four coffee cups on my counter
Four chairs you used to fill
Nik laughing loud in the kitchen
Alyx strong-minded, stubborn will
Tanner with the late-night stories
Tori leaving shoes by the door
I talk to your pictures each morning
Like you might walk in once more

[Chorus]
I got hard time heartlines, running through my days
Kids grown, love gone, but it’s all in my veins
Nik, Alyx, Tanner, sweet Tori on my mind
Every mile between us just tangles up the ties
Jeremiah, CJ, yeah you drove me up the wall
But I’d still answer if I saw your name call
Hard time heartlines, that’s my truth, that’s my spine
Every ache, every laugh on the same long line

[Verse 2]
Jeremiah, king of the last word
CJ, storm in my sky
You’d push every one of my buttons
I’d still stand there asking why
Told me I was just too much
’till the day I packed my truck
But I still quote your bad one-liners
Guess that’s messed-up, messed-up love

[Chorus]
I got hard time heartlines, running through my days
Kids grown, love gone, but it’s all in my veins
Nik, Alyx, Tanner, sweet Tori on my mind
Every mile between us just tangles up the ties
Jeremiah, CJ, yeah you drove me up the wall
But I’d still answer if I saw your name call
Hard time heartlines, that’s my truth, that’s my spine
Every ache, every laugh on the same long line

[Bridge]
Yeah I’m tough, yeah I’m tired
Still that girl you once admired (hey)
Got the scars, got the grace
Got my kids in my face when I close my eyes
If you ever wonder where I’m at these days
I’m singing to the ghosts that I can’t replace

[Chorus]
I got hard time heartlines, running through my days
Kids grown, love gone, but it’s all in my veins
Nik, Alyx, Tanner, sweet Tori on my mind
Every mile between us just tangles up the ties
Jeremiah, CJ, you can tease, you can tease all you want
But I built back stronger from every little taunt
Hard time heartlines, it’s my curse, it’s my shine
I turn all that trouble into this rough-cut rhyme