"Alex?"
She looked up at him from where she was studying information about her new job. "Mhm?"
"Tell me more."
Alex narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Tell you more about what?"
"Your husband."
Alex paused for a moment. "Why?"
"Because you started talking about him and then you stopped. Why?"
She shrugged. "It's not important."
Bobby frowned. "We don't know how long we're going to be stuck here. Shouldn't we know a bit more about each other?"
"Why?"
He sat back, folding his arms. "Are you trying to be deliberately infuriating?"
Alex sat back also and sighed. "No. I just don't see why it's so important."
"It's important to you, isn't it?"
"He'll always be important to me."
"But you don't want to share him?"
Alex held up the papers she was studying. "It's more that I'm trying to assume my new identity, rather than reliving my old one."
"Touchy subject?"
Alex glared at him, shutting her folder. "If we're doing touchy subjects, why don't we discuss your family? Or the army?"
"What's gotten into you?" Bobby asked, ignoring the dig.
"Are we going through this all over again?"
"All I did was ask about your first husband.""And I don't want to talk about it."
Bobby watched her carefully. "Okay. So is this going to be one of those give, take situations?"
She frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"You'll only tell me about your first husband if I tell you about my family and the Gulf War?"
"This isn't one of your mind games."
"What happened with him to make you so protective about him?"
Before Alex could reply, a knock on the door came with a "Yoohoo!"
Arching an eyebrow, she stood up. "We better get that."
Bobby decided he wasn't going to like whoever was at the door. He wanted to get to the bottom of what how Alex's husband had died. Bobby frowned. He needed to know more about what made his partner tick.
"Hi there! I'm your new neighbour!"
Alex took a step back from the front door. "Ben?" she called sweetly into the house. "We've got visitors." I'll be damned if I'm dealing with Donna Reed on my own.
Bobby came stalking out, in a foul mood but putting on a happy face. "Yes, Emily?""Our new neighbour," Alex gestured. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"Clara Stevens. I saw you move in and I thought I should come over and bid you a warm welcome to our little community. We're small, but we like to walk tall!"
Bobby gritted his teeth, her poetry getting on his nerves. "Ben Cormwell. This is my wife, Emily."
"So happy to have you here! I'd have brought my hubby along with me, but he's still working. You know, 9 to 5 community around here." She blinked. "What do you do, Ben?"
"I'm going to work with the local carpentry business. I like working with my hands."
Alex wondered why that reply had made her tingle. Stupid, Eames. Stupid.
Bobby continued. "Emily is going to work with the local youth group."
"Oh how lovely!" Clara cried, her voice making Bobby wince. "A volunteer!"
"Emily is great like that," Bobby said, his arm going around Alex's waist and hugging her to him.
"A couple of newlyweds I presume," Clara teased.
"We've been married a whole year," Bobby said proudly. "It's like a dream."
Alex turned to look up at him. Her adoring look disguised a look that made Bobby's insides jump. She was going to kill him later.
"I brought over a casserole," Clara said, holding out the dish. "I'm sorry I didn't get over last night, but you arrived so late we didn't know you were even here!"
"Traffic," Alex apologized, taking the dish. "Thank you so much."
"So, any gorgeous tots running around?" Clara asked.
Bobby hugged Alex tighter. "Not yet, but we sure hope so soon."
Alex put on a grin for Clara's benefit. "Yeah, we're just crazy about each other."
Clara giggled. "I can see that. Well, I better get back. I got three little ones and a hungry husband to feed tonight. You have a nice night now! Ta-ta!"
Alex raised her hand in a goodbye wave. When Clara had turned away, Alex elbowed Bobby in the side and headed back into the house."OW!" Bobby cried, shutting the door. He followed her into the kitchen, rubbing the sore spot. "What the hell was that for?"
"Not yet, but we sure hope so soon!" Alex said, mimicking him. "Real smooth, Goren."
Uh-oh. Last names. Not good. "You're mad."
"Damn right. Did you stop to think what would happen if we're stuck here for a long time? Don't you think she'd start spreading the word that we're going to have kids soon?"
"So?"
Alex let out an exasperated noise. "God! You're such a man!"
Bobby smirked slightly. "I'm glad you noticed. That might come in handy while we're here."
"If we're stuck here long enough…people will expect me to get pregnant!"
Bobby paused. "You don't want kids?"
"Of course I do!" Alex stopped, a faint blush rising up her neck. "You're deliberately confusing me."
"You seem to be doing a fine job on your own."
"All we're doing here is pretending to be married. We don't get to do anything else. That's it. Just pretending."
Bobby took a step closer. "What makes you think I wasn't pretending?"
Alex took a step back. "You do know where babies come from, right Bobby?"
First names again. Good. "Yes, I know."
Alex nodded. "Well, just as long as you do." She couldn't continue this conversation. It was too dangerous. "I better put this casserole away."
Bobby was tempted to take her arm, pull her back and talk to her. Finish this conversation.
But when he saw how nervous she had been, how upset she had been…he couldn't push her. Wouldn't.
Part 4