Question
"Hey." She called out as she entered the apartment.
"Hey." He replied as he turned from his desk.
"So, how was lunch?" he asked watching as Cassie slipped off her shoes and curled up on the couch.
"It was good, I met Liv's new boyfriend."
"I didn't know Liv was seeing anybody?"
"Me either, its early days but she seems happy."
"So what's he like?"
"He's nice, kind of serious though, doesn't smile much, oh and did I mention he's a cop?"
"A cop? What's his name I might know him." He asked joining her on the couch.
"Ed Tucker."
"Tucker?! Liv's dating Tucker?" he asked wide eyed.
"So you know him?"
"Yeah, everybody knows him, he's head of IAB, everybody hates him."
"Is he really that bad?" she asked.
"No, he's just tough and nobody likes IAB detectives, I can't believe Liv is seeing him, I don't get it."
"Well he seems like a good guy and as long as she's happy then I'll learn to like him."
"Why do you have to learn to like him?"
"We had a conversation when Liv went to the bathroom and it was weird."
"What did he say?" Barba asked concerned.
"Well, Liv had just asked me if I was seeing anyone and I said no, it was just after that she went to the bathroom."
Earlier in the restaurant
They watched as Liv made her way to the bathroom after a few seconds Tucker turned to Cassie.
"So what's wrong with him?" he asked.
"What?" Cassie asked confused.
"The guy you're seeing, the one you just lied to Liv about, what's wrong with him?"
"How did you know?" Cassie said surprised.
"I'm a cop, it's my job to know when someone is lying and I interrogate other cops for a living so I have to be extra good at it."
"Oh, are you going to tell Liv?" she asked concerned.
"I don't know, what's wrong with him?"
"Nothing."
"There's got to be something, otherwise you wouldn't be keeping him a secret from Liv, what is it, is he an ex-con?"
"No."
"Is he married?"
"No! Look, are you going to tell Liv?"
"Depends what's wrong with him."
"He's…older than me."
"A lot?"
"A fair bit."
"As old as me?"
"No."
"As old as Liv?"
"No, look, are you going to tell her or not?!" she asked frustrated.
"How's this, you tell me exactly how much older he is and I won't tell Liv you're seeing anyone." She sat there stunned, staring at him trying to decide what to do. She saw the look in his eyes and realised she had no choice.
"Fifteen, he's fifteen years older than me." she sighed defeated.
"Oh, ok, I won't tell Liv but I think you should."
"I will, eventually, I'm just waiting for…"
"The right time?" he proffered.
"Yeah, the right time."
"You know there is no right time, she going to take it how she's going to take it, whether you tell her five days from now, five months from now or five years from now, except it might be worse because you will have kept it from her for so long."
"I know." she sighed.
"So how long have you been seeing him?" he asked pressing.
"Awhile." she replied curtly, he simply stared at her.
"A year, we've been together a year and we live together."
"So it's serious…"
"So how's it going?" Asked Liv as she retook her seat.
"Good, we've just been getting to know each other." he said smiling.
"So he interrogated you?"
"Basically yeah."
"You ok?"
"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting it, it was pretty uncomfortable, makes me glad I'm not a dirty cop, I can't imagine how he treats them."
"Come here." He said as he held his arm up, she scooted over and rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"I think he was right about one thing though."
"What's that?" he asked
"There is no right time to tell Liv."