Driving Will to school, Lindsey couldn't ignore the feeling of anxiety. It was as if he was sixteen years old all over again, with a crush on the most popular girl in school. He was a grown man dammit, a father! And yet, here he found himself, hoping that Stevie might show up at the same time as he and Will.
"DAD!"
"Jesus! What?!" Lindsey looked over his shoulder at Will.
"I wouldn't have had to yell if you had heard me the first ten times. I asked if you are picking me up or should I get on the bus?"
"Um... I should finish my work in time to be able to bring you home myself."
"Okay, see you then."
"You too. Have a good day, buddy."
Lindsey lingered for about ten more minutes, but he gave up in the end, realizing he wasn't going to 'accidentally' meet with Stevie, which disappointed him. He didn't know what it was really, but he was completely taken with her. She was such a beautiful woman, his heart was nearly jumping out of his chest from only the thought of her. He tried to play it down on him not having been with a woman in some time, too long even, he thought. Although, he highly doubted that was the case.
The day was dragging, the fact it was Friday also adding to it. Lindsey was counting down minutes until he could finally leave. Saying goodbye to his last patient, Lindsey practically skipped out of the place, going straight for his car.
Arriving at the school again, Lindsey's heart stopped momentarily, seeing Stevie walk through the double doors outside, the wind blowing her gorgeous blond hair. He got out of his car quickly, pretending he hadn't noticed her, just waiting for his son. He used the opportunity, while she was searching for something in her handbag, to hurry and stand on the pavement, facing away, as if he had already been there before she came out.
After a moment...
"Lindsey?" He heard her say, unable to hide his smile as he turned around.
"Stevie, hi."
"Waiting for Will?"
"Yeah, yeah I am. Shouldn't he have come outside by now?" Checking his watch, Lindsey asked.
"There's actually ten minutes left of the lesson." Stevie informed him.
"Oh, well." Shrugging his shoulders, he suddenly was at a loss of words, sensing she was going to walk away any second now. "Um, Stevie?"
"Yes?" She looked up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun with a hand.
"This is probably going to sound stupid and..." He trailed off, unsure why would he even bring this up. "I was wondering if... maybe... and feel free to say no, but maybe, just maybe, you'd like to have a drink with me? That is if you drink of course, because if not, we can just go out for coffee. Or tea! Tea is also good. Though, you're probably not interested at all anyway, so I'm wasting my breath here and-"
"I'd love to." Stevie cut off his rambling, thinking how absolutely adorable he was being right now. Although, while he considered it to be them going out on like more of a date, Stevie simply thought of it as making a new friend. At the moment anyway.
"You would?"
Giving him a nod, she said. "Sure. I'm not up to anything tonight, no plans." Stevie's friends were mostly men, Brad rarely ever got that jealous.
"Well, then great! Should I pick you up or..." Lindsey asked, also at the same time making a mental note to call his brother Jeff and ask if Will could stay with him and his family for the night.
"That would be good." She nodded and rummaged through her handbag for a piece of paper and a pen, writing down her address, then handing it to him. "I'll be ready at around 7."
"Okay, I'll be waiting there and then." Lindsey smiled, gesturing to the piece of paper in his hand.
Stevie then walked away, heading for her car, while Lindsey waited another couple of minutes for Will, who appeared excited, done with school even if for the weekend.
"Hey, Will, how would you like to stay at Uncle Jeff's tonight?"
Will raised an eyebrow, being led to the car.
~
When Stevie came home, she was surprised not to find Brad lying on the living room couch. Instead, there was a note left for her on the coffee table, which she picked up to examine.
'I'll be away for the weekend. Don't worry.
Brad'
He hadn't mentioned a thing to her, so she didn't have the slightest idea of where he might have gone to. Also, don't worry? Why would she? Should she? She instantly thought it had definitely something to do with those mysterious men Mrs. Smith kept telling her about. But if it was important and she had to know, surely Brad would have told her? Shrugging to herself, Stevie crumpled up the note and tossed it in the trash can, entering the kitchen.
After eating late lunch, Stevie went to take a shower. Showering quickly, she wrapped a towel around herself, leaving water drops from the ends of her hair on her way into the bedroom. She spent some time deciding on what to wear, when meeting with Lindsey, choosing a deep red dress, which stopped above her knees. While her hair dried naturally, she went to apply makeup, it being the complete opposite compared to how she would show up at work. Her whole appearance, once she was finished getting ready, was like night and day from her everyday music teacher Ms. Nicks.
Stopping to take a look at herself in the mirror, Stevie cocked her head to one side, suddenly wondering. Why had she put so much effort into the way she was looking right now? This wasn't how a woman looked going out with a man that she wanted to be friends with. This was how a woman looked going out with a man that she wanted to be much more than just friends with.
Lastly, Stevie took her red lipstick and applied it carefully, then fluffed her hair up once more and took a deep breath, glancing at the clock as she then stepped into her high heels.
Soon, she heard the doorbell.
