I Think I'm in Trouble {Reimagined}

XIX.

It was as though all of the stress Lindsey had been feeling that late afternoon and early evening had faded away as he watched the blonde laugh hard with her girls; knowing well between Stevie and Lori that they were always gossiping and cracking jokes.

Sipping his beverage, he stayed watching, sure she was a little passed tipsy because she looked stress free, though her previous mood was unbeknownst to him completely. 

Although he had been fixated on her, he was back and forth from looking at her and talking to the bartender that he had not noticed Sharon getting up and coming over his way.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" she wondered, quite surprised yet relieved to see him. 

"Oh, nothing... Just hanging out," he smirked, saying so in a stupid tone because they both knew well he only went to get a drink when he was extra stressed. "I've come here a lot recently, just grabbing something to eat since we all know I have no food at home... I caught a glimpse of you guys over there..."

"Yeah... Lori is so beyond drunk..." she widened her eyes, looking back at both women laughing with the people they had met while there. "Stevie's been drinking all day, she barely caught her buzz but something else had her stressed out earlier..."

"Like what?" he concerned.

"Well, there was a girl here earlier and Jeff was talking to her," she shook her head, deciding not to say much else. 

"Oh, he's here?" he then became apprehensive. 

"No, no, no..." she waved it off. "I'm sorry. He left with her, that's why Stevie was anxious about it... Supposedly, he took her home," she explained further.

"Oh..." he relaxed, taking a sigh of relief. "Well, he's, what, twenty-five?" he smirked. 

"She's just a protective mom... It got her down earlier too because talk of being deployed again came up. So, it's the idea of starting a relationship with somebody and then getting deployed, all that and you know how she gets when she drinks..."

"Right..."

Eventually, Lori was going to make her way to the restroom and she spotted Lindsey talking with Sharon, so she made her way over to meet them. 

"Hey, you," he smirked, watching as Sharon held the woman up. "You okay?"

"I have to pee," Lori whined, telling the younger woman as though she were a toddler. "Come with me..."

She hadn't even processed Lindsey's presence.

"Okay, okay, come on," she took her by the hand and smirked at Lindsey. "We'll be back," she added. "I might have to take her home..."

He nodded. 

Time would go by; Stevie realized she was the only one entertaining the people they had met and made friends with because the girls had been gone a while, but when she looked up in search of them, she noticed the back frame of the man at the bar and the butterflies became wild within her.

Meanwhile, Lindsey was talking to the bartender about getting a glass of water since his need to consume alcohol had lessened once he laid eyes on the blonde. 

The sound of her raspy voice filled his ears, causing him to turn abruptly. 

"Well, hello, Mr. Buckingham..." she allowed her hand to slide over his shoulder. 

Once his eyes landed on her so close up prior to before, he noticed the light shean of sweat glistening from her skin from burning off her drinks, along with the beautiful and natural blush that tinted her cheeks.