When I See You Again

Part 21

"Only two more shows left." Rick leaned in to whisper as he accompanied Stevie to her dressing room. 

"What?" She looked at him, confused. 

"You want this tour to be over, we've only got two more shows to do." He explained, giving her hand a squeeze.

"You can read minds now?" Stevie chuckled, having been thinking about exactly that as they maneuvered the hallways of the venue.

"You must be tired." Rick shrugged. "I know, I am."

"It's challenging." She nodded. "I'm not getting any smaller and my feet are killing me."

"I've told you to stop wearing these boots, haven't I?" He gave her a pointed look.

"The heels are shorter compared to what I usually wear." 

"I thought, we've discussed flats?"

"Over my dead body!" Stevie exclaimed, making Rick laugh.

Mick was walking behind the two. Stevie and Rick seemed very comfortable with each other and this back and forth had started raising some eyebrows. Maybe Lindsey wasn't completely crazy...

"Have a good night." Rick hugged Stevie close, when they stopped by her dressing room. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and smiled, backing off.

"Have a good night." Stevie smiled back at him, opening the door and before she could close it, Mick barely managed to get inside. "What?"

"You tell me." Mick folded his arms over his chest, staring at her.

"I don't know, what you're talking about." Stevie said, beginning to remove her jewelry. 

"What's going on with Rick?" He asked, making himself comfortable on the couch.

"I haven't offered you to take a seat." She looked at him, already annoyed. "Nothing is going on with Rick. We're friends."

"Maybe you shouldn't be so concerned about finding yourself a lover, while you're-"

"Let me stop you right there, Mick." Stevie held up her hands. "First of all, this is none of your business. Second of all, Rick and I are friends. Nothing has happened."

"You clearly don't see the way he looks at you." Mick shrugged, hearing Stevie sigh. 

"I don't have to explain any of this to you. I'd like you to leave, please." Stevie replied, her back turned to him.

"Have you stopped to think, how this might make Lindsey feel?"

Stevie swiftly turned around, her eyes narrowed. "Has Lindsey stopped to think, how it made me feel, when he left me to do this alone?"

"I know that you're still angry, but maybe you should give him a chance, Stevie?"

"Since when are you his advocate?" She crossed her arms, raising her eyebrow. "It's enough that you told him, where to find me, when I didn't want to see him. I'm not going to listen to you telling me, how he's worth a second chance."

"He's trying. You know, he loves you."

"Loving each other has never been enough." Stevie said and proceeded to wipe off her makeup. "I'm glad that he's finally realized he has to make some changes, but I've moved on. I can't think of only myself anymore."

"Don't you think, you're being unfair?" Mick questioned, knowing that he was taking a huge risk with every word that came out of his mouth. "Stevie, he's the father of your child."

"The father, who ran off, the second he found out about my child! Who's to say, he won't do it again as soon as things get complicated again? If he decides, he wants to be there, he has to be. Honestly, I don't think he will be." Stevie shrugged. 

"So, you're not going to let him meet your kid?" Mick scoffed, shaking his head. "That's extremely selfish."

"I didn't say that. I would never stand in the way of Lindsey being a father, but it doesn't mean that I want to have him back. We can raise our child not being together, a lot of people do that." 

"But, Stevie-"

"No, Mick!" She cut him off, looking at him through the mirror. "Enough, okay? I've listened to what you had to say, because you're my friend, but... enough."

"You know, I think, you're lying. I think, there is something between you and Rick and that is why you're no longer after Lindsey." 

Breathing out heavily, Stevie turned around. "You know, what? Maybe you're onto something. Maybe Rick is exactly the kind of man I need in my life. A lot of my friendships had turned into relationships, so..."

"That's not what I meant!"

"I'd like you to go, Mick." Stevie asked him, walking over to the door to open it for him.