"I just don't understand why she wanted to invite some stranger to spend the day with you." Erin wasn't going to let it rest- she couldn't.
She hadn't said a single thing the night before- really giving him the silent treatment, which was fine with him... He had chatted enough throughout the day, he didn't mind some peace and quiet in the evening. But almost as soon as he opened his eyeballs the next morning, her questions started up.
"She thinks she's cool." He shrugged his shoulders, standing over the kitchen sink in their suite as he finished off the pastry he'd had for breakfast.
Scrunching up her nose, Erin's hands met her hips. "Penny thinks that, or you think that?" She wondered as she arched a brow, not sure what Penelope would find cool about some random middle aged woman.
Lindsey paused for a second, blue eyes traveling over for a moment before they fell back down to the cup of coffee in his one hand. "She was nice, and Penny likes her." He was already starting to get annoyed- it didn't take much when he was being accused and that's obviously what was happening there.
He was not, in any way, flirting with Stevie... not that he knew of, at least.
"What's the problem with having friends?" He mumbled as he took a sip of his much needed caffeine... It was going to be a long day if this is how she was starting it off.
"I didn't say it was an issue." She argued, rolling her eyes instantly. "I just think it was stupid idea of hers and disrespectful to me." Erin was all about that- she loved, loved, loved to call Penny disrespectful, only because she knew how bad it got under Lindsey's skin.
She couldn't tell him what she really thought, which was that Penelope was a spoiled little brat, because that would have been grounds for a breakup and she knew that.
"To invite another woman, who is clearly attractive to hang out with you, while I'm busy is rude and inappropriate." Erin continued, creasing a brow as she held out both of her arms.
Lindsey chuckled softly, crossing one arm over his chest as he leaned back into the counter. "Not everyone thinks like that." He told her, shaking his head in disbelief. "Not everyone's under the impression that people are always out to fucking get them." He usually didn't like to argue anymore, but when it came to Penny that was a little different... He would have defended her to the end of time and it wouldn't have mattered who he offended in the midst of doing so.
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, her shoulders sank. "And you haven't even told her that we're ready to start a family, have you?" Her voice grew softer, trying to be a little less harsh than she had been before.
Lindsey let out a deep sigh, gaze falling back to the floor as he thought about it for a moment. "You wanting to have a baby is kind of a weird thing for me to tell my daughter." He admitted.
He had told her, like he had told every woman that he dated after Stevie that he did not want anymore children... He had the chance at a family already- he had the two perfect kids and he wasn't trying to replace either of them. But Erin was determined to change his mind and she had caught him on an off day when she asked if they could consider having babies of their own.
"How is it weird?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "You're moving on in life, Lindsey." Erin's tone got shitty once more. "You haven't even told her that we're getting married yet." She was so fed up with all of it.
She felt like his world centered around Penny and it was so tiring... Penelope lived out in Arizona and yet, somehow, she was still so obnoxious.
"I'll tell her when I want to tell her." He shrugged a shoulder, not even enthused with that either.
He wasn't sure he was the marrying type... He'd never been married, and it kind of seemed lame, especially if this was foreshadowing how it was going to be.
She grew quiet for a moment, so mad, it was a shock that the smoke didn't come from her ears. "Find somewhere else to sleep tonight." She told him, so serious, it caused him to laugh.
"Oh, yeah." He held out a hand to show her the suite- there was one master bedroom and a small couch. "Where do you suppose I sleep?" Lindsey was being sarcastic, a shitty smirk rolling across his face.
She raised a brow, face stone cold. "Bye."
~~~
After Lindsey checked into a different, definitely not as nice room, he found himself sitting at the bar, having a couple... five or six drinks to calm his nerves.
It was Barbara that had told him, when he first started dating Erin that she was going to want more... "She's only thirty- five, Lindsey. She's gonna want a family." And even though he knew there was a possibility that she would, he didn't think they'd make it that far.
He had always said that he didn't want more kids... He was too old. But the truth was, deep down, he didn't even want to think about sharing that with someone other than Stevie, who had already given him the two best things in life.
He didn't think he could ever think another woman was as remarkable as her.
"You ready for another?" The bartender wondered, a gentle smile on her face as she leaned into the bar top.
Nodding his head, he pulled himself back to reality. "Yeah, please." He glanced around, pausing the moment his eyes fell on the blonde that was all the way at the end.
She was in a flowing black dress, a shawl draped over her arms and long hair in natural curls down her back... She was so pretty and after some liquid courage, he was feeling a little more talkative.
However, she had just taken a seat and it was so busy, she didn't even notice him, so when he slipped into the empty seat next to her, she jumped. "Geez." Stevie chuckled lightly, brown eyes melting right into his.
She could tell, even after twenty years that he had been drinking... quite a bit.
"Where's your man?" He wondered, almost certain that she had one even if he hadn't seen him... yet.
He wasn't trying to cause problems either.
Raising a brow, she couldn't help but grin. "He's so sunburnt, he's in bed." She admitted, not afraid to be that honest with him.
She probably wouldn't have told anyone else that, obviously.
"Where's the hawk?" She didn't know Erin's name, but she had come up with a couple of nicknames and that was the nicest one.
He chuckled lightly, eyes traveling back to the bartender to motion for two drinks instead of his one... He knew if anyone could handle it on the rocks, it was Stevie. "She kicked me out of the room this morning." Lindsey couldn't help but smirk when he looked back over at her, only to see her eyes wide.
"Oh, no..." she didn't know what to say and she didn't want to laugh, even though she felt one wanting to escape.
"Here," he slid over the glass that the woman had put down and then the shot of clear liquor along with it.
Stevie paused for a second, heart beginning to beat a little faster as she picked up a lime off the napkin to chase it. "We have to make a toast..." she told him as she half heartedly picked up the tequila.
He looked at her for a long moment, nodding his head in agreement. "Here's to you..." he announced, which caused her freeze. "And how you're still the most beautiful woman in every room."
