Jack followed Bobby into the kitchen, Bobby opened the fridge and offered Jack a bottle of beer, Jack accepted the beer and opened it.
"So Crash, what's it like being married?"
"It's certainly opened my eyes to a few things, especially what I've been missing."
"Missing?" Jack asked his interest piqued.
Bobby sighed, "Yeah. I've been giving my life a lot of serious thought over the past twenty four hours. I wasted a lot of time with Darcy, she wasn't right for me, at the time I thought I loved her, thought she was the one, but the more I've thought about it, the more I realised she was the safe option. I knew she'd never commit and at the time that was fine, because I wasn't sure I wanted this," he gestured with his hand and waved it around the kitchen. "But now I've been here with Tara I realise this is what I want."
"With, or without Tara?"
"That's the thing I don't think I want this without Tara."
Jack grinned, "It's finally caught up with you, hasn't it?"
"What?"
"Love."
"And you've got room to talk, Mr. I watch the woman I love for three years and do nothing until she threatens to move to another city."
"And now I'm sharing my wisdom at doing things the hard way. If you care for her, tell her. Don't waste time, because you're never sure what will happen."
"I'm not sure that she wants this, well what I mean is whether she could ever feel that way about me. Look at me I'm no genius, Tara's boyfriends have always been intelligent, there was Stanley and then Rob, both had careers that involved brain power."
Jack shook his head, "Tara is not that shallow," he paused as he watched Bobby scowl, "That didn't come out quite like I meant it too. You are intelligent just in a different kind of way and Tara doesn't judge people, you should know that. She probably thinks she's not your type, because she's not like your past dates either. Neither of you are going to get anywhere if you don't talk."
"Again, I'm not sure whether to take your advice Jack, because you've not exactly got the best track record yourself."
"Whether you take my advice or not, you're the one that has to decide whether or not Tara is right for you and then you've got one heck of a job to persuade her you're the right guy for her," he teased.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mate."
"If she's the right one for you and you're the right one for her you'll work it out. Sue and I did eventually."
"Eventually after you plucked up the courage to actually admit the feelings the rest of us knew you'd had for three years."
"Okay, I think you've made your point. I was slow off the mark, and if there's anything you can learn from me, don't waste three years. If you want to spend your life with Tara then make your move, and it looks to me like you've got the perfect opportunity. Just let me warn you, if you mess this up you'll have not only me, but the other guys on the team and Sue and Lucy baying for your blood, just like you would have done to me if I'd have made a mess of things with Sue."
Bobby waited for a moment, "How did you actually tell Sue the way you felt?"
Jack laughed, "Like a bumbling idiot. She had to ask me to repeat myself twice because she couldn't read my lips because I was mumbling. But eventually I made myself clear and she responded just as I hoped she would and now," he paused pulling out a small velvet box from his pocket and showing his friend, "I'm just waiting for the right moment to ask her the big question."
"Wow, Sparky, she's not going to be able to say no to that."
"That's what I'm hoping," Jack replied closing the box and slipping it back into his pocket.
The sound of laughter approaching them stopped their conversation.
"Did we interrupt something?" Tara asked from the doorway of the kitchen.
"No just talking about football," Bobby replied before taking another drink from his beer.
"Football! Leave two men alone for any period of time and all they can find to talk about is either sports or work," Tara replied shrugging her shoulders. "Bobby would you set the table please, it smells like dinner is ready."