When they got to the dance floor, she turned into his arms. They were quiet for most of the dance, both of them enjoying the closeness dancing brought to them. Finally, she said, "Bobby…about that line you don't want to approach…"
He shook his head. "Never mind, Eames."
"No, I want to ask you something."
He looked down at her. "What?"
"Would you ever approach that line?"
This really was not a conversation he wanted to have with her. Would he approach that line? Hell, yes, if he thought it would lead anywhere. But she had never given him any indication it would. "No," he softly lied.
She just nodded. That wasn't the answer she had hoped to get. "Let's go back to the table. Dinner's probably there."
He didn't argue.
Goren didn't say a word all through dinner. Eames seemed fine, but he was brooding. Logan tried to draw him into conversation a few times, earning him a shrug or a nod, but nothing more. Finally Barek said, "Hey, Bobby, would you mind a dance, before you lose yourself in your partner's arms again?"
He stiffened slightly, but only Eames noticed. "Sure," he finally answered.
Eames watched them disappear from sight. Logan looked at her. "What the hell is his problem?"
"I think I am."
"What?"
"Never mind, Mike. I think I know what's wrong and I hope I can fix it."
"So do I. I don't think I like him like this."
"I know I don't."
On the dance floor, Barek looked up at her friend's partner. "What's wrong?"
"What makes you think anything's wrong?"
"Just a hunch."
He smiled. "Nothing's wrong. I just…said something stupid and I'm trying to figure a way out of it."
"Eames doesn't seem to be upset, so it couldn't have been anything too bad."
No, she didn't seem upset. So maybe it hadn't been the wrong thing to say. He was very confused, and he hated being confused. But he knew of no way to turn his mind off. When the music ended as the band prepared for another selection, Barek kept her hand in his as they walked back to the table. Something told her Goren needed a little comfort. When they got back to the table, she motioned to Eames. "Powder break," she said.
The men watched them walk off and Logan turned to Goren. "What the hell happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, Goren. I don't have to be you to tell something is wrong."
"Look, Logan…nothing is wrong."
"Bullshit. What did she tell you?"
"It's nothing. It's not her fault. I just said something stupid."
"You? You don't talk off the top of your head like I do. How'd that happen?"
"I did talk off the top of my head. I said what I thought she wanted to hear. And…I don't know. Maybe it was the right thing for her."
"But it wasn't for you."
He shook his head. "No, it wasn't."
Logan sat back, thinking. "Have you ever caught her looking at you?"
"She looks at me all the time."
"No. That's not what I mean. From what I've heard you are no innocent when it comes to scoring. So why can't you read her?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Those unguarded looks, Goren. I've seen them and so has Barek. You got her, man."
"'Got her?'"
He leaned forward. "She's in love with you."
Goren shook his head. "No, she's not."
"Bullshit."
"You don't know her, Logan."
"Apparently, neither do you."
In the women's restroom, Barek turned to Eames. "What happened out there, Alex?"
"What do you mean?"
"Tell me you haven't noticed how he's brooding."
"Yeah, well, he brought that on himself, the big idiot."
"What did he do?"
"He didn't do anything."
"And that's the problem?"
Eames sighed. "Maybe."
"Do you want him to do something?"
"I don't know what I want right now, Carolyn."
"Look, you know him better than anyone else. If you need to get something across to him, no one knows how to do that better than you do."
She sighed. "How can I approach a line he refuses to touch?"
"Why do you think he won't touch it?"
"He told me he wouldn't."
"Then he lied. Give him a push, Alex. I promise he won't push back."
"You don't think so?"
"I can almost guarantee it."