Torn

Part 4

The room was silent. The band had sat down for lunch just before the soundcheck and no one spoke, not even Mick. Stevie was lost in her thoughts about the night before, Lindsey was tense, stealing glances at her. He felt as though she was ignoring him from the moment they saw each other earlier in the morning. He couldn't talk to her on the plane because Karen took the seat right beside Stevie, apparently there was some urgent business to discuss. He didn't catch her once they arrived to the venue as she locked herself up in her dressing room immediately. He knew, he felt that something happened. A couple of pictures he saw online by accident only added to the speculation.

Lindsey cleared his throat loudly. "So, you had fun last night." It wasn't a question. Mick turned to face Lindsey and quickly realized that he was actually talking to Stevie, who seemed like she hadn't heard him. "Thought you said, you were going out for a drink or two. Or wait, was it dinner?"

Stevie lifted her head up, she placed her fork down. "Uh, yeah. It was alright."

"Judging by those pictures, it was more than just alright."

Mick exchanged a look with John, who rolled his eyes, as if saying, here we go again. Stevie reached for her bottle of water and took a couple big gulps. 

"What pictures?" What fucking pictures?

Lindsey grew quiet for a moment as he bit into a piece of broccoli, trying to seem unfazed. "Of you and Dave at dinner. Oh, there were more of you two at what seemed a different location too."

"I had no idea you were so interested in gossip. Are you following my every move now?" Stevie asked, raising an eyebrow. "I told you, I was going to see him and I did. We ate and then left to go to some other place for a glass of wine." Definitely more than one and then he walked me back to the hotel, where we made out in the hallway for everyone to see.

"I'm just saying." Lindsey shrugged, wondering if bringing it up was the right strategy after all. For a second he forgot it was her birthday and that he was supposed to behave. Even if just for a day.

"Oh, look at the time!" Mick spoke up out of nowhere. "We should hurry up, otherwise we're going to be late for soundcheck."

And then everyone was silent again as they finished their meal and walked to the stage. Things got slightly awkward. Stevie didn't look at Lindsey once, which he of course understood as her being angry with him. However, the truth was, she was afraid to let him look into her eyes, at her face because she was convinced that he somehow knew something and one glance at her would give away the whole story.

Damage control time, Lindsey thought to himself a bit later, after he'd changed into his stage clothes. Spraying on some cologne first, which he knew, Stevie loved, he walked out of his dressing room and was on his way to hers. He wasn't at all surprised, when Karen opened the door, clearly already annoyed with him.

"What?"

"A pleasure as always." Lindsey faked a smile, he then pointed a finger at Stevie. "I need a few minutes."

"Can't you do this after the show?" Karen sighed heavily, looking back over her shoulder, silently asking her boss if she should allow Lindsey to come in. Stevie nodded her head. "Five minutes." She told him before leaving them alone.

"I'm sorry." Lindsey got that right out of the way. "I wasn't insinuating anything and I didn't mean to upset you. I'm glad you got to spend time with your friend, really."

"It's fine." Stevie shrugged as she messed with her hair in front of the mirror.

"Seriously?" Lindsey frowned, not having expected that. "You're not mad?"

"No." Stevie shook her head. "And I know, I had promised to come see you, but I didn't. I should have said something earlier, but I went to bed late, I'm exhausted." Partly true. She turned to him, smiling. "I swear, I'm all yours tonight."

Lindsey breathed a sigh of relief. Little did he know, she was the one, who was truly relieved.