Three hours later, they had sat down in Stevie's kitchen and prepared breakfast. Stevie was sitting on a bar stool, watching with big eyes how Lindsey made pancakes for both of them.
"Honestly.. What the hell happened to you?!", she asked, still stunned about his major kitchen skills.
"Three kids happened, Stevie!", he laughed and flipped the pancakes, "Once you have them, everything changes.. You can't just sit around and let anybody else do all that normal stuff for you. So, I had to learn to cook at least a few things to feed them when they're hungry.."
"What else can you cook?", Stevie asked curiously, admiring his strong arms and bare upper body as he was only standing there in a pair of jeans.
"Seriously?", he chuckled and shot her a look.
"Yes. I really want to know. I've never seen you cook before!"
"You never let me."
"You burned water, Lindsey. Water. How can someone burn water?!"
"Oh come on, that was ages ago!"
"Doesn't matter! It still happened.", she said.
"That was the best time of my life..", he muttered melancholically.
"What do you mean?"
"When you and I lived together back then. We were so young, had nothing and still... we were so happy.. and so in love.."
"We were...", she admitted, avoiding his eyes.
"Do you sometimes think about that time? I mean about us? How we used to be before this crazy thing happened with the band?", Lindsey asked, desperately searching for her eyes.
"Of course, I do. Very often lately..", Stevie answered sheepishly and blushed a little.
He smiled sweetly at her response and bent over the kitchen island to kiss her. She giggled and returned his kiss happily, then dipped a finger into the pancake batter and smeared it onto his nose, to lift up and lick it off again.
"Mmmmmm..", she said appreciatively and licked her lips.
"Tastes good?"
"Very yummy!"
"I think I have to taste it myself.", he said, walked around the kitchen island, untied her creamy-colored silk robe and smeared some batter on her left nipple.
"You are so horny..", Stevie laughed and shook her head when he lowered his head to lick and suck the batter off her breast.
"You were right. Very tasty.. Although, I'm not so sure if it was you or the batter tasting that delicious!", he winked at her.
She blushed and chuckled lightly when he walked back to the stove and she retied her robe, "How much longer is this going to take? I'm hungry, Linds.."
"Two more minutes, babe!"
"How about having breakfast on my balcony?", she suggested while feeding Sulamith.
"Great idea! Make yourself comfortable, I'll get our plates outside."
"I feel like you're the one living here and I'm the guest!", she laughed and went outside, being welcomed by a fantastic view of the blue ocean and sky in front of her, the sun sparkling on the water.
"Oh, wow! That's the perfect place to have breakfast!", he exclaimed and handed her a plate of blueberry pancakes with some whipped cream on top.
"Oh, you made them just like I love them!", she cooed.
"I'd never forget how you like your pancakes!", he smirked, then went back inside to get them some coffee and orange juice.
-
They ate silently for awhile, every now and then nipping at their glasses and enjoying the moment.
"Phew! I'm certainly full!", Stevie said eventually and put her fork down.
"You didn't even eat half of it!", he pouted.
"It was way too much, Linds! I'm tiny! I cannot eat eight pancakes on my own! At least not without growing into a balloon!", she laughed.
"But you liked it, don't you?", he asked, and for the very first time, Stevie saw a little bit of self-doubt surfacing on his handsome face.
"It was perfect.", she muttered and petted his hand, "But I'm full, really full. And I also have to look after my weight.. I'm still on a diet."
"Stevie!", he rolled his eyes, "Come on!"
"Lindsey, please.. You said it yourself, I'm feeling more comfortable in my body since I lost those ten pounds..-"
"And I am more than happy that you do so. But don't torture yourself, okay? If you want to have a treat once in a while, then go for it! You deserve it!", the last sentence came with a bright smile and she couldn't help but answer him with a loving kiss on his lips.
He took her hand and held it firmly between his, lovingly stroking it with one of his thumbs, when she snuggled up at his side.
"Linds?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"I hate to say that.. I really do! And don't get me wrong.. I love having you here but..."
"But?!"
"But what does your wife and children think where you are?"
Lindsey sighed heavily in response.
"I mean.. You spent the whole night and it's already noon by now.. Aren't they concerned where you might be?"
"Don't worry about that, Stevie!", Lindsey assured her and brought her hand up to kiss it softly.
"But I have to, Linds! I had you during the whole tour! But we're back in California now! It's family time for you! I couldn't even believe it when you stood in front of my door last night! You're not supposed to be here.."
"You don't want me here, do you?", he said, hurt written all over his face.
"No! Nooooo! Lindsey, no! That's not how I meant it! I love having you here! But this is not fair to your children! You're supposed to spend time with them now."
"I already spent the whole last week with them, Steves. It's not like they're little babies anymore! Will's 17! He doesn't even want to spend time with me anymore! Leelee has her first boyfriend and is all over that lucky guy and Stella.. Well, I spent a huge amount of time with her. She's fine. She can do a couple of hours without her daddy."
And what about your wife? That was the question that was itching Stevie to get it off her chest but she bit it back, too afraid of the answer that might be coming out of his mouth.
"So that means..?"
"Means, I can stay a little longer!", he said and kissed the tip of her nose.
"And I don't need to feel guilty for having you here?", she asked doubtfully.
"No, you don't. In fact, I don't want you to ever feel guilty about those kind of things, Stevie! It's not like you're forcing me to be here! I want to be here. This is my decision!"
"I can't help it.. I think about it all the time..", she admitted and looked down on the floor.
"Hey, look at me! Look at me, Steph!", he demanded and brought up her chin, making her look directly into his eyes, "Stop that! You hear me? Don't think about it! This is okay. And it's not your fault! I am happy when I'm spending my time with you and I hope you are, too?"
"Of course, I am."
"Then, that is all that you should be focusing on."
"Easier said than done.."
"I know."
"I've been there before, Linds.. You know that! Being the home-wrecker is not nice! I can't do this again! I'm too old!"
"I know..", he said again and pulled her closer into his arms, "I can't lose you, Steph.. Not again."
She said nothing in return, blankly staring out at the ocean while he was absently stroking her back and playing with her hair. Where was this whole thing going to take them?!