Stevie was sat reading in the passengers seat, light bouncing off that giant diamond with every turn of the page.

"What are you reading?" He asks, making conversation to stop himself from letting her have it. That stupid ring, he hated seeing it on her finger. He wished she would lose it down the drain or the stone would fall out but he knew that was selfish and mean. She would feel wracked with guilt if something like that happened.

"Breaking Dawn" she sayswith a smile. "I am so late in the game"

"I'm sure Ms Meyer will forgive you" he says.

"Shut up!" She says playfully.

He loved to see her smile, it made him feel so good to know he made that happen. He was responsible for her joy today. "Do you have any idea where we are going?" He asks, a smile curling the edges of his lips ever so slightly.

"No, you haven't told me. We need to be back by four to get the kids"

"Your parents are picking them up." Lindsey said.

"You planned this out?"

"Yes, I have."

"Will you tell me where we are going?"

"Sierra Hot Springs. A few private hours, alone. I packed you a little bag so you don't have to worry about anything"

She stops reading and looks up at him. "Really?"

"Yep"

"You always told me you didn't want to go"

"I knew how much you wanted to."

"Thank you, Lindsey. You don't know how much this means to me"

"I remember when we were dating all those years ago, when we still lived in San Fran we went up north to Breitenbush. You were so beautiful, long hair, your skin was so tan from all of our hikes and our boating...I will never forget it"

"I won't either. I got pregnant on that trip!" she says laughing.

"Oh yeah...I kind of forgot about that"

"If that's your plan this time, you have another thing comin'!" she jokes

"No, that was definitely not my intention. You're another man's woman now" he says, his smile fading.

"Thank you for this. I really needed to de-stress and this is exactly what I need"

"What has you so tied up in knots?"

"Um...Brock wants me to move with him"

"That's natural. You guys will be getting married. I can move out and you guys can have the house" he offered.

"I would never do that. You designed that house, Lindsey"

"What is he suggesting?"

"Texas" she says quickly, looking away from him and back to her book.

He slams on the brakes in shock, making people honk at him. "What?"

"What was that for?! You nearly killed us both!"

"I'm sorry" He slowly picks up speed again, people swerving around him. "I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry"

"And people say I'm the unsafe driver"

"You are" he says with a smirk and she smiles a little too. "Texas?"

"Yes, that's where he's based. I guess I don't really have a choice"

"There is always a choice"

"I can either move to Texas and be married or I can stay here and be alone"

"You will never be alone" he says and the emotion in his voice makes her look up at him again.

"I want to be in love" she tells him.

"You are, aren't you?" She shrugs. "Stevie, you're getting married!"

"I love him, I do but I don't know if I will ever be truly amazingly in love ever again"

"Don't say that."

"It's true" she says, tears falling down her face.

"I think you're just tired. I woke you up really early to do this and I don't think you're in a place to--"

"I haven't been in love with anyone else since you happened to me. That night 20 years ago changed my life in such a magical, profound way...I will never have that again"

He's quiet a moment, shuffling his music. The exact song he didn't want to hear comes on.

Saw you today after so much time
Felt just like it used to be
Talking for hours 'bout a different life
Surrounded us in memories
We were close never close enough
Where are we now
'Cause if it's torn we can stitch it up
Don't rule it out
Oh no no

I'll come around
If you ever want to be in love
I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up
If you ever want to be in love
I'll come around

"Turn it off" she says.

"Why?"

"I can't hear it" she says but he ignores her. They have always communicated through music. She may not have wanted to hear it but damn it, she was going to.

Wanted to ask if we could have been
But my tongue wouldn't break the seal
You always had something effortless
At school you were the biggest deal
Little quirks close and open up
Time is slipping by
I'm always thinking 'bout the two of us
Replay on my mind
Always playing on my mind

I'll come around
If you ever want to be in love
I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up
If you ever want to be in love
I'll come around

We were, young we were side by side
Don't know when we started losing touch
If you want we could walk around
Maybe that would be enough
Used to talk drinking to the night
I would wake up on the front room floor
All along you'd be in my bed
Make me crazy make me want you more

"Turn it off!" she demands. "Please, just turn it off!"

I'll come around
If you ever want to be in love
I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up
I'll come around
If you ever want to be in love
I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up
If you ever want to be in love
I'll come around

The song ends and another one comes on. She is crying, and though it hurts, he wants her to think. "You never listen!" She says.

"So when it's my music you get to complain but when it's yours, I have to sit there and listen?"

"Shut up, Lindsey. We both know that isn't what this is about"

"Yes, we do"

"What is it that you want me to do?"

"Follow your bliss, don't you say that to the kids?"

"I've already made up my mind" she says, running her left hair through her hair and he sees that extravagant ring again.

"I'm sure you have." He says sadly. Why him? "Let's not let that ruin the day, okay? I want to at least be your friend and I want to be here for you. We have been working together so well for years. It's stupid to let something petty get in the way."

"This isn't petty"

"It is. You're getting married and moving away and we will have to figure out something with the kids"

"I would never take them from you"

"I know. I trust you. I really didn't want it to be this way. Maybe I can move to Texas too and stay close."

"Your work is here"

"I know but I can find something"

"You can't move. You run Hadley's Phoenix sector. He gave that to you."

"Yes but my kids come first"

"What about our house?" She weeps.

"It will end up, up for sale."

"No, Lindsey. Please, we will think of something else"

"I don't know how we can make this any better. You already said you have made up your mind and that really, you didn't have a choice. He can't leave Dallas and you can't stay in Phoenix. Everything will be okay." He says, holding her hand briefly. He sat and listened to her cry until they came upon their destination. She wiped her tears with a tissue and sniffed, looking at herself in the visor mirror. He took her hand again and squeezed it, asking for her attention. "I know I was an asshole all those years ago and the divorce was pretty ugly, I would force you to stay home and I made you to give up parts of yourself you shouldn't have had to sacrifice but I swear, if I could take it all back..."

"I know"

"I'd do anything"

"Me too" she says, giving a small smile.

"I'm going to miss you" he tells her. She withdraws her hand from his and gets out of the car, not making eye contact. Her heart was breaking. She wasn't in love and she admitted it, but the love she and Lindsey shared could never survive. It burns too hot and it destroys everything around it, including each other. They would never work but God, how she wished they could.

I'll come around
If you ever want to be in love