"What was that about?" Lindsey asked, fastening the button of his jeans.
"What does it matter?" Stevie asked back, looking at her appearance in her compact mirror.
"We have this huge argument, then we don't say anything to each other the whole day and you end up dragging me in some darkened room for a quick fuck? Excuse me, but I do need an explanation."
"Just be happy, will you." She reapplied her lipstick and put it back in her bag.
"Stevie!"
"What?!"
"What does this mean?"
"Nothing, it changes absolutely nothing."
"And you said you weren't the one who's keeping me hanging onto you!"
"You could have pushed me away." She shrugged, looking at him at last.
"You knew that would never happen."
"That's your problem then." She turned around to leave, but he didn't let her, his arm going around her. "Joe's waiting for me."
"Are you fucking serious?!"
"Yes, now let me go. He'll start calling."
"Well, maybe he should? Maybe he should also come in here, so I can tell him all about how faithfull his girlfriend is."
"How does it feel, Lindsey?"
"How does what feel?"
"You just had me and now I'm going home to someone else. It doesn't make you very happy, does it?"
"Oh my god..." His hand came up to cover his mouth. "You did that because you wanted me to know how much this fucking hurts? How you've been feeling for years?"
"At least you won't have to lie in the same bed we just had sex in."
Those were the last words she said to him before leaving. It took her a moment, if she didn't fight it, tears would have spilled the very same second she told him that, but she knew she had to hurry, Lindsey wouldn't stay in that room for long.
Stevie felt horrible seeing Joe. He smiled and kissed her, when minutes ago she was kissing someone else. She believed he loved her and she did him, but she wasn't in love with Joe, how could she? And the reason she had given Lindsey about what happened was a load of crap and she knew that too. At least she had a few weeks before she would have to face him again.
"Is everything okay, baby?" Joe asked, as he stopped at the red light.
"Why, I don't look okay?"
"You look beautiful. But that's not what I mean, you're very quiet."
"Tired, that's all. I've had a very long day."
"How could I make it better for you?"
"Why are you so nice to me, Joe?"
He frowned, not really getting the question. "I love you?"
"Do you really?"
"You don't believe me?"
"I do."
"Then I don't understand."
"Ignore what I said." She entwined their fingers together and placed their joined hands in her lap.
"Are you sure you're fine, Stevie?"
"Mhm..." She mumbled, suddenly feeling chocked up.
They drove the rest of the way in silence and it worried Joe greatly. But she said she was fine and she wasn't going to change her mind and open up. That was something he hated, he felt she didn't trust him or maybe even loved him to share whatever was bothering her.
Later the same night, Stevie went to bed unusually early. She wasn't asleep yet, but Joe was used to seeing her at the piano, playing or writing before walking upstairs and getting into bed. She didn't do that tonight, which was like another red flag in his eyes.
Joe knocked on the bedroom door that was ajar. "You don't have to knock."
"I didn't want to interrupt anything."
"What possibly could have you interrupted?"
"Your special time?" He teased and she threw a pillow at him laughing.
"Better join me."
And he did, picking up he pillow on his way. "Do you ever stop writing?"
"No."
"Are you going to write something about me?"
"If we break up, then most certainly."
"Don't say that!"
"I'm only joking."
"I was thinking..." The tone of his voice softened as he pressed kisses down her arm in between words.
"Yeah?"
"Will you put that thing away?" He took the journal from her hands and leaned forward over her to put it on the nighstand on her side of the bed.
"You know, you could get killed by touching my journal."
"I'm not scared of you." He places his head on her belly and she mindlessly played with his hair. "How long have you got until you have to leave with the band?"
"About two weeks of free time."
"Good."
"What have you got planned?"
"I want to take you away, just the two of us."
"I don't do vacation while I'm not completely done with work."
"When are you ever?"
"Good point."
"Make an exception for me?"
"I can give you a week."
"Oh wow! That is so very kind of you!"
"Or we can go nowhere?" She added, not actually angry at his sarcasm.
"A week will have to do."
"Have you thought of where you want to go?"
"I didn't get to that part yet, no."
"Good, we're going to Hawaii then."
"Whatever you want." He kissed his way up to her lips and lingered for a moment. "I do love you, you know."
"That sounded so romantic." She rolled her eyes and took off her glasses, placing them on the journal.
"I sometimes wonder if you feel the same."
She sensed him being insecure and could she really blame him? "You don't believe it when I say it to you?"
"I do, but..."
"But?" She drew back a little.
"Just, you know... We already talked about this."
"Exactly. Now... To stop you from worrying..." She pulled the bed sheet away from them and straddled his middle.
"Are you about to show me how much you love me?" His palm touched the side of her face, bringing her down for a kiss. She bit his lip when pulling away. "You don't have any idea what you do to me..."
"I think I do." She winked and leaned in to kiss him again, when the doorbell rang.
