Not the One

Part 14

"What a fucking dumbass." Lindsey said out loud to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Rationality had never been a strong suit of their relationship. Why couldn't he just talk to Stevie first, before giving her the cold shoulder? She had a perfectly reasonable explanation for her actions. He just had to act like a petulant child. Lindsey hated thinking about it, but he wondered if Dave was actually more mature than he was.

A moment later after Stevie had rushed off, Lindsey's assistant returned, looking extremely uncomfortable, having heard the short, but heated exchange. Sensing his presence, Lindsey lifted up his eyes.

"I need a dozen red long stem roses delivered to Stevie's room ASAP." Lindsey ordered and received a nod of confirmation. It was the least he could do. Knowing Stevie, she most likely had stormed out of the building and into awaiting SUV by now, so there was no reason for him to run after her.

Only a few minutes later, Lindsey walked out of his dressing room, ready to head back to the hotel as well. He ignored the people in the hallway, who had possibly heard Stevie shouting at him.

Sitting in the back of the car, which was bringing him from the venue to the hotel, Lindsey stared out the window, his mind racing. He wondered if Stevie was going to open the door, when he knocked and if she did, was she going to speak to him or throw something at his head. 

Lindsey realized he had been holding her gift. He looked down at it and with shaky fingers, opened the box. It was a simple elegant silver chain with a gorgeous pendant, hanging from it. Lindsey picked it up for closer examination. He wasn't an expert in jewelry, especially not gemstones, but because the present was from Stevie, he guessed it had to be his birthstone.

Sighing heavily, Lindsey cocked his head back and banged it against the backseat a couple of times. Holding the stone in between his fingers for a second longer, Lindsey fastened the chain around his neck. He knew it was important to Stevie and he also genuinely thought it was beautiful.

Meanwhile, Stevie was pacing around her room, complaining about Lindsey to Karen. Her assistant mumbled short words of agreement, because Stevie probably wasn't listening anyway. Stevie's aimless wandering was stopped by a knock on the door.

"I don't want to see him." She shrugged, getting into bed, indicating that Karen should open the door if she wanted to. 

Shutting her eyes tightly for a second, Karen got up from her seat. She was ready to tell Lindsey off, but it wasn't him on the other side. She closed the door and presented Stevie a gorgeous bouquet of roses.

"That was quick." Karen said, quite impressed.

Stevie's softened for about ten seconds as she inhaled the scent of the flowers, before tossing them aside. "He's still a jerk."

"Whom you love, Stevie." Karen sighed. She didn't want to get into the Buckingham Nicks business, but it was also much easier dealing with her boss if her love affair was going well. "It's Lindsey. He's never going to not be an impulsive jerk, but he's your impulsive jerk." Getting no response, Karen informed Stevie that she was going to leave. "You know where to find me if anything."

Karen opened the hotel room door again and gasped, not having expected to see Lindsey. She was about to say something, but he put a finger up to his lips. Lindsey held up and pressed the palms of his hands together, pleading with Karen to let him come in. Knowing she could possibly get in trouble for it, Karen rolled her eyes and showed Lindsey inside, closing the door from the other side.

"He drives me crazy." Stevie murmured to herself into her pillow.

"I'm sorry, Steph."

"Lindsey! Jesus Christ!" She jumped, clutching at her chest. "What the hell? How did you get in here?"

"That's not important." He shook his head, standing a good distance from her. "What's important is that I'm so sorry. I should have known better." Lindsey approached her side of the bed and got down on his knees, hoping she wasn't going to turn her back to him. "I don't want to argue, baby. Please, forgive me."

 Stevie remained silent. Her eyes moved lower down his face and stopped at his chest. "You put it on." She said after some time.

"Of course. It means something to you, but it means so much more to me, Stevie." He reached to touch her hand, grateful that she didn't pull away immediately. "Thank you. I don't know, how I could make this up for you, but I will. Steph, we've got so little time left, before reality sets in... I don't want to waste it away, being angry with each other. Well, you being angry and me groveling on my knees." Lindsey could see that she was trying hard not to crack a smile. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Can't say that I'm not." Stevie shrugged, allowing him to lace their fingers together.

"If you want, I can play the last show like this. I'll do anything, you name it."

Letting out a deep breath, Stevie sat up against the headboard. She rubbed her tired eyes, then folded her arms over her chest and looked at Lindsey again. "I can't keep doing this. I'm too old for these stupid fights, for chasing each other, when one of us fucks up, Lindsey. I don't want to do it."

"I know, baby, I know." Lindsey nodded. "But you know me, Steph. I'm an idiot."

She chuckled, without jumping at the chance to disagree with him. "Karen's right."

"Huh?" He frowned. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"Well, she called you my impulsive jerk." Stevie shrugged. "I'd call you my impulsive, immature jerk."

"You can call me whatever you want, Stevie, as long as you consider me yours." 

Staring into his blue eyes she loved so dearly, Stevie sighed and patted the empty side of the bed. "Get in, you idiot."