Chapter 26:

"Sharon!" Flynn yelled from behind her and she turned around to see him walking towards her from the elevator. His voice echoed in the big parking floor for a few seconds until it died out. Sharon walked a few more steps and reached her car. She opened the door, put her purse on the seat and then turned around again to look at Flynn with her arms crossed on her chest, until he reached her.

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" he asked, a little short of breath.

"I didn't want to get in your way," she replied coldly.

"My way? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you have a call to make?" she asked monotonically and Flynn frowned. For a few seconds, he had no idea what she was referring to, until he remembered the calling card he had received and kept in his pocket.

"Oh, you mean that?" he roamed inside the pocket of his jacket and pulled out the card, holding it in front of her face. Sharon lowered her arms and rolled her eyes. He closed his fist on the card, crumpling it, and threw it to the ground. "She's not my type."

Sharon wanted to fling herself into his arms and kiss him, but instead she just tilted her head to the side and gave him a little smile. "I don't care, anyway," she said quietly.

"Right…" Flynn said sarcastically and she sent him a piercing look.

"Well, I have to go," she said, but before she could turn to her car, he stopped her.

"I need to tell you something," he said, and by his face Sharon could tell it wasn't a good thing. It looked as though he was in pain only from thinking about it.

"What is it?" she asked quietly and took a little step forward absent-mindedly.

"Did you know that we all go out together once a month on Friday?"

"The squad?"

"Yes."

"Why wasn't I ever invited?" she asked and Flynn stared at her for a moment in confusion. "I'm kidding," she added coldly and he let out air in relief. The truth was, they never even thought about inviting her because they were sure she wouldn't want to come. Besides, she wasn't as close to them as they all were to one another.

"Anyway, we're going out this Friday…" he said hesitantly.

"So, what's the problem?" she squinted, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Well… we usually go and have some drinks, and then…" he stopped for a moment before adding, "we go to a strip club."

Sharon's eyebrows arched for a second. "Tao and Sykes go to a strip club?" she asked quietly.

"No, Tao always calls it a night when we go, and Sykes… this would be her first time joining us, but I'm pretty sure she won't go either," he tried to sound funny but Sharon didn't smile.

"That's disgusting," she said slowly and he felt like her eyes were burning holes in his face.

"I don't wanna go. I was kinda hoping you'd come over," his tone changed to what Sharon would have considered to be tempting, if she wasn't upset with him. "The problem is, Provenza knows me too well. If I tell him I can't go he'll know that I'm… seeing someone, or whatever it is we're doing."

"So say you're sick, what's the big issue here?"

"The one time I said I was sick, he actually came to my apartment to check if I was lying."

"And you were, weren't you?" Sharon asked, but Flynn only looked at her without saying a word. "Never mind, don't answer that," she knew that he was probably with a woman and didn't want to hear about it.

They looked at one another for a moment in silence. Flynn wanted her to find a solution for his problem, but Sharon only wanted to get out of there. She hated caring for him so much. Her life was much easier when she was alone. Lonely, but easier. She looked him in the eyes and couldn't decide if he was telling the truth or not. Her insecurities surfaced as always, and she wondered if this whole story wasn't just an excuse so he can go with the squad members without her being mad at him.

"I have to go," she said again and turned to her car.

"Wait, Sharon…" Flynn said, his voice sounding frustrated.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care," she said as she opened the door with her back to him.

"You told me you loved me, you know," he said suddenly and Sharon froze. She turned slowly back to him and saw that he also looked surprised by his own words.

"What did you say?" she almost whispered. All of a sudden it was hard for her to breath. Flynn had a shocked expression on his face and he just stood there and looked at her. He couldn't believe he said it, and had no idea what to do next.