"I've missed you," Vince told her, a soft smile on his handsome face as he watched her get comfortable in the chair across from him.
Returning the smile, she nodded her head lightly. "Did you have a good time?" She couldn't repeat his words, because she didn't feel like lying... she didn't have time to miss him while he was gone- she was too busy with Lindsey.
He leaned forward, pouring her some red wine from the bottle that he'd ordered. "I did, but it wasn't the same without you." Vince really meant that... he wanted her there, with him, like always.
He had actually tried to convince her to go with him to his parents and bring the kids, but she wouldn't... she couldn't. Stevie was set on the idea that she wasn't introducing them to more people, not unless she knew that they were permanent.
They already had grandparents that loved and adored them... she didn't think they needed a temporary set.
"Vince..." she paused for a moment, biting down on her lower lip as her eyes fell to the table cloth. "I need to talk to you about something and it's not going to be easy for me." Just those words alone told him a lot... He knew by the look in her eyes.
His heart sank, eyes growing sad very quickly. "Yeah?" He was dreading it right away... He had never seen her look that serious.
"I'm married." She announced, which was not what he was expecting to hear- not in the slightest. "I've been married for almost sixteen years..." she added with a little shrug of her shoulders.
It was embarrassing to admit, especially to him. She had spent so much time with him and here she was, telling him that she had been a liar the entirety of their relationship.
She didn't think she'd ever find herself in that situation... she really didn't. She figured that she would never get that far in a relationship again, but some things happen unexpectedly.
"Excuse me?" He creased a brow, shifting in his chair as he grew very uncomfortable.
"Yeah," she nodded with a dry laugh as tears began to blur her vision. "And he came to town a little over a week ago and we've spent the entire time together..." she wasn't going to lie- she'd done enough of that.
Vince scoffed, not sure if she was being serious, or not. "Okay..." he lingered, eyes slightly wide as he brought his glass to his lips to take a much needed sip.
She nodded, heart beating a mile a minute. "I've been reminded of all the good things that came from our marriage..." she lingered. "And I've learned that I'm still very much in love with my husband." Stevie's voice cracked as she stared across the table at the man she also really cared for.
He was great. He was sweet and helpful- they never argued, not like she did with Lindsey. And he was always there for her, ready and willing... But the spark wasn't the same.
She didn't feel the butterflies and the nerves, and the love that she did with her husband. He still made her feel young, which is something no else could do anymore.
"And I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you the circumstances, like I should have." She held her hand to her chest, trying to sound as sensitive as she was.
She knew it was wrong- she'd know from the start, but she was also in denial. She didn't want to think her marriage was over, but she also wanted something new at the time. It was hard to explain and she didn't really want to.
Vince looked into her brown eyes for a moment, letting a short silence wash over them before he replied. "I saw a future with you that I haven't seen with anyone else." He admitted in the calmest, most genuine tone of voice. "I wanted to get married and have kids..." he trailed, shaking his head softly.
He wasn't trying to make her feel bad, but he was confused and upset... Hurt, even.
She reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. "And you will, Vince." Stevie knew he would make a great husband and an even better father... some day. "But I'm not the one for you." She shrugged softly, totally certain of it when she said it. "You deserve a woman who will devote her entire life to you and I can't do that." By then the tears were streaming down her cheeks as every memory they'd shared together ran through her mind in a split second.
They had a lot of fun and a part of her was sad to see it end.
He was feeling very emotional, so he gave her hand the softest squeeze. "You are one of a kind and I hope he tells you that every day."
~~~
"Lindsey?" Her voice rang through the house, setting her jacket down on the stand as she slipped out of her boots.
It was quiet- everyone else had went to dinner, except for her husband, who decided to stay back and wait for Stevie to get back from "work."
"Linds?" She shouted again, heart beating in her chest as she moved through the room.
He met her in the living room doorway, a look of concern written across his face with his blue eyes met her dark ones. "What's the matter?" Lindsey slipped his hand around her waist the moment she was in reach. "Are you okay?" He asked, not giving her time to reply to his first question.
Nodding her head, her two arms circled his neck, leaning in to leave a soft kiss on his lips. "Promise me..." She whispered in the softest voice she could conjure up. "Promise me that we're doing it right this time." She was feeling incredibly overwhelmed after leaving Vince... she wanted to make sure she was doing the right thing.
She had just ended the only other relationship she'd ever seen going any where... she felt like she needed to be loved in order to believe that she hadn't made another mistake.
Lindsey wasn't exactly sure where that was coming from, but he was more than willing to reassure her once more. "I promise, baby." His hand got lost in her hair as he felt her sink into him a little further.
In that moment, he would have promised her the moon... that's how weak his knees had grown after seeing her in the black dress she had on under her winter coat.
"You're so beautiful." He whispered, lips traveling along the curve of her jawline as she tilted her head back.
It was the first time in a long time that they had found themselves in a position like that. They were both so captivated and passionate with one another- something that had disappeared far before she did.
Nodding softly, her one hand met his cheek as she kissed him a couple more times. "I love you." She had been saying that a lot in the last couple of days... a lot more than she ever really had before.
"I love you," he told her. "And I'll prove it."
