"You rung?"

"Really, Thomas? You couldn't have just said, 'You called?' or hey, I don't know, 'Hello?'" Lee questioned as he finished boxing up the last strawberry cheesecake, setting it in the bakery refrigerator so that Natalie would have it for her customers tomorrow.

There was some movement in the background before Thomas came back over the phone. Lee could practically see the annoying pout on Thomas's face as he responded. "What's got you in such a bad mood?" Thomas stated, "Whatever. I don't want to hear about you and your wishy washy feelings. How's my wife? How's my daughter? Are they missing me yet?" He changed the subject, causing Lee to roll his eyes.

"No." Lee replied simply.

"No?" He repeated.

Lee picked up a piece of paper and threw it in the trash. "Yeah, that's what I just said, didn't I?"

Thomas groaned. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to your lies."

Lee shrugged. "If that's what you call the truth, then go ahead."

Thomas whispered something under his breath before replying. "Why did you call me, anyways? Is everything going fine at the bakery?"

Lee looked around the empty kitchen for a moment before leaning back against the counter. All the customers were gone and he was just tidying up the place a little for tomorrow before he left to go and grab something to eat before heading back over to Simone's. "Yes, everything's fine. I was just calling to see how Charles was?"

Thomas snorted. "Still livid that you aren't here." Thomas laughed, "Why aren't you here anyways?"

Lee knew he could trust Thomas since he had already met Simone and hadn't told anyone else about her yet. He sighed. "The other night Simone passed out at the christmas party and I was worried, so i've decided to stay a few more days here before meeting you guys on tour."

"Oh, okay, that's why you didn't tell Charles." Thomas shook his head, "Is she okay?"

Lee nodded. "Yeah, she's fine now. I just feel. I don't know, I feel like she's lying to me." He said before correcting himself, "Okay, I know she's lying to me. But about what, I don't know, and why? Well, I have no idea."

"Dang, that's a first." Thomas whistled. "How does it feel to not know everything?" He teased.

"Shut up."

"Okay, shutting up." Thomas said, "But maybe you just need to let her be the one to tell you when she's ready. You don't have to try and figure out everyone's problems, Lee. Some people don't like it." Thomas told him. "It's kind of..how do I say it - annoying when you're able to point out someone else's problem before they can."

Lee frowned. "I don't-"

"- you do," Thomas sung. "It's kind of scary actually. Maybe you just need to give her some space on the subject. I'm sure she'll tell you the truth sooner or later."

"I just don't want to see her hurt. She just looks so on edge all of the time."

"I understand that, but you can't beat the truth out of her."

"I wasn't." Lee said defensively, "It just sucks that she doesn't trust me enough to tell me what's wrong."

Thomas chucked. "It's probably not that she doesn't trust you, maybe she just doesn't want to burden you with her problems." He said.

"But she won't be."

"She doesn't know that." Thomas pointed out, "Like, take me and Nat for example. She kept a lot of things from me in the beginning because she was scared of how I would react. She thought she was too much trouble, and like she wasn't worthy enough for me - which is a lie." he added, "If anything, I should've been the one scared."

Lee sighed. "So basically you're just telling me to wait and see how things play out?"

"Exactly!" Thomas exclaimed.

Lee ran a hand down his face. "Goodness, that's stupid."

"Hey!" Thomas shouted.

"I call it how I see it." Lee replied, "But thanks, Thomas. I guess I just needed someone to talk to about it. I feel like i'm losing my mind."

Thomas smiled. "No problem, anytime." He said, pausing for a moment, "Oh wait, I have to go. Dane keeps saying something about 'the witch is coming,' Oh, Oh! The Bi-"

"Thomas!"

"Lee!" Thomas said back, laughing. "Okay, let me go since I know that Charles is the one that Dane is talking about. Bye, Lee." He said cheerfully before the phone hung up.

Lee stared down at the blank screen, before sliding it into his pant pocket. He pulled off his white apron and hung it up by the door before grabbing his car keys and heading to the front of the bakery.

"I'm leaving, Natalie." He called over his shoulder as he passed Natalie. She looked up from what she was doing and smiled.

"Bye, Lee. Thanks so much for stopping by. You're always a big help." She waved, before going back to what she had been working on.

Lee stepped out of the shop, the bell on the door ringing behind him as he exited. He let out a breath as the cool breeze hit his face, and sighed a little. He hoped that Simone would tell him the truth. He wouldn't push her for it, he knew that for sure. He just really prayed that she would feel comfortable enough to tell him before he left for tour - at least then his mind would be more at ease - or at least that was what he kept telling himself.

He slid into his car, starting the ignition. He took his phone out of his pocket to sit it down on his seat, when the screen lit up and a text from Simone came across the screen. He glanced down at it, clicking it open.

I'm sorry about last night and this morning.

When you come back, I have something to tell you.

Lee felt his heart tighten for some odd reason as he read the text. This was what he had wanted right - He laid the phone back down onto the seat of his car as he pulled out of the driveway of the bakery - so why did he feel so uneasy at the moment?

- - -