A shoulder to lean on

Part 2 - What you lost

Just as Stevie had arranged, Karen took Lindsey to Los Angeles to gather his things from the Extended Stay. She was surprised that he didn't have a guitar, really showing just how depressed he was about his divorce, feeling that she should be light on him even if she didn't particularly care for his antics.

They stopped at Starbucks since Stevie had requested a latte, Lindsey patiently waiting to get back to her home so he could shower, leaning back in the car seat as he never realized how much had actually gotten away. He'd told her that he would always love her, that even though he was expecting his first child - that it didn't mean he had to leave her but then his mind started to travel to the morality of it all. It would look absolutely disgusting if a man his age got another woman pregnant with out owning up to the responsibility, realizing that it would probably be for the best that he marry the younger woman. The whole situation had crushed Stevie, having recently lost their baby due to a miscarriage, knowing that played a part in his choice due to the pain, and it was just that now he was realizing all of this. Now he was the one that was being pushed away by the two very women that he'd cared about the most.

Hearing laughter as they entered her home, Karen brought the steaming latte to her boss on the Living room couch, acting like a little teenager on Roger's lap. Stevie stood up as she fixed her skirt, Roger giving her bottom a pinch as she tried desperately not to laugh, meeting Lindsey's eyes that were a cold color of blue.

"Linds..." holding her latte in her hands, "...I want you to meet Roger Hines, my...boyfriend."

Really? He had to meet this stunningly handsome man with out fixing himself up? Lindsey felt two feet tall next to this man, seeing in his face that he was around his age but has had some touch ups here and there, making him look older. "Hi, Lindsey Buckingham," shaking the taller man's hand as Stevie hung on his arm.

"Nice to meet you, Buck, I have heard plenty about you from this charming little lady right here," wrapping his arm around her waist as he once again pinched her bottom. Lindsey was not amused.

"Well, I sure hope it was all good things," giving a nod of his head. "If you don't mind, I am in need of a quick shower," turning on his heel as he took his suitcase up the stairs with him. Stevie could tell there was going to be a lot of tension from this day on out.

"I don't think he likes me...?" inquired Roger as Stevie placed down her latte, shaking her head.

"No, Roger, it's not that at all - like I said, he is going through something none of us want to experience," excusing herself as she went to check on him. She could hear the shower water running but entered his room anyway, seeing him half naked in the bathroom as he shaved. Oh, goodness, was he gorgeous... "Linds...?" tapping on the doorframe as he hissed, dropping the razor in to the sink as drops of blood covered it, holding on to his chin. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Here, let me," grabbing for a tissue and placing it on to the knick. "Damn me, Linds, forgive me," pressing the tissue down to clot the blood.

"It's fine, it's fine," repeated Lindsey.

Stevie took a step back, looking him over, the steam from the shower covering the mirror. "Look, I don't want to see you upset more than you already are. I can offer you my condo to stay in for as long as you like -"

"No," working on his shave again.

"No?"

"No. When I'm lonely, it's only worse, so if I have to put up with some teenage boy in a sixty year old's body - so be it!"

"Don't talk like that about him, Linds, please," touching his shoulder, feeling his hot skin, letting her fingers linger there.

"Why not?" turning his head to look at her. "I mean, I know you don't date men that are younger and it's obvious when you get up close that he IS older than he tries to pass for but that's fine, it's his life."