Chapter 7
Bobby's apartment
8:12 pm
Jack waited impatiently at Bobby's door. "C'mon, open up, Bobby. I know you're in there," he called knocking again.
It was flung open. "What do you want, Jack?" he asked curtly.
He pushed his way past Bobby. "I want to know what happened between you and Sue!" he insisted.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Bobby protested in irritation.
"Oh sure!" retorted Jack. "According to Lucy and Tara, you went storming out of the conference room followed by a very upset Sue--so upset she went home with a headache. And you disappeared the rest of the afternoon. Where were you?"
Bobby looked stricken at the news. He didn't think he'd have that effect on her. "What?"
"Where were you this afternoon?" demanded Jack.
"I had an appointment with an informant."
"That conveniently took the whole afternoon."
"Yea."
"Then tell me why Myles' friend from Personnel called this afternoon asking why you're inquiring about transfers?" persisted Jack. "C'mon, Bobby! Something's up! Even Myles saw there's a connection!"
"You're all imagining things," Bobby said sarcastically as he walked away.
"No, we're not," Jack bit off each word. "If there's a problem within the team, we have to talk about it to solve it."
"There is no problem," Bobby declared stubbornly.
Jack could see arguing with Bobby was getting nowhere. He decided to change his approach.
"If Myles noticed something's wrong then a blind person could, too," he joked lightly. "And none of us are blind."
His voice softened. "You're my friend, Bobby. So's Sue. I want to help. Tell me what's going on," he pleaded as he placed his hand on Bobby's shoulder.
Bobby shrugged off his friend's hand and walked away refusing to answer.
Jack stood there. "I'm not leaving until you talk!" he said forcefully.
For long moments a tense silence blanketed the air. The burden of Bobby's guilt grew heavier with each passing minute. He knew he'd hurt Sue today and what he was going to say would hurt his best friend.
He looked upwards for inspiration.
"How do you tell your best friend that you kissed his girl?" Bobby revealed quietly. "That you think you're in love with her?"
Stunned, Jack wasn't sure he heard correctly. Bobby and Sue? Bobby had feelings for Sue? More than friendship? When the hell did that happen?
Taking his silence for condemnation, Bobby tried to apologize, "Don't blame Sue. It was me...all me. She didn't...she's never encouraged me." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I can't even tell you when it happened."
A sick feeling settled in the pit of Jack's stomach as he struggled to absorb the impact of Bobby's words. It was an incredible idea. Bobby in love with Sue? How could he have missed that?
He knew Bobby had been attracted to Sue from the very beginning, but love? He was very protective of her, but all the men were a little bit more cautious when it came to Sue's safety.
Jack's mind was in overdrive as he processed his thoughts. What about Darcy? Bobby had been in love with Darcy. Sure it seemed as though he'd recovered quickly from their breakup but...it wasn't...it wasn't because of his feelings for Sue...was it?
"Have you talked to Sue about how you feel?" Jack asked abruptly, his voice husky with emotion.
Bobby turned a rueful expression on his face. "We talked...if you can call it that...in the conference room." He added wryly, "Not one of our most enlightening conversations."
"Then I think you need to sit down and talk to her," Jack forced out. He was still trying to come to grips that his best friend was in love with Sue.
Taken aback, Bobby looked at his friend with a frown. "I'm pretty sure she doesn't even want to see me after today, let alone talk to me?" Bobby admitted contritely. "I appreciate what you're trying to do mate, but leave well enough alone. I never meant to come between you and Sue. I know you love her. Just hope you can forgive me."
Jack shrugged helplessly, his voice tightening with emotion. He didn't want to turn this into some kind of contest over Sue. Bobby and Sue deserved more than that--and so did he. It hurt to say the words but they needed to be said.
"Sure I care a great deal for Sue but I have no claim on her. I also care about you—you're my friend. If you love her, you need to tell her. If her reaction today is any indication, she must have feelings for you."
Bobby eyed widened. "Jack, I can't let you..."
"Can't let me what?" interrupted Jack. "If you love her," he said vehemently jabbing his finger into Bobby's chest, "you go over there and tell her. She deserves to know."
Stunned, Bobby absorbed his friend's words. "Why are you doing this?" he asked quietly.
"Because it's not my decision to make," Jack said his voice rough with emotion.
Bobby looked at him in confusion. "I don't understand."
"I had my chances to let Sue know how I feel but you know me…by the book Hudson...had to abide by the Agency's no dating policy." Jack laughed without humor. "I thought I was doing the right thing but you know what? I was hiding behind it. I was afraid of getting hurt."
Jack looked seriously at Bobby.
"I can't speak for Sue but I can speak for myself," he continued. "Tell her how you feel. If you don't...well, maybe I won't be following that no dating policy so strictly."
The two men stared at each other—one daring the other to take a chance and make that leap of faith. The fate of three people lay in Bobby's hands.
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