Heartbroken

Acceptance

Thanks to who he was and a 100 dollar bill, Lindsey easily found out in which room Don was staying and that is where he was headed after talking to Stevie. He wasn't sure what he was going to do or say, but he couldn't let it go just like that either. If this had happened years ago, Lindsey would have already punched Don, or any other man, in the face repeatedly and broke their nose, but he believed he was a little more mature than that.

Don didn't open the door right away and it was annoying Lindsey, but he tried to stay calm. "Oh, wow... You're already here?"

"What does that even mean?"

"She's not in here anymore, I believe her room is..."

"Shut the fuck up, Don. I know the truth."

"And what is the truth?" Don wasn't backing down yet. 

"May I come in? I really don't want to do this in the hallway."

"If you're not gonna hit me, sure."

"I'm not." Lindsey sighed and entered the room, when Don stepped aside. "And the truth I believe is that you two didn't have sex. That you lied."

"Oh really? I'm sure the sheets still smell of your beloved Stephanie."

"I know she's been in here and I know you two almost did it."

"How come you are so calm about this?" Don crossed his arms, frowning. "The Lindsey I remember would have gotten into a fight with me by now."

"Then I guess I've changed."

"Or you don't love her all that much after all."

"Don't you fucking dare say that."

"I mean... If another man had fingered the woman I'm with, I surely wouldn't be standing here and trying to talk it out."

"You enjoy rubbing it in my face, don't you?"

"Well, doesn't it bother that I had my hands everywhere on Stevie?"

"Of course it does and I'm not entirely sure how am I going to make love to her again, but... I don't feel I can be angry. I fucked up a hundred times worse, I know she's not over the pain I've caused her."

"So, if I had actually fucked her, you would still be completely fine with it?" Don laughed harshly. "That's a load of bullshit!"

"I wouldn't be, of course not! Don't be ridiculous. I'm hurt and now I don't trust her at all, but I'm not mad, I can't be."

"Why are you here then?"

"Because I wanted to say how pathetic you are. I've never thought you could ever stoop so low. Was it just an ego thing? To prove that if you still wanted, you could have her? Did you want to get back at me, because I broke the two of you up? I simply don't get why you felt like you had to interfere in our relationship."

"You think I was thinking of you while I was fondling her tits?"

"Have some fucking respect, Jesus fucking Christ!" Lindsey yelled, unable to listen to the way Don was talking about Stevie.

"I'm a man, she's a beautiful woman, who's still pretty hot too. That's all there was to it. There's no backstory, there was no plan. We were both away from home, we drank too much and I wanted to finish the night on a high."

"You're an asshole, you really are."

"I've been told."

"How are you going to finish this tour now?" 

"I'm sure it's going to be a pain in the ass, since you're obviously going to be around all the time."

"You can count on that." 

"Look... If you have something serious to say, then say it. If not, please, close the door from the other side, this is pointless. I've told you why I did it, she gave me a hard-on and left. I was pissed off, called you and told you that little story. If you have no further questions..."

"I'll go." Lindsey nodded. "You make me sick."

"Yeah, yeah..." Don rolled his eyes, watching Lindsey walk out. 

It was around the time Karen was supposed to come to Stevie's room again and help her get ready to leave and she did, but with some not so good news...

"What's wrong?" Stevie asked, changing into clean clothes. 

"I just got a call." Karen began, taking a seat. "Don, umm..."

"Yes?" 

"He's out."

"Meaning what?"

"Don left the tour. I believe he's on his way home."

"Excuse me?" 

"The tour manager is waiting for me to get back to him to know if you're continuing with the rest of it."

Stevie sat down as well. "Left the tour? Gone?"

"I'm afraid so. What happened, Stevie?"

"I didn't sleep with him, that's what happened. But... I can't believe this! If anything, he's always been a professional concerning his job. I don't understand."

"This is what I was told, that he's out and it's either cancelling or you're going to play the shows on your own."

As she was thinking, the door opened again and in came Lindsey. He noticed how visibly relieved Stevie was that he showed up. "What's going on?" He asked, seeing as the two women were upset or shocked, he wasn't sure.

"Don is a fucking asshole that's what's going on!"

"What now?" 

"Karen just told me that he is out of the tour, he left me on my own!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I just talked to his assistant." Karen confirmed. 

"What are you going to do?" 

"I don't know." Stevie shrugged. Lindsey approached and made her stand up, embracing her. 

"If you want to stay, I'll stay with you."

"What? Really?" She drew back a little. "You would do that?"

"I don't want to leave you by yourself."

"What about Alice?"

"She's with Taylor."

"Lindsey, if you're doing this just because you think I would do that again, I swear, I..."

"Slow down. No. I'm doing this because I want to. Besides, it's awfully lonely back home without you."

Karen faked a cough, needing the final word from Stevie. "So, from what I understand, the tour continues?"

"Yes." Stevie nodded and her assistant left the two to have some privacy. "I'm sorry, Lindsey..."

"You don't have to keep apologizing, I know you're sorry."

"It doesn't mean that I don't love you."

"Stevie, I know." 

"Do you forgive me?"

Lindsey shook his head, letting go of her. "It's going to take some time."

"I understand."She knew not to push. "Thank you for choosing to be with me."

"No need. I should have come with you from the start."

"Linds, are you sure we're okay? As okay as we can be..."

"Do you honestly have to ask?"

"You seem... You don't seem to be yourself."

"Stevie, I'm hurt. I'm sorry if I can't exactly kiss you right now or cuddle with you in bed, or sleep with you in the same bed."

She felt tears stinging her eyes, but she nodded, trying to accept it. "I love you. Please, don't forget that."

Fifteen minutes or so later, Karen returned, packing Stevie's things up before they left the hotel and got in a rented car to get to the airport, all the while, Lindsey keeping a safe distance between himself and Stevie. They had made so much progress and here they were, pushed back to square one.