I Can't Stop

Part 26

Stevie was looking around, a slight frown on her face. The place just looked so different, she'd never imagined Lindsey living in a one bedroom apartment and him not having a fully equipped home studio. If she were honest with herself, Stevie didn't even truly believe that what Kristen had told her days before, was even true, until Lindsey gave her his new address.

"So, you're going to live here now?" Stevie asked, sounding somewhat skeptical.

"I mean, yeah. For now at least." Lindsey shrugged. "I didn't want to move into one of the other properties, because, well, they're just a reminder of Kristen. I've never really cared about making a house perfect. It's always been all her doing." He said. "I don't think there is such thing as perfect. I want a home. Maybe it will be this apartment, maybe, possibly I'll find myself a new house that I like."

"It's just... It's a lot, Lindsey." Stevie sighed, running a hand through her hair as she finally slumped down on the couch in the living room.

Lindsey took a seat beside her, nodding his head. "I know. I know and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I wasn't actually planning on asking Kristen for a divorce. You and I said goodbye, when we landed, I came home and I just knew. I realized at that moment that I've not been happy for a very long time, maybe even ever."

"Don't say that. You've been together for years, you have three kids." 

"Right, but again, I simply told myself that this is my life now. I had completely given up hope on us, Steph, and before you say anything, I'm not asking you to leave Don for me, but... You can't tell me that I'm crazy either." Lindsey shook his head, his eyes focused on her. 

Stevie hesitated before she looked at him, knowing that once she turned to him, those gorgeous eyes of his wouldn't let her lie. "I've been thinking a lot about us." She agreed. "I'd say that we've been this close to each other, when we were first going out. I just didn't expect anything like this to happen. Five years, maybe even ten years ago, but now?" Stevie shrugged, shaking her head. "I truly didn't."

"It felt so... easy. I know that doesn't make me sound very good, but for once in my life, I want to do what feels right for me." Lindsey emphasized. "We haven't told the kids yet and I'm sure that's going to be one of the hardest thing I've ever or will ever have to do, but I don't regret it."

Stevie leaned forward, she pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat hunched over. "Be honest. You do have some expectation, don't you?"

"I can't lie and say that I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life with you, but again, Steph, I'm not forcing you into anything. I'm not asking you to do the same thing I did." Lindsey did sound sincere saying that. "I love you. That's all I can say to you. I've loved you from the start. I loved you through good times and bad, when we were together and when we weren't even speaking to each other. I loved you, when you wrote songs about me and I loved you, when I watched you walk down the aisle at your wedding. I loved you, when you sneaked into my hotel room from time to time and I loved you, when you posed for a picture with Don and Sara at her first birthday. I love you, when I see your wedding ring that Don put on your finger." It was as if Lindsey couldn't stop, he did, however, when Stevie shielded her face in the palms of her hands. Gently he pulled them away, tilting her chin up to look at her tear streaked face. "It's always been you, Stevie."

"How-" Stevie began, but she could hardly speak through the lump in her throat. "How can you say that you're not asking me to leave my husband after everything you've just said, Linds?"

"What I'm saying is that no matter what, Steph, nothing is going to change the way I feel about you. I'll always be there for you." Lindsey wiped away the tears and cupped the side of her face. He leaned in, his lips softly touched her wet ones. The kiss didn't escalate into anything more, it was almost as if he sealed his promise.

It took some time for Stevie to calm down. Lindsey hugged her close and kept reassuring that everything was going to be okay. Several hours passed, since Stevie had arrived and it pained her to have to get up and leave.

Stevie walked out and Karen was already waiting for her. No questions were asked as Stevie just stared out the window the whole drive to her house. Thanking her assistant, Stevie entered her home and was in search for Don. Soon she found him with a glass of whiskey and a small notebook, she knew, he was writing.

"Hey, you're back." Don smiled, when Stevie made her presence known.

"Yeah." Stevie nodded and came to sit with him. "Don, we need to talk."