Stevie still had about an hour before the show started in San Jose. As soon as Karen left her alone, she searched for her journal, skipping through pages to where Christian left his number for her. She felt silly, but she locked the door just in case, wanting some privacy.
Of course not without some trouble, she dialed the number and waited for her call to be answered. She got nervous, unaware of the fact she was biting on her beautifully manicured red nails.
"This is Christian Palmer speaking."
"Why so official?"
"Stephanie! I wasn't expecting to hear from you."
"No? Why not? I said I'd call you."
"To be honest, I just thought you wanted to get rid of me."
"And then kissed you?"
"That was a nice surprise."
They both stayed quiet for a second before Stevie broke the silence. "I'm in San Jose tonight."
"I'll be there."
"You don't have to come here, Christian. I'm coming home tomorrow."
"I want to see you."
"I do too, but..."
"I can't stop thinking about you."
"Really?"
"Yes, I'll get on the next plane, I'll be there in time your show ends."
"You're crazy."
"Maybe."
Before hanging up, she gave him the details of which hotel and room she was staying and when she put away the phone, she couldn't stop smiling to herself. Sure she had tried going out with other men while seeing Lindsey behind his wife's back, but none of them ever got her this excited.
Later, when the band was standing in the wings to get back out onstage for the encore, Stevie was suddenly hit with a wave of emotions. Here they were in San Jose, usually their shows here would be one of the best, with endless interactions, friendly teasing and too much flirting. It made her sad it had to change so drastically. What was even worse was that Lindsey was standing not far away, his hands in his jeans pockets, looking everywhere but her.
After that blowup a few days ago, they hadn't said a single word to each other. Lindsey was completely ignoring everyone, he felt as if every single person had turned on him, because he hurt Stevie. That wasn't entirely the case, the group of people closest to the two was used to it, they knew that over time things would get back to normal. Or would they?
Stevie's speech was over and she hurried off stage and into her dressing room. She quickly changed, informed Karen that she wasn't to be disturbed and left to get to the car that was waiting for her to take her back to the hotel.
She went straight to her room, not finding Christian waiting for her. She started thinking that what if he didn't get to the airport on time or realized this was a stupid idea and they would see each other when she was back.
It was nearing midnight and there was no sign of Christian. Sighing, Stevie entered the bathroom to shower and she was going to go to bed after that. Just as she finished undressing, she heard a knock on the door and she ran to open it.
"I thought you changed your mind."
"Sorry I took a little longer."
"It's fine." Stevie stepped aside and let Christian in, who smelled and looked incredible.
"Where you in bed already?"
She adjusted her robe, realizing her breasts were almost spilling out. "About to take a shower. Actually, would you mind entertaining yourself for like... fifteen minutes? I do need that shower badly."
"Sure, no problem. I'll open up this bottle of wine I've brought with me. I mean, of course if you want. I just assumed..."
"Yes, I'd love some." She smiled, sensing he was a little nervous too. "I'll be right back. Oh and, I'll be coming in without any make up, so if you get scared, you are okay to run away."
"Stop that!" Christian said, laughing. "You know I think you're stunning." She just smiled and returned to the bathroom, leaving him the task of opening that wine.
Stevie had no idea what it was, but she felt very comfortable around the man she had seen three times in total, counting tonight. She wasn't going to dress up for him, she put on her beautiful, long nightgown and slipped on a matching silk robe. Her hair was damp and her face was completely bare, as she walked in to the living area, where Christian was waiting for her.
"You know, I was just thinking how it feels as if we've known each other for years."
"It does." He nodded, handing her a glass. "Maybe it took us a while, but we were meant to find each other."
"You believe in that too?"
"I don't know how else to explain it." He shrugged, putting his arm along the back of the couch, turning a little more towards her. "You are so beautiful."
"Would you stop saying that please?"
"Why?"
"Because..."
"You don't give yourself enough credit. You are a gorgeous woman, believe that."
"I only believed it when... when Lindsey used to say it, because I knew he loved me."
"Why don't you believe me? What is beauty according to you?"
"I don't know, someone forty years younger than me." Stevie sighed heavily, taking a generous gulp of her wine.
"You know why you think that way?"
"Enlighten me."
"You say you only believed it when he said it, but he married a lot younger woman, that made you think differently about yourself, that you're not enough, not beautiful enough. Not all men are like that, I don't need a woman half my age to parade around, I want to be with someone with whom I have things in common, someone I can rely on, trust that person. Outside beauty is overrated. Some of the best looking people inside are the ugliest."
"You're really good with words."
"I mean it, Stephanie."
"I like it when you call me that, not many people do." She set her empty glass on the coffee table.
"You look sad."
"I guess I am a little. Or a lot..." Stevie admitted and leaned back and shifted closer to him. "Lindsey and I had a huge fight, we haven't spoken for days. It's weird. I thought we were out of that place, never to return."
"What was it about if I may ask?"
"About our old problems and new ones. We always find something to argue about. He's just... he's very jealous, always been."
"He doesn't get to be jealous, don't you think?"
"I do, exactly. Lindsey doesn't see it that way. If he can't have me, he doesn't want anyone else to have me either."
"That's unfair."
"I know, I think he knows it too, but despite everything, I know he's still in love with me and it hurts him to see me with another man, just like it has been hurting me to be seeing him with his wife."
"You deserve happiness too, he's being selfish."
"I'm just afraid he is my happiness, married to someone else or with me. He's by far my worst drug."
"You might be wrong. You're so concentrated on that man, you don't notice others around you."
"I don't think anyone has been worth noticing." Stevie said, then added. "Until you."
