"Wrong foot, baby." Stevie was leaning against the doorframe, watching as Everleigh tried to figure out the whole right foot, left foot thing. "Do you need help?" She asked, even though she was almost certain that Ev wanted to do it herself.
Shaking her head, she pulled her shoe off again, taking a moment to think about it.
Everleigh was independent- she liked to do things by herself and if she messed up, she was determined to do it again until she got it right.
"Good job!" Her grandmother gave her a big smile once she'd gotten her shoes on both the correct feet. "You ready?" Holding out her hand, Stevie wiggled her fingers.
"Yeah, Mimi." Pushing herself up off the hardwood floor, she took her grandmothers hand in hers. "Is papa coming?" She wondered, turning to see if he was behind them, but he wasn't.
Smiling softly, Stevie paused in the doorway. "Here he is, babe." She gestured with one hand towards her husband, who was doing what he was asked to do hours earlier, which was watering the plants that were right outside the door.
Letting go of Stevie's hand, Everleigh reached out for Lindsey, silently asking to be held once he was done.
"You ready?" He grinned, setting the watering can down on the step before he bent down to pick up the little girl.
Nodding her head, Stevie's hand met his lower back. "You're so cute." She told him, a little smirk trailing across her face.
He led the way down the sidewalk, Everleigh in one arm, while his other slid around his wife's waist. "You're cuter." He chuckled, almost certain the only reason she said that was because he was actually listening for once in his life... it was a miracle.
"Oh, I almost forgot," she said as she trailed around to the passenger side of the car, while Lindsey helped Everleigh into the backseat. "Crosby wanted me to tell you that they're all wanting to go golfing before you leave this weekend." She repeated, rolling her eyes playfully.
She loved when they all got together- all of her boys, but she didn't like all the drinking they did on the course. Just a couple of months earlier, late one night, Stevie got a call from the bartender, asking if she could come pick up all four of them, because she had to take their keys away... Stevie wasn't a happy camper, especially when she had to call Becky to come stay at the house while Everleigh slept.
Shrugging his shoulders casually, he slipped into the drivers seat. "We'll see." He smirked, putting the car into reverse to back out of the driveway. "I still want to spend some alone time with you before I leave." He reached over, letting his hand meet her thigh softly. "Maybe we can spend the day at the beach, or... maybe get a hotel room for a night?" Lindsey wasn't the worlds most romantic guy, but that didn't mean he couldn't make his wife blush.
Letting out a sheepish giggle, Stevie bit down on her lower lip as she nodded gently. "I would like that, a lot."
~
"Hi, Ev!" Elise said with lots of enthusiasm as she watched the three head through the back door of the restaurant.
"Hi!" She beamed, hurrying through the kitchen to get to her aunt. "I missed you!" Everleigh ran right into her open arms, being swept up instantly.
Rocking her on her hip slowly, Elise kissed the side of her face. "I missed you the most." She assured, giving her in- laws a big smile as well.
"How are things, dear?" Stevie headed for the back office- both Elise and Lindsey trailing close behind.
"It's busy, but it's been pretty smooth so far this morning." Elise was there all the time- she was what really kept that business running so well.
After getting complete custody of Everleigh, Stevie didn't work much. She liked to stay home with her, and as long as she had the ability to do so, she would... It made them closer, which didn't actually seem possible at the beginning.
"I can help out front?" Stevie tried to be present- she really did, but she wanted to be one of the most constant things in Everleighs life at the same time... Her granddaughter came first and everyone knew that.
Nodding her head, Elise chuckled softly. "We've missed you around here, boss." She teased, even though it wasn't necessarily a joke.
Trying to run a business with the help of Kash, Levy and Crosby was something only a saint could do... Elise must have been exactly that.
"Can we get ice cream?" Everleigh had her head on her aunts shoulder as her hand twisted itself into her curls.
Looking up from some paperwork, Stevie gave Elise a soft nod, silently telling her that it was okay. "Here, Linds." She set the sheet of produce orders down in front of him at the desk once the two girls had slipped out of the office to search for ice cream.
"I got it, baby." He gave her a little thumbs up as he took a seat in the swivel chair to get started.
"You're the best, Lindsey." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, kissing the side of his head a couple of times. "I'll be out there if you need me." Patting his arm as she pushed herself away gently.
Elise wasn't kidding when she said that it was busy- it was packed. Every table in the restaurant was taken and there was a line out the door for coffee orders.... it was going to be a hectic morning, Stevie could already tell. But she got to work anyways, pouring cups of coffee, getting pastries, and chatting with customers, all while chaos ensued behind her.
She had missed it.
"What can I get you?" Her eyes were fixated on the cash register, trying to figure out what the buzzing noise was- she didn't miss that thing, not at all.
"Stevie?" He smiled, biting down on the inside of his cheek as he scanned over her facial features.
She was stunning and he found it hard not to stare.
Creasing a brow softly, she let out a little laugh. "Hi, Danny." She replied, pushing her bangs out of her face, anxiously... She didn't want to feel nervous, not in the slightest, but it was kind of hard.
And unbeknownst to her, just a couple of feet away, her husband was leaning up against the doorframe, watching her get all flustered in the presence of the new, young guy that lived next door.
