With naturally messy long blonde curls, sleepy eyes and a robe covering up her silk nightgown, Stevie trailed down the staircase, listening to the sound of shuffling around in the kitchen.
It was early for her, but not for her husband, who was very accustomed to being up and downstairs far before eight in the morning, which is about the time she finally decided to climb out of that safety net... her bed.
"Good morning." She smiled softly, wrapping her robe around herself tighter as she traveled around the corner of the foyer and into the kitchen.
But the moment her eyes met his from across the room, she froze... It was almost like she'd seen a ghost and in many ways, she had.
"Hi." He was sitting at the island, brown curls slicked back, wearing an old t-shirt, a pair of faded blue jeans and a smile that once made her so weak in the knees...
"Good morning..." Drew added in a low tone of voice, eyes soft and nearly sad... He had missed her so much, even though he knew better than to mention it.
It had only been a little over a week since he'd seen her, but it was just enough time to realize how emotionally attached he'd become... He was almost certain that he had never loved anyone the way he loved her.
"You look..." he paused for a moment, biting down on the inside of his cheek as his eyes scanned her appearance. "Beautiful." He knew it was wrong and he knew she'd be mad, but he had to tell her anyway... He figured it'd been a while since she was reminded.
Her gaze narrowed right away, heart beating a mile a minute as she stood still in the doorway. "What the fu-" she was getting ready to ask him what he was doing in her house, but not that nice, obviously.
"Hey, Steph." Lindsey's voice is what cut her off, not having heard her to begin with as he slipped through the patio door. "Good morning, baby." His hand met her waist from behind, patting her hip lightly as he pressed his lips to the side of her head.
He really didn't suspect a single thing and for whatever reason, Stevie kind of just wanted him to... She wanted him to know, because the feeling of guilt that was eating away at her was almost too much to handle.
It felt like they were playing a mean game and even though she knew it was definitely her fault that it had started in the first place, she just wanted it to end already.
Her eyes fell to the floor, lacing her fingers in his to keep him close, even though she knew he was in the middle of something. "What's going on?" Stevie wasn't afraid to make it obvious how uncomfortable she was...
After all, there she was, only eight in the morning, hair a mess, no makeup on and in a nightgown that only went right above the knee... She was feeling a little vulnerable, actually.
Lindsey gave her hand a gentle squeeze, creasing a brow as he cracked a small, almost embarrassed smile... She honestly sounded a little rude, which was kind of odd for him. "Uh," he paused for a second, using his other hand to casually run up her back. "We're just gonna put in that pump for a pool." He told her, which caused her to roll her eyes instantly.
"Hm," she nodded lightly, patting his hand to silently to tell him to let her go. "I think you should hire someone who actually knows about pools." She announced in an annoyed tone as she began to travel further into the kitchen, not making eye contact with the younger man at the barstool as she headed right for the coffee pot... She needed caffeine.
With his elbow resting on the marble top, Drew moved his hand in front of his mouth, hiding the smirk on his face as his eyes followed her.
"Stevie...?" Lindsey chuckled very awkwardly, holding out a hand out in disbelief as he glanced over at the other man. "She's just tired still, I'm sorry about that." He was honestly shocked...
"No," she shook her head, pouring herself a cup of coffee before she looked back. "I actually feel very well rested this morning." Stevie added with a soft smile as she cradled her cup close to her lips.
Lindsey cracked another little grin, not sure why she was being so damn mean... She was just something else. "Enjoy your coffee, baby." He gave her a playful wink as he motioned towards the back door. "We'll be outside, getting that taken care of." He added, grabbing a bottle of water off the counter, but keeping his eyes locked with her brown ones... She was so beautiful but so tough too.
"I'll finish this quick and be out there." Drew held up his cup casually, trying hard to just get a moment alone with her... he had a million things to say and she wasn't giving him the time of day.
"Sounds like a plan." Lindsey pulled open the door a second later, stepping back out into the warm morning air, where the sun was high in the sky and the birds were chirping... It seemed like it had the potential to be such a calm day- outside, at least.
"What are you doing?" Stevie's voice was harsh as she shot daggers at him once more. "Coming to my house after I had specifically asked you not to?" She raised a brow, not necessarily whispering, even though she probably should have been.... she still had two kids sleeping right up stairs. "That's fucking weird, Drew." She wasn't shouting, but she might as well have been.
He scoffed lightly, shaking his head as he held a hand out. "I told Lindsey weeks ago that I would help with this..." he reminded her. "What am I supposed to do?" Drew shrugged a shoulder, brows creased and forehead wrinkled.
She shook her head lightly, totally unimpressed with him as she stared blankly... She was so upset. "Do not come to my house anymore." She was stern when she said it- she wasn't messing around. "Stay away from husband, stay away from my children, and stay away from me." It wasn't easy, but she had to put up a strong front, or else he'd walk all over her and her home life was too precious to let that happen.
She had been messing up far too long and she knew it was time to put her foot down.
He paused for a long moment, tears lingering in his eyes as he began to push himself up to stand. "Fine, I'll back off." He held up one hand in defense as he used the other to pull an envelope out of his back pocket. "But I wrote this for you and I can't leave here today without giving it to you." He carefully slid it across the counter, heart sinking instantly.
She pursed her lips to the side, not moving an inch as her arms stayed cross. "Go help Lindsey and then tell him that he needs to hire someone who knows what the fuck they're doing." She told him, trying her best not to show any emotion at all.
Nodding his head, he slipped both hands into his pockets as he lingered there for another second. "I still-"
"Everything okay?" Cora's brow was creased as she slowly came through the doorframe, not sure was going on but definitely feeling the stiffness in the air.
Stevie looked furious and the guy her dad had hired to help around the house looked devastated... She wasn't sure what she'd just walked in on.
"Everything's fine." Stevie forced a smile, taking the note off the counter and stuffing it into the drawer in the island. "Good morning, princess." She held out a hand for her daughter, who was already headed her way. "Did you sleep well?" She wondered, wrapping her up in the safety of her arms as her eyes slowly drifted towards Drew.
"I still love you." He mouthed.
