Start Again

Part 9

"Thanks for meeting up with me." Lindsey greeted Mick, shaking his hand.

"Sure. But I must say, you got me worried. Something happened?" Mick asked, concern evident across his face.

"Um, yeah..." Lindsey nodded as the two of them sat down in the corner of a café. "I guess I should start with, uh-"

"Come on, Lindsey. You know you can tell me anything."

"Kristen and I are getting divorced." Seeing Mick's shocked expression, Lindsey didn't stop. "I told Stevie and then I asked if I could stay with her, while I find myself a new place to live."

Unexpectedly, Mick started laughing. "You're kidding right? About Stevie."

"No." Lindsey shook his head. "Also, this morning, I realized I still have strong feelings for her."

"Who, Kristen?" Mick frowned, not really following anymore.

"No! Stevie." Lindsey hissed. "I don't know what it was, I just..." He sighed, leaning back in his seat. "She and I talked after the Classic East and we had a long conversation last night, when she agreed to me living with her for a while. Then this morning, she came into the kitchen, Lily in one arm, completely makeup free, dressed down, well, in her nightgown and, uh..." Lindsey shrugged. "Somehow, I saw her in a completely different way. That image of her, reminded me of the good times, you know, when it was just the two of us. It's seriously messing with my head."

Lindsey grew quiet, when a waiter approached them with their orders.

"But it's nothing new really, is it?" Mick gave Lindsey a look, stirring sugar in his cup. "You've always loved her."

"That's true, but I thought, I wasn't still in love with her." Lindsey admitted.

"Then tell her." Mick shrugged his shoulders, he was used to whatever Stevie and Lindsey had between them.

"I can't. It's stupid." Lindsey cursed, having burnt his tongue. "She probably doesn't even feel anything for me anymore."

"Well, you won't know if you don't tell her."

"What then? I'd be an idiot to think we'd end up together again. I don't know if that's what I want. I'm sure she's moved on anyway."

Mick chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "Sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself, mate. Do you honestly believe Stevie doesn't feel the same?" Lindsey shrugged to that. "Since you got married to Kristen, has she had one serious relationship?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lindsey frowned, taking another sip of his coffee more carefully.

"It might sound mean, but don't you think that she was just hoping that someday, somehow..." Mick trailed off, but the look on Lindsey's face made him sigh. "Don't you think that she's been waiting for you all these years? That at least a tiny part of her heart hoped, you two might get back together someday? If she had never truly loved you or still had feelings for you to this day, she would have let herself meet someone else, allowed herself to look for happiness elsewhere."

"Are you just saying these things?" Lindsey asked, not feeling too sure.

"No, I mean them. Stevie's a beautiful, wonderful, smart woman. She still has men falling at her feet, but she doesn't want any of them. She wants you."

A small smile tugged at his lips and Lindsey looked away, thinking. What was the worst that could happen? Like Mick said, it wasn't anything new. Maybe he should tell her. If she laughs in his face, he's going to pack up and return to a hotel.

"Thanks." Lindsey said, patting Mick on the back on his way out.

With his heart beating out of his chest, Lindsey drove back to Stevie's house. He was repeating what he was going to say to her in his head, occasionally wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. He was nervous. Should he be nervous? It was Stevie. Stephanie. His Steph. The woman he'd known since he was a teenager, the woman he'd loved since he was a teenager.

Pulling into the driveway, Lindsey turned the engine off and got out of the car, taking the long stem red roses from the backseat. Taking a few deep breaths, he made his way into the house. It was quiet downstairs, so he climbed up the stairs and turned towards Stevie's bedroom. He could hear her singing to herself, which made him smile. Knocking on the ajar door, Lindsey called out her name.

"Come in." Stevie said and turned to face him. "Hey."

"H- hi." Lindsey stuttered.

It was obvious Stevie was going out. Lindsey couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her in a dress. The black velvet stopped just above her knees, her cleavage was accentuated by a sweetheart neckline, her hair long and straight, covering her back, her makeup applied with careful precision. The smell of her perfume was making him dizzy.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going out."

"Actually, I'm going on a date." Stevie said, adding. "Sharon set me up. She swears I'm going to love him." She used air quotes. "But since I have nothing better to do, I thought, why not."

"Right..."

"Are those for me by any chance?" Stevie referred to the gorgeous roses Lindsey forgot he was holding.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, they are. I just-" He shrugged, handing the flowers to her.

"How sweet of you, thank you." Stevie smiled, approaching him. Placing her hand on the back of his neck, she pressed her lips to his cheek.

Lindsey couldn't stop himself. His arm wrapped around her waist as he drew her in closer and captured her lips. She was taken by surprise, nevertheless, being kissed by him was still the greatest feeling she had ever experienced. Her lips slowly parted and she moaned, when his tongue slid over hers. He held her firmly against himself, only to feel her struggling to break free a second later.

"I..." Stevie began, but she didn't know how to continue. "I have to go."