Love You Enough

Step One?

The next day at the studio, Stevie is sitting alone on the couch with her legs tucked under her, scribbling furiously in her journal. Lindsey spots her right away but knows he must act casual. He can't ambush her or she will flee. He makes conversation with Mick and John but keeps looking back to Stevie on the couch. So beautiful in a simple blouse and skirt with high platform boots. Her wild waves were pinned up with pieces falling down around her face. She was apparently concentrating very hard on what she was writing. That's the only time he had really known her to put her hair up.

"Lindsey, are you listening?" Mick asks.

"Yeah, I'm listening" Lindsey says, never taking his eyes off of his object of desire.

"Then what did I say?" Lindsey's expression is blank. "Mate, you've gotta let her go"

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"You're not even looking at me, you're looking at Stevie. Boring holes into her. Stop it."

"Ah, what do you know?" He says, dismissing him, walking away from them and straight up to Stevie. She noticed her light has gone away and she trails her eyes all the way up to meet Lindsey's smile. "Hey, can we talk a minute?" He asks, jamming his hands into his back pockets. Could this be step one?

"Uh, sure." she says hesitantly. He motions for her to come and she follows behind him to the same room Christine took him to the day prior. He shuts the door and her eyes goes wide, panicked.

"Don't freak out" he says, swearing he can hear how hard her heart is beating in her chest. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have said those nasty things to you. They're not true."

"Thank you. I accept your apology"

"Good and uh, I'm sorry I've been treating you like shit. I don't know why I do that instead of telling you how I actually feel"

"Communication has never been our strong suit" she says, a tiny smile on her lips.

"I guess you're right. Can I take you out tonight or something? I'd really like to kind of have a heart to heart."

"A heart to heart? Listen, as lovely as that sounds..." she says, exhaling and rolling her eyes. "I don't think that's a good idea"

"Oh come on, don't you think I'm cute anymore?" He teased, trying to get a smile.

"I think you're plenty cute but in all honesty, I don't think I can handle it. Not right now."

"Then when? Give me a fucking chance, Stevie!" he shouts.

"See? This is exactly why. You start out all sweet and adorable then you mess it up. I'm going back out there, Lindsey. See ya" She waves, walking past him and he grabs her arm. "Let me go"

"Come on, Stevie. Just talk to me"

"No!" She exclaims, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. "Let me go...please" she pleads. "You're hurting me" He turned her lose and she opened the door, rubbing her forearm.

"Shit..." he says to himself, kicking the floor. "Yeah...smooth move, loser. She's never going to talk to me now"

After a couple of minutes he joins the others, finally starting their session. Christine was in the booth now and Stevie was loving what she heard. She was tapping her foot as she sat on the tall stool at the board.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, the music moving her, as it always did, to her very core. When Chris had finished her take Stevie shot up and went to hug her. "So good!" She said, enthusiastically.

"Thanks, love. Was it really alright?"

"Better than alright!"

"Well, that makes me feel good."