Ties That Bind

Chapter 13. Overestimating

It was later in the evening that Stevie was making her way home from work.

Normally when she worked, she tried to work up to eight hours since that was considered over and usually she did that on Saturdays and Sundays if she could, but during the week, she tried for at least four hours, though her schedule definitely hindered and sometimes she could only work two hours. Having a really nice boss, she was able to bend her hours as far as she could and she worked less sometimes and others, over.

After working a five hour shift, she was pretty beat and ready to just crash for the night, mostly because she could since she didn't have any homework---a rare thing.

Approaching from the back, she fumbled with her keys blindly since she was so tired, but she was also juggling a paper bag, full of dinner. She went straight over to Lindsey's and she knocked on the plastic frame of the screen door since, of course, the wood door was open.

Lindsey spun around when he seen her and he got up, "Hey, come in---" he moved to the side and kind of smirked. "Ya look cute," as he crossed his arms and took in her little turquoise uniform with the white apron around her waist, her cream platform boots and her long, black coat over it all.

"I'm too tired to even figure out if that was explicit or sarcastic," she shoved the bag into his chest.

Taking it, just little stunned, "Can't it just be a compliment?" he kind of opened it.

"With you, I can't be so sure," she explained, handing him a drink as well.

"What's this?" he had to ask since she was just handing him food with no mention of it.

"I figured I get you dinner---I owe you for getting my car to start this morning. You seem like a burger and Coke kind of guy, so... Happy eating," she winked and turned around to walk away, for her mail and really, just to get to her bed.

"Wait, what about you? Have you eaten? Or don't you wanna come in?" he asked.

"No, I ate at the restaurant and I am so exhausted," she assured, walking backwards as she did make it to the mailboxes.

"Hey, well..." he trailed---wanting to put everything down before coming out to meet her. After, he approached her and he crossed his arms. "What are you doing Friday?"

"You don't waste time, do you? Aren't you tired of me yet?" she smirked as she turned the key with force. "We had a date Friday night, you spent the weekend with me and my family and rescued me this morning... Plus you see me every day since we practically live together."

Chuckling at her long statement, "I haven't had my fill of your pretty face," he winked at her as charmingly as he always did. "So, what are you up to Friday?"

"Then, I am not too sure," as she once again forced the key to lock the metal box. "School and then I don't get home till early evening," she shrugged. "We both just got lucky last week with my getting out early."

"I'll say," he mumbled. "Well, it's nothing crazy or overly fancy---I just want to introduce you to some people. They're family in a sense and I think it's important they meet you."

"Not that I'm not honored, but why?" she kind of shrugged with a small smile of confusion on her lips.

"I met your family, it's only right you meet people who I think of as my own. And if all goes well, maybe you can meet my biological family," he smirked. "Are you in?"

"Sure, what time and how far away are they?"

"Well, it's about a twenty minute drive. We're just going up to Brentwood," he assured.