Not Now

Part 24

Lindsey's POV

~

"Hey!" Todd beams at me, excited to see me. I hope.

"Hey, man." I grin back at him, shaking his hand. "It's impossible to get you out of the house, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah." He nods, rolling his eyes. "Pregnant wife and all that."

"I know, I get it." I slide along the seat in the booth, he's already occupied for us. "But it's really good to see you."

"It's not like we haven't seen each other in years." Todd laughs, adding. "When was that birthday party? Like a month ago?"

"Try two." His eyes widen and I nod my head. "Yup. So, how have you been?"

"Good, good. Things are getting a bit intense, you know, with the baby coming really soon." He emphasizes and I smile. I wish, I was in his shoes. "Don't tell Sharon I've said this, but she's such a pain lately. I just nod my head and say, yes, dear."

"I'm sure it will all be worth it, when you finally get to hold your... wait, is it a boy or a girl?" I don't know if they haven't told me or I've forgotten.

"A girl. Should be at least." Todd tells me, picking up his beer. "All I care about is that the kid's healthy."

"Of course." I nod in agreement to him, then a thank you to a waiter, whose brought my coke.

Todd frowns, giving me a disapproving look. "Explain yourself, Buckingham."

"I, uh... I have to drive later."

"We don't see each other for months and you can't even have a beer with me?" He shakes his head, but I know he's just joking around. "What's the destination?"

I shift in my seat, unsure if I should let him in on what's been going on these past few weeks. "Well..."

"Uh-oh." 

I laugh lightly, shrugging my shoulders. "It's good, it's actually been really good lately."

"Come on." He nudges me in the side and I sigh.

"I have to pick up Stevie from work." 

"Come again?" Todd asks, seemingly very surprised. "Are you two, like, back together?"

"No, not yet at least." I shake my head, slightly disappointed because of that. "We're kind of trying to see, where things are going right now. About a month or so ago, I asked her to come over to just, you know, catch up. I wanted too know, how she was doing. She left the next day." Todd smirks and I roll my eyes. "Since then, every few days we meet up to spend some time together; drinks, lunch or dinner, the movies..." I give a shrug of my shoulders. "And so far, things are going really well."

"Hallelujah!" Todd exclaims, making some heads turn and I hang my head low to avoid the stares. "You two better sort your shit out, otherwise, it's just going to be awkward, being godparents to our child."

I frown, have I forgotten about that too? "Sorry?"

Todd sighs heavily, slapping himself on the forehead. "Don't tell Sharon, I've told you that either. Act surprised, when she asks you."

We stay for another hour and a half, two hours tops, catching up on what's been going on in our lives, before Sharon calls and pleads with Todd to bring back mint chocolate ice cream. He apologizes five times or so, but he's got to go. I understand completely. 

I still have some time to kill, but I don't really have anything else to do, so I just drive to where Stevie works and decide to wait in the parking lot nearby. I turn up the radio and relax in my seat. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I take it out, a smile forms on my face, when I see Stevie's name.

'Get me out of here :('

I chuckle and type back a reply.

'Your getaway vehicle is outside already, so...'

'Why don't you come in? It's a slow night.

With no further encouragement needed, I lock up the car and cross the street. It's a slow night indeed. I spot Stevie right away and the corners of her mouth curl up, when she sees me too. She melts my heart.

I approach the bar and take a seat, she leans over and surprises me with a quick peck on the lips. We don't engage in PDA, we're only affectionate like that, when we're at my place.

"What was that for?"

Stevie shrugs. "Missed you."

Brandon appears and we greet each other. I don't have any ill feelings towards him anymore, I know for sure that he and Stevie are just friends. 

"You should go." He turns to Stevie.

"No, Brandon. You're letting me go early every night of the week." She disagrees, but Brandon doesn't seem to pay much attention.

"You've got plans."

A minute more of this back and forth, and Stevie's returning from the staff room with her belongings. She approaches me and I get off the bar stool. 

"Ready to go?"

"Ready." Stevie nods and her hand slips in mine.